Antitumor effects on primary tumor and metastatic lymph nodes by superselective intra-arterial concurrent chemoradiotherapy for oral cancer.

OBJECTIVE Superselective intra-arterial infusion of anticancer agents with concurrent delivery of external beam radiotherapy was applied to 13 previously untreated cases of oral cancer for the purpose of avoiding surgical resection of the primary tumor. STUDY DESIGN The catheter tips were placed in the tumor feeder arteries via the superficial temporal artery and/or occipital artery. The catheters were retained for 6 weeks to infuse anticancer agents daily with concurrent radiotherapy for 6 weeks. The total radiation doses to the primary tumor and neck were 60.0 Gy and 40.0 Gy, respectively. RESULTS Complete response of the primary tumor was achieved in all 13 patients; complete response of neck node metastasis was achieved in 5 out of 6 patients. CONCLUSION This strategy is quite effective for oral cancer at both the primary site and metastatic lymph nodes, and it has the potential to be curative in advanced cases that are inoperable.