title: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatinum and 5-fluorouracil in advanced head and neck cancer.
abstract: Forty-one patients affected by solid tumors of the head and neck were treated with neoadjuvant therapy before radiotherapy or surgery. All patients received therapy with cisplatinum 100 mg/m2 day 1 and 5-fluorouracil 1000 mg/day for days 1-5 by continuous infusion with a portable chronoinfusor. After three cycles, we observed an objective response in 34/41 patients (82.9%), with 9 (21.9%) complete remissions and 25 (61%) partial remissions. The main side effects were few and controllable. In our experience, neoadjuvant chemotherapy was able to induce a significant remission in 4/5 of patients, with better prospects for subsequent surgery and/or radiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Teatini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meloni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bisail
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Milia
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sanna
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Sarobba
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Massidda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Scotto
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farris
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil