Treatment of advanced head and neck tumors with PEV-B regimen: a pilot study.
Thirty-seven patients with advanced head and neck tumors were treated with a polychemotherapy regimen (PEV-B: platinum 30 mg/m2 i.v., epirubicin 30 mg/m2 i.v., etoposide 75 mg/m2 i.v. on days 1 and 2 every 28 days, and bleomycin 15 mg i.m. weekly up to the total dose of 300 mg). All but 7 patients were pretreated with surgery and/or radiotherapy. Thirty-six patients were evaluable for response. Partial response (PR) was observed in 19 cases (53%), no change (NC) in 13 cases (36%) and progression (P) in 4 cases (11%). The median duration of PR was 5 months. The most frequent side-effects were leukopenia (78%), vomiting (57%) and alopecia (46%). The median duration of survival was 8 months for the responders and 5 months for the non-responders.
Guaraldi
M
M
Divisione di Oncologia, Ospedale S. Orsola-M. Malpighi, Bologna, Italy.
Martoni
A
A
Rossi
A P
AP
Romagnoli
D
D
Occhiuzzi
L
L
Caliceti
U
U
Pannuti
F
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects
D001761:Bleomycin; D015251:Epirubicin; D005047:Etoposide; D002945:Cisplatin