Abstract
From May 1983 to September 1984, 48 consecutive patients with locally advanced, recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck squamous carcinoma were treated with cisplatin 60 mg/m2 i.v. on day 1, fluorouracil 10 mg/kg i.v. push from day 1 to day 4 and bleomycin 10 mg/m2 i.v. from day 1 to day 4, every 3 weeks. In the 44 evaluable patients complete remission was observed in 4, partial remission in 9, stable disease in 19, and progression in 12, for a 29.5% response rate. When the analysis was limited to the 21 patients with PS > 70 and no previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy, the response rate was 48%. Toxicity was acceptable, and no treatment related deaths occurred. Overall median survival (all eligible patients) was 7 months. Although further studies with this combination in poor risk patients (previously treated or with PS < 70) do not appear to be indicated, a more accurate assessment in good risk patients might be warranted.
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