The purpose of this study is to determine if there is a correlation between tumor response after 3 doses of chemotherapy by induction using Docetaxel, Cisplatine and 5-Fluorouracile for advanced stage epidermoid carcinomas of the upper aero digestive tract and the presence of one or a combination of 3 genetic polymorphisms and/or 5 intra-tumoral transcriptional modifications.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Squamous cell carcinoma originating in the mouth, oropharynx, larynx or hypopharynx has been histologically documented.
• The disease is at one of the following UICC 2002 stages, regardless of ganglion status: T3 MO or T4 MO
• Treatment via chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery (except for the diagnostic biopsy) has not started
• The pluridisciplinary committee as ruled out surgical options for technical or functional reasons
• Absence of distant metastases
• OMS general health status between 0 and 2
• Patient has given informed consent
• Patient is affiliated with a social security system

Exclusion Criteria:

• Undifferentiated squamous cell carcinomas in the nasopharynx (UCNT)

• Another cancer priorly treated with one of the following chemotherapies: Docetaxel, Cisplatin, 5-Fluorouracile

• Creatininemia > 2 mg/dl and/or creatinine clearance < 60ml/min

• Patient under guardianship

• Presence of another severe pathology including:

  • severe or chronic cardiac, renal and/or hepatic insufficiencies
  • severe medullary hypoplasia
  • severe autoimmune disease
  • psychosis or senility

The patients included in this study have been diagnosed with an advanced stage squamous cell carcinoma in the buccal, oropharyngeal, laryngeal or hypopharyngeal areas.