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Chemotherapy for head and neck cancer relapsing after radiotherapy
Author(s) -
Cortes Engracio P.,
Kalra Jagmohan,
Amin V. C.,
Attie Joseph,
Khafif Rene,
Wolk David,
Heller Keith,
Eisenbud Leon,
Sciubba James,
Aral Isamettin,
Akbiyik Nejat
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19810415)47:8<1966::aid-cncr2820470810>3.0.co;2-r
Subject(s) - medicine , radiation therapy , surgery , cyclophosphamide , head and neck cancer , fluorouracil , epidermoid carcinoma , chemotherapy , regimen , methotrexate , bleomycin , cancer
Thirty‐nine patients (28 men and 11 women, ages 43 to 83 years) with advanced head and neck epidermoid carcinoma (33 had relapsed from previous radiotherapy) were treated with a three‐day bleomycin administration (30 by continuous intravenous infusion and nine by subcutaneous route) followed on the fifth day by intravenous administration of cyclophosphamide + methotrexate + 5‐fluorouracil (Bleo‐CMF). This drug schedule was based on the cell cycle synchrony principle. Twenty‐one of 39 patients (54%) responded (seven complete, 14 partial remission) lasting from 4 to 20 months. The median duration of survival for complete remission, partial remission, and disease progression was 15, ten, and four months, respectively. The Bleo‐CMF was well tolerated with minimal toxicity. The effectiveness of this regimen in previously irradiated patients compels us to pursue its application in a randomized study as an adjuvant for Stages III and IV head and neck cancer following maximum eradication of the local disease by surgery and/or radiotherapy.