@article{K._Narayanan_Vishwanathan_Karpurmath_Narayanan_2020, title={Comparison of altered fractionation schedule with concurrent chemo-radiation for squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck}, volume={8}, url={https://www.msjonline.org/index.php/ijrms/article/view/8548}, DOI={10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20203095}, abstractNote={<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Aim of the study was to compare the response of altered fractionation schedule with concurrent chemo-radiation in patients with primary and the nodal disease.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> Total of 40 patients (20 in each arm) with stage 1- 4 squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck with a performance status of 0-2 (ECOG) were included in the study. Arm A was altered fractionation schedule where in patients received 6 fractions per week to a total dose of 6600 cGy in 33 fractions. In Arm B, patients received conventional radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy three weekly Inj. of cisplatin (100 mg/m<sup>2</sup>). Patients were evaluated for acute toxicity every week using the Acute Radiation Morbidity Scoring Criteria. The response was assessed after 6 weeks and 12 weeks post treatment using the RECIST criteria. Data was statistically analyzed.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> Seventeen patients in Arm A and 18 patients in Arm B completed the treatment. At the end of three months, In Arm A, 7 patients had complete response and in Arm B, 9 patients had complete response of the primary (p>0.05).  When the complete nodal response was compared in both the arms, there was no difference (2 vs 4 in Arm A vs Arm B resp.). But there were more partial nodal responders in Arm B (p = 0.016). The acute toxicities were comparable in both the arms.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Altered fraction radiotherapy can be used in early lesions with minimal nodal burden but with locally advanced disease or large nodal burden addition of chemotherapy should not be avoided.</p>}, number={8}, journal={International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences}, author={K., Mathew Varghese and Narayanan, Geeta S. and Vishwanathan, Bhaskar and Karpurmath, Shashidhar V. and Narayanan, Soumya}, year={2020}, month={Jul.}, pages={2834–2838} }