Influence of cigarette smoking on the efficacy of radiation therapy in head and neck cancer

Article Abstract:

Quitting smoking at the time of diagnosis may improve the chances for recovery and survival among patients who undergo radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. Smoking cigarettes during radiation therapy may affect the response to treatment or increase the number of side effects in some patients. Among 115 patients who underwent radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, 62 did not smoke or quit smoking at the time of their diagnosis and 53 continued to smoke after their diagnosis. Seventy-four percent of the individuals who quit smoking experienced a complete response to treatment, compared with 45% of those who did not quit smoking. Sixty-six percent of those who quit smoking were alive two years after their diagnosis, compared with 39% of those who did not quit. The chances of recovery and survival increased with the length of time between quitting smoking and treatment.

Health aspects, Smoking

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Treatment of advanced squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck with alternating chemotherapy and radiotherapy

Article Abstract:

Alternating chemotherapy and radiation therapy may more effective than radiation therapy alone for increasing survival in patients with advanced, inoperable squamous-cell cancer of the head and neck. The five-year survival rate is less than 25% for these patients with radiation therapy alone. Among 157 patients with advanced squamous-cell cancer of the mouth, pharynx or larynx, 80 received alternating treatment with radiation therapy and chemotherapy and 77 received radiation therapy alone. Patients who were treated with alternating radiation therapy and chemotherapy survived an average of 16.5 months, compared to 11.7 months for patients treated with radiation therapy alone. Forty-one percent of the patients who received alternating therapy were alive after three years, compared with 23% of those who received radiation therapy alone.

Squamous cell carcinoma, Chemotherapy

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HER2 and responsiveness of breast cancer to adjuvant chemotherapy

Article Abstract:

Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens from patients enrolled in Mammary.5 (MA.5) randomized trial are studied to determine whether amplification of human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2), overexpression of HER2, or both in breast-cancer cells identifies women who could benefit from cyclophosphosphamide, epirubicin and fluorouracil (CEF), as compared with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and fluorouracil (CMF). The results have shown that amplification of HER2 in breast-cancer cells is associated with clinical responsiveness to anthracyckine-containing chemotherapy.

United Kingdom, Science & research, Research, Diagnosis, Breast cancer, Cancer, Adjuvant chemotherapy, Epidermal growth factor receptors

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