Aims: Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) can be divided into favourable and poor prognostic groups by association with human papilloma virus (HPV) and smoking. This study prospectively investigated a dose-intensified schedule in poor/intermediate prognosis OPSCC.
Materials and methods: Patients with p16/HPV-negative or p16-positive N2b OPSCC with a greater than 10 pack-year smoking history were eligible. Patients were planned to receive 64 Gy in 25 fractions with cisplatin. The primary end point was absence of grade 3 mucositis at 3 months.
Results: Fifteen patients were recruited over 14 months. All patients completed a minimum of 2 years of follow-up. All patients completed full-dose radiotherapy within a median treatment time of 32 days (31-35). Grade 3 mucositis was absent in all patients at 3 months. There was one grade 4 toxicity event due to cisplatin (hypokalaemia). Complete response rates at 3 months were 100% and 93% for local disease and lymph nodes, respectively. One patient developed metastatic disease and subsequently died. Overall survival at 2 years was 93% (95% confidence interval 61-99%).
Conclusions: The schedule of 64 Gy in 25 fractions with concomitant chemotherapy is tolerable in patients with poor and intermediate prognosis OPSCC.
Keywords: Accelerated hypofractionation; human papilloma virus; oropharyngeal cancer; smoking.
Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.