Chemo-radiotherapy in locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: factors affecting toxicity patterns.

Radiation and chemotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced squamous carcinoma of the head and neck can be used according to different strategies: concomitant, alternation, consecutive. The limiting acute toxicity is local with the radiosensitizing capacity of the drug and type of radiation fractionation being the predominant factors. Regimens providing more that 50% of complete responses are usually associate with a more than 40% incidence of severe local reaction. More information is needed on late toxicity that influences the quality of life for these patients.