Toxicity of aggressive multimodality therapy including cisplatinum, bleomycin and methotrexate with radiation and/or surgery for advanced head and neck cancer.
A combined modality regimen employing induction chemotherapy with cisplatinum, bleomycin and methotrexate followed by surgery and/or radiation therapy was initiated in patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. In the first 23 patients treated with this program there was a 90% response rate to induction chemotherapy (9% CR and 81% PR). Toxicity associated with radiotherapy, but not surgery, was increased with 11 of 23 patients (48%) who experienced some toxicity during or immediately after radiotherapy. Mucositis was worse than expected and severe delayed mucositis was seen in 2 patients, one or whom required hospitalization. Late complications, possibly related to therapy included one myocardial infarction and one episode of hypoglycemia, both of which were fatal. One other patient voluntarily failed to take prescribed oral leucovorin, dying of unrescued methotrexate toxicity during adjuvant therapy, a questionable suicide. Further follow-up and analysis of failure will be necessary to determine if the value of a combined modality regimen in producing an increased cure rate and long term survival will out weight increased toxicity.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects
D001761:Bleomycin; D002945:Cisplatin; D008727:Methotrexate