title: The effect of sequential methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil in patients with recurrent head and neck cancer.
abstract: Sequential methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil was given to 105 patients with recurrent head and neck cancer. All 105 patients had previously received radiotherapy in curative doses; 41 patients had also been surgically treated and 21 had received previous chemotherapy for recurrence. The treatment consisted of methotrexate 125 mg/m2, followed by 5-fluorouracil 600 mg/m2 after 1 h. Leucovorin rescue was administered after 24 h. A response was observed in 24 patients (23%), including 9 (9%) with complete response. The majority of the responders were patients with a good performance status and with primary tumour in the oropharynx. The toxicity was not negligible, as 5 patients (5%) died of treatment-related causes, mainly due to leukopenia, which was the most frequent and important complication. This sequential methotrexate/5-fluorouracil treatment-schedule cannot be recommended for recurrent head and neck cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Oncology, Finsen Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lindeløv
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D005472:Fluorouracil; D008727:Methotrexate