Background
There is interest in different treatment strategies, including deintensification in good prognosis human papillomavirus‐positive (HPV(+)) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We reviewed our experience with weekly cisplatin in low‐risk, locoregionally advanced HPV(+) oropharyngeal SCC since late 2009.
Methods
Data from patients with low‐risk HPV(+) oropharyngeal SCC treated with weekly cisplatin (40 mg/m2) and 70 Gy radiotherapy were collected. Low risk was defined as stage III to IV oropharyngeal SCC excluding T1‐2N1, T4 or N3 disease, or N2b to N2c disease in patients with >10 pack‐year smoking history.
Results
Of 31 patients, the median age was 56 years (range, 41–69 years). All patients completed 70 Gy radiotherapy within 51 days and 84% completed at least 5 cycles of cisplatin. Grade 3 mucositis occurred in 22 patients (71%) and grade 3 febrile neutropenia in 6 patients (19%). No patients required enteral feeding at 12 months. The median follow‐up was 30 months (range, 21–57 months) with no recurrences or deaths.
Conclusion
Concurrent weekly cisplatin is relatively well‐tolerated and associated with excellent disease control in low‐risk, locoregionally advanced HPV(+) oropharyngeal SCC. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E1117–E1121, 2016