[A neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for carcinomas of the hypopharynx and cervical esophagus].

Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy, followed by definitive surgery and/or radiotherapy was utilized in nine patients with carcinoma of the hypopharynx and cervical esophagus starting in December, 1983. They were treated with combination chemotherapies which included CDDP, PEP (BLM), and MTX. The patients' ages ranged from 52 to 70 years with an average of 57. The histologic types were all squamous cell carcinoma and performance status was 1 in all cases. There were 7 stage III and 2 stage IV. Of 9 patients, 3 showed complete response and 6 showed partial response of the primary tumor with an overall response rate of 100%. Of 8 patients, 3 showed complete response and 2 showed partial response of the metastatic node with an overall response rate of 62.5%. Toxic effects included alopecia in 9 patients, nausea/vomiting in 7, eczema in 4, RBC below 350 X 10(4)/mm3 in 5, WBC below 3000/mm3 in 1, peak serum creatinine above 2 mg/dl in 1. All patients except one with renal toxicity were able to start definitive treatment soon after chemotherapy, the primary and regional lesions being subsequently well controlled in all 9 patients. Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy appears to be very effective for the reduction of tumor bulk. This multidisciplinary therapy should be expected to increase survival rate.