Rational choice of induction chemotherapy-based larynx preservation for hypopharyngeal cancer

Abstract

Backgroud: Induction chemotherapy, as a larynx preservation treatment, has been available for over 20 years. We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy of this protocol with taxene, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil in Chinese patients with hypopharyngeal cancer that chose preservation strategy.

Material and methods: 170 patients with locally advanced hypopharyngeal cancer were assigned to receive induction chemotherapy. 107 patients (63%) with complete response or partial response received larynx preservation treatment and 63 non-responders (37%) received radical surgery.

Results: Median survival time was 30 months (range: 3–59 months). 63 patients (37%) had local-regional failure and 15 (9%) had distant metastasis. Three-year LFS was 27.8% (95% CI: 23.6–32.0%). The estimated three-year overall survival rate was 44.5% (95% CI: 39.5–49.5%). There was no significant difference in the three-year survival rate between responders (44.8%) and non-responders (43.9%) (p = .237), however patients with a partial response had a significant decrease in survival (32.2%) (p < .001).

Conclusions: In patients with hypopharyngeal cancer, ICT with TPF regimen followed by RT, as a larynx preservation treatment, may be suitable for complete responders, but not partial responders.

Keywords:

• Hypopharyngeal cancer
• induction chemotherapy
• taxene
• cisplatin
• larynx preservation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission Program (No. Z141107002514003), the National Natural Science Foundation of China [No. 81072204, 81272267], and by the Hainan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China [No. 818QN311].