CONCURRENT CHEMORADIATION IN LOCALLY ADVANCED HEAD AND NECK CANCER -- CAPECITABINE & CISPLATIN Vs CISPLATIN - A RANDOMISED PROSPECTIVE COMPARATIVE STUDY

BACKGROUND : Aim of my study is to compare the response and toxicity profile of squamous cell carcinoma of Head & Neck(SC HNC) patients when in concurrent chemoradiation( CTRT) Capectabine is combined with cisplatin vs cisplatin alone. METHODS : 55 patients of stage III/IV nonmetastatic SCHNC patients were either treated with CTRT with Cisplatin & Capecitabine arm(Arm A, n=2 9), or with Cisplatin (Arm B, n=26). In both the arm Radiotherapy dose was 66 - 70 Gy in conventional fractionation. Response was assessed by RECIST criteria after 6 wks of completion of treatment and acute toxicities by the RTOG/EORTC guideline. Compariso n was done by Chi - Square test, Fisher's Exact test & Independent T test using SPSS Software. RESULTS : It was seen that 65.5% patient in Arm A & 34.6% patients in Arm B [p=.022] showed complete response. The grade 2/3 acute toxicities of Skin, Mucous Membr ane ,Salivary gland in Arm A & B were 72.4% & 30.8% [p=.005]; 69%&15.4% [p