Continuous cisplatin (24-hour) and 5-fluorouracil (120-hour) infusion in recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

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Abstract
Cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) has been reported to be one of the most active chemotherapeutic regimens in recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In this study, 21 patients with recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma received a combination of cisplatin given as a 100 mg/m2 continous infusion over 24 hours and 5-FU given as a 1000 mg/m2 24-hour continuous infusion for 120 hours. Toxicity was evaluated in all patients, and response and survival were evaluated 20 patients. There were two complete remissions (10%) and three partial remissions (15%) for a major response of 25%. Overall survival for the complete responders was 79+ and 61+ weeks, respectively. Median survival for all patients was 36 weeks. Toxicity consisted of moderate to severe nausea and vomiting in 14 patients (66%), mucositis in 14 patients (66%), granulocytopenia of less than 1000/μl in 11 patients (52%), objective peripheral neuropathy in one patient (4.7%), and nephrotoxocity in one patient (4.7%). We conclude that the efficacy of 24-hour cisplatin infusion and 120-hour 5-FU infusion in the treatment of recurrent head and neck squamous carcinoma is not superior to the efficacy of single agent trials reported in the literature.