African health sciences
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African health sciences · Sep 2008
Randomized Controlled TrialGemcitabine concurrent with radiation therapy for locally advanced head and neck carcinomas.
Management of advanced head and neck carcinoma is a challenging proposition. Presently concomitant chemo-irradiation has become the standard of care in such patients. Many chemotherapeutic drugs have shown radio-sensitising effects when used concomitantly along with radiation. The present study was carried out with the objective of assessing the feasibility and efficacy of low dose gemcitabine as radiosensitizer when used during radical radiotherapeutic management of patients with locally advanced head and neck carcinomas. ⋯ In the present study the combination of gemcitabine and radiotherapy has not shown any statistical difference in locoregional control but survival advantage was seen as compared to radiotherapy alone. At the same time more mucosal and skin toxicity was encountered when Gemcitabine is given concurrently with radiation.