Effects of a concurrent chemoradiotherapy with S-1 for locally advanced oral cancer

A number of regimens composed of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) have been attempted as radical or adjuvant therapies for locally advanced oral cancer. CCRT with S-1 is considered promising due to its efficacy and simplicity of application. Patients (n=16) with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity were enrolled. Chemotherapy consisted of oral administration of S-1 (65 mg/m²) for 14 consecutive days followed by a 1-week rest. Radiation treatment at a dose of 30 Gy in 15 fractions was administered concomitantly with S-1. A course schedule of 3 weeks of treatment was applied twice. The overall response rate was 87.5%. Median progression-free survival and median overall survival were 6.3 and 42.5 months, respectively. Although no grade 4 adverse events were observed, grade 3 adverse events, such as anemia (12.5%), stomatitis (25%) and anorexia (18.8%) were present. Thus, CCRT with S-1 is an effective modality that can be safely conducted with minimal burden on patients.