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Squamous Cell Head and Neck Cancer pp 165–170Cite as

Induction Chemotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer

A Critical Review of 25 Years of Clinical Trials

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Part of the book series: Current Clinical Oncology ((CCO))

Abstract

It has been known for more than 20 yr that cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy can achieve overall response rates of 70 to 90%, with complete response rates of 20 to 50% in patients with previously untreated locally advanced head and neck cancer (1,2). The use of chemotherapy prior to radiation or surgery is commonly referred to as induction or neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Investigators hypothesized that the addition of an active induction regimen prior to definitive radiotherapy or surgery would have a significant beneficial impact on the outcome of treatment for patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. As well as the potential to decrease distant metastases, it was hoped that significant tumor shrinkage could contribute to improved local-regional control, and facilitate organ preservation (3). Early single-arm trials confirmed the activity of platinum-based induction regimens and established that sequential induction chemotherapy and radiation was feasible, without any apparent increase in radiation toxicity (4).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division od Hematology and Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, Melbourne, Australia

    Danny Rischin MD

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  1. Danny Rischin MD
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH

    David J. Adelstein MD

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© 2005 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ

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Rischin, D. (2005). Induction Chemotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer. In: Adelstein, D.J. (eds) Squamous Cell Head and Neck Cancer. Current Clinical Oncology. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-938-7_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-938-7_11

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-473-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-938-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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