To evaluate the role of combination of external radiotherapy and chemotherapy in the management of thyroid cancer. A prospective review of 11 thyroid cancer patients referred to Paik Hospital Radiotherapy Dept. for the external radiotherapy and
chemotherapy between Jul. 1983 and Aug. 1994 were undertaken. Median age was 60 years old with ranges from 24 to 71 years old. The female patients were 9. Eight patients had papillary carcinoma and 3 patients had anaplastic carcinoma. Of 11
patients, 2
were postoperative state and 5, inoperable and 4, recurrent. Radiation dose of 5070-7040 cGy was delivered over a period of 6-8weeks, using 4 MeV. LINAC. Chemotherapy with adriamycin (10mg/m*) or cisplatin (10mg/m*) was administered in bolus
injection
at daily or weekly intervals during the course of external radiotherapy. The local control and histologic types were analyzed. Median follow up period was 22.5 months (range 3-128months). In patients with residual disease after operation,
treatment
response rate of 72.7% with complete response rate of 54.5% were achieved. In papillary and anaplastic cell type, complete response rate were 75% and 66%, respectively. The complications of combination therapy were skin relation, esophagitis,
tracheitis, leukopenia, but all patients were recovered after 1-2 weeks rest. Combination of external radiotherapy and chemotherapy for thyroid cancer appears to be effective modalities for improving response rate and local control. To confirm
role
of
this protocol, we need to perform a large scale of prospective randomized trial comparing with radiotherapy alone.
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