Objectives: To determine the complete clinical response rate after definitive chemo-radiotherapy in squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi Pakistan.
Materials & Methods: A total of 81 histologically proven cases with newly diagnosed squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity were enrolled in this study. The treatment protocol consisted of radiotherapy 5 days/week, 200 CG,/ fraction for 7 weeks and injection cisplatin 75 mg/m2 on day 1,22,43 day of radiation of treatment were assessed radiologically at six weeks. Information regarding various demographic data, clinical, pathological, radiation and chemotherapy, staging was entered on the study Performa. Data was entered into Stata-14 and verified by the principal researcher.
Results: Eighty one (81) patients were evaluated for the treatment response, 20 (24.7%) patients had attained complete response (CR), 23 (28.3%) patients had partial response (PR) and 38 (46.9%) showed progressive disease. Mean age of the patients were 46.72 years with ± 10.8 years SD (20-77). The objective response rate (complete response plus partial response) was 53%. There were 68(84%) males and 13(16%) females. Buccal mucosa was the commonest site identified in 44 (54.3%) patients followed by tongue in 25 (30.9%), hard palate in 7 (8.6%), floor of mouth 3 (3.7%) and lip in 2 (2.5%) respectively
Conclusion: Chemo-radiotherapy as a definitive treatment is not an effective treatment modality, as very small number of patients achieved complete clinical response and where possible surgery upfront should be offered.
Impact Factor
2022: 6.012
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