Superselective intra-arterial chemotherapy for laryngeal preservation in carcinoma of the anterior oropharyngeal wall

Superselective intra-arterial chemotherapy, which can provide local control and laryngeal preservation, is safe and useful for preserving pharyngeal and laryngeal functions.To evaluate superselective intra-arterial chemotherapy in terms of the contribution to survival and laryngeal preservation in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the anterior oropharyngeal wall.A total of 51 patients with SCC of the anterior oropharyngeal wall received intra-arterial administration of docetaxel at 60 mg/m(2) and cisplatin at 60 mg/m(2) anterogradely, followed by intravenous continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil at 750 mg/m(2)/day over 120 h starting on day 2. Neck lymph node metastases were treated by neck dissection.The 5- and 10-year survival rates of the 51 patients were 72.8% and 66.4%, respectively. The 5-year survival rates of patients with T2, T3, T4a, and T4b cancer were 100%, 88.7%, 41.9%, and 33.3%, respectively. The 5- and 10-year laryngeal preservation rates of the 51 patients were 63.4% and 30.0%, respectively. The 5-year laryngeal preservation rates of patients with T2, T3, T4a, and T4b cancer were 100%, 75.2%, 23.6%, and 33.3%, respectively. No irreversible side effects, complications, or sequelae were reported.