Prophylactic antibiotics reduce hospitalisations and cost in locally advanced head and neck cancer patients treated with chemoradiotherapy: A randomised phase 2 study.

Background: Platinum-based chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced head and neck cancer (LAHNC) induces a high rate of acute toxicity, including dysphagia and aspiration pneumonia. We hypothesised that prophylactic antibiotics can prevent pneumonia and hospitalisations and can be cost-effective.

Patient And Methods: In this multicentre randomised trial, patients with LAHNC treated with chemoradiotherapy received prophylactic amoxicillin/clavulanic acid from day 29 after the start of treatment until 14 days after completion of chemoradiotherapy or standard care without prophylaxis.

Degree of nephrotoxicity after intermediate- or high-dose cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the occurrence of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity between concomitant chemoradiotherapy with high versus intermediate-dose cisplatin.

Methods: One hundred forty-four patients with locally advanced head and neck or nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) were included; 40 patients received cisplatin 100 mg/m(2) (high dose) on days 1, 22, and 43, and 104 patients received cisplatin 40 mg/m(2) weekly (intermediate dose) during 6 weeks in combination with radiotherapy.

Results: During treatment with intermediate-dose cisplatin, 6.