RESULTS AFTER ACCELERATED RADIOTHERAPY AN D SIMULTANEOUS CARBOPLATINUM APPLICATION IN INOPERABLE CARCINOMAS OF THE HEAD AND NECK REGION

Until now, radical irradiation has been the treatment of choice for pa tients with unresectable squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck . In spite of improved radiation techniques, conventional radiotherapy remains mainly palliative for patients with advanced and unresectable disease stages. Our own results with accelerated radiotherapy (2 x 2, 1 Gy/day, day 1-4 in week 1, 2, 5 and 6, total dose of 67,2 Gy) and si multaneous chemotherapy with carboplatin (50 mg/m2/treatment day) sugg est that combined radiochemotherapy might improve the poor results ach ieved with conventional radiotherapy or sequential chemoradiotherapy i n these patients. However, further studies are necessary to clarify wh ether modified radiotherapy or simultaneous chemotherapy or the combin ation of both are the reason for the improved treatment results. Furth ermore, accelerated radiotherapy and simultaneous chemotherapy should also be investigated as an adjuvant postoperative treatment modality i n primarr resectable patients with advanced stage of disease to improv e their poor prognosis.