Adjuvant Chemo-RT With Cisplatin (NSC-119875) and Docetaxel (NSC-628503) After Complete Resection of Locally Advanced (Stage III and IV) Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck (SCCHN)

OBJECTIVES:

• Determine the disease-free survival and overall survival of patients with high-risk stage III or IV squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy comprising docetaxel and cisplatin.
• Determine the toxicity of this regimen in these patients.
• Categorize the site(s) of disease relapse in patients treated with this regimen.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study.

Patients receive docetaxel IV over 1 hour on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, and 36 and cisplatin IV over 1.5 hours on days 1, 22, and 43. Patients undergo radiotherapy once daily on days 1-5, 8-12, 15-19, 22-26, 29-33, 36-40, and 43-45. Treatment continues in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Patients are followed every 3 months until disease progression and then every 6 months for up to 3 years from registration.