Premium
THE PLACE OF CHEMOTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF ADVANCED SQUAMOUS CARCINOMA OF THE HEAD AND NECK AND IN OTHER SITUATIONS
Author(s) -
Stephens Frederick O.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1974.tb71021.x
Subject(s) - medicine , bleomycin , methotrexate , radiation therapy , chemotherapy , squamous carcinoma , head and neck , carcinoma , surgery , oncology
A rationale is presented for the use of the anti‐tumour antibiotic, bleomycin, and the folic acid antagonist, methotrexate, in a combined chemotherapeutic approach for treatment of advanced squamous carcinomas. An outline is given of the use of these agents by direct Intra‐arterial infusion, when appropriate, otherwise by intravenous injection, in 10 cases of carcinoma of the head and neck, three cases of carcinoma of the oesophagus and one case of carcinoma of the forearm. Twelve of the 14 patients had subjective and objective evidence of regression of tumour. Best results were achieved with “virgin” lesions which had not previously been treated by radiotherapy or surgery. Follow‐up treatment by radiotherapy or surgical resection or both is recommended after chemotherapy.