Arterial chemoradiotherapy for carcinomas of the external auditory canal and middle ear.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS The purpose of this study was to estimate the efficacy of superselective arterial chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced carcinomas of the external auditory canal and middle ear. STUDY DESIGN A retrospective study of clinical data for consecutive patients with locally advanced carcinomas of the external auditory canal and middle ear. METHODS Thirteen patients with locally advanced carcinomas of the external auditory canal and middle ear (T3: one patient, T4: 12 patients) were reviewed. The median follow-up duration in the living patients was 33 months. The total dose of radiation therapy was 60 Gy using conventional fractionation. Four, five, or six courses of a superselective arterial infusion (cisplatin 50 mg) were given weekly. RESULTS The overall survival and progression-free survival rates at 2 years, calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method, were 58.7% and 53.8%, respectively. No late-phase adverse effects due to chemoradiation and no adverse effects due to catheterization were observed. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that superselective arterial chemoradiation can be a treatment option for locally advanced carcinomas of the external auditory canal and middle ear.