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Purpose: The purpose of the study is to review our experience with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for patients with advanced resectable squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the hypopharynx and to evaluate the factors affecting survival and larynx preservation. Study design: Retrospective study. Methods and materials: The records of 102 patients with Stage III or IV resectable SCC of the hypopharynx treated with CCRT between January 1998 and August 2010 were reviewed. Of the 102 patients, 62 were treated with high-dose regimens including cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, leucovorin or docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil. The remaining 40 were treated with low-dose regimens including carboplatin and uracil-tegafur, weekly docetaxel, or S-1. Radiotherapy was delivered 5 days a week using a single daily fraction of 1.8-2.0 Gray (Gy), to a total dose of 64.8-70.2 Gy. Overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and DSS with larynx preservation were estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods. The log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to identify significant prognostic factors for OS, DSS, and DSS with larynx preservation. Results: The 5-year OS and DSS for all patients treated with CCRT were 51.3 and 64.3 %, respectively. The 5-year DSS with larynx preservation was 55.5 %. On multivariate analysis, the content of chemotherapy was a significant predictor of OS and DSS for patients undergoing CCRT; N stage was a significant prognostic factor for DSS and larynx preservation. Conclusion: The treatment method including the indication for CCRT may be determined by the contents of the chemotherapy and the N stages of SCC of the hypopharynx. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The efficacy and the toxicity of oral fluorouracil derivative S-1 plus low-dose cisplatin in unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer were evaluated by a phase II study. Methods: S-1 was administered orally for 28 days following 14 days' rest at 80-120 mg/body/day, depending on body surface area. During administration of S-1, cisplatin was given twice a week at the recommended dose (10 mg/m2), which was determined by a phase I study. Data from 34 patients in phase II and 8 patients treated with the recommended dose of cisplatin in phase I were analyzed. The primary endpoint was objective response. Results: The response rate was 47.1%. The median survival time was 11.0 months and the median progression-free survival was 6.9 months. The grade 3/4 toxicities observed in 10% or more of the treated patients were neutropenia (16.7%), anemia (16.7%) and anorexia (11.9%). The serum concentration of cisplatin was 794 ± 341 ng/ml at day 25 of the first course. Conclusions: S-1 plus low-dose cisplatin may be a clinically useful regimen for unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer because of its infrequent adverse events in spite of considerable efficacy and its convenience of no hydration and no hospitalization. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]