Feasibility of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with S-1 administered on alternate days for elderly patients with head and neck cancer.

BACKGROUND Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) improves survival and organ preservation in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), compared with radiotherapy. However, such regimens are not always feasible because of substantial toxicities. Therefore, we evaluated the feasibility of S-1, administered on alternate days, and concurrent radiotherapy among elderly patients with HNSCC. PATIENTS AND METHODS Nineteen eligible patients were treated with CCRT. S-1 was administered at a dose of 80 mg/day on alternate days with the intention to reduce the toxicity. RESULTS With a median follow-up period of 19.2 months, the two-year overall survival rates were 62.5% for patients with stage III disease and 50.0% for those with stage IV. The Complete Response (CR) rates were 100% for stage II and 66.7% for stage III/IV disease. Grade 3 mucositis occurred in three patients. Grade 3 or 4 hematological toxicities were not observed. CONCLUSION CCRT with S-1 administered on alternate days was effective and well-tolerated among elderly patients with HNSCC.