[Clinical and histopathological results after local chemoembolization of oral and oropharyngeal carcinoma--comparison with intraarterial chemoperfusion]

Abstract

Purpose: Retrospective analysis of clinical and histopathological results after neoadjuvant intraarterial chemoembolization (iaCE) as compared to intraarterial chemoperfusion (iaCP) in patients with oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer (SCC).

Materials and methods: 289 patients (mean age 60 years, 68 % male) with SCC of the oral cavity or the oropharynx (WHO stage I-IV) received (1) neoadjuvant iaCE (n = 103) with a crystalline suspension of cisplatin (150 mg/m(2), solution ratio 5 mg cisplatin ad 1 ml NaCl 0.9 %, total volume 40 - 60 ml) or (2) iaCP (n = 186) using high-dose cisplatin infusions (150 mg/m(2), 1 mg cisplatin ad 1 ml NaCl 0.9 %, 400 - 500 ml). The decision for iaCE or iaCP was made individually for each patient based on tumor localization and expected vascular supply. Four weeks after local chemotherapy, the treatment response was evaluated according (1) to WHO criteria and (2) to histopathological TNM-grading after tumor resection.

Results: The overall treatment response was 72.5 % after iaCE and 47 % after iaCP (p < 0.001). A stable disease was found in 24 % and 48 %, respectively, and tumor progression was found in 3 % for both modalities. Histopathological examination of resected tumors revealed complete remission in 20 % after iaCE and 13 % after iaCP. The percentage of complete remissions was highest in local T1 and T2 tumors after iaCE (42.9 versus 22.4 % after iaCP, p = 0.031). Local side effects were significantly more frequent after iaCE than after iaCP (p < 0.001), especially in obese patients with extended carcinoma of the oral floor or the tongue base.

Conclusion: Compared to iaCP, clinical and histopathological remission rates are significantly higher after iaCE, especially in early stages of local tumor growth. However, in view of the higher risk of regional complications, indication for iaCE should be considered cautiously and its application should be limited to small tumors of the oral floor and the oral tongue.