title: Cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil for metastatic squamous cell carcinoma from unknown primary.
abstract: Chemotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma with unknown primary (SCUP) has not been prospectively studied. To evaluate the efficacy of cis-diaminedichloroplatinum (cisplatin) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in advanced SCUP, we treated 15 patients with measurable disease. A prospective trial was conducted of cisplatin and 5-FU in patients presenting with SCUP. All patients had evaluation in search for primary disease with computed tomographic scan of the head, neck, and chest and endoscopic evaluation of the nasopharynx, larynx, esophagus, and tracheobronchial passages with negative blind biopsies. Chemotherapy consisted of cisplatin 100 mg/m2 on day 1 and 5-FU 1000 mg/m2 continuous infusion over 24 hr for 4 days. The regimen was repeated every 21 days. Responses were seen in 8 of 15 patients [1 complete response (CR) and 7 partial responses (PR)], for an overall response rate of 53%. These results suggest that cisplatin-5-FU combination has efficacy in advanced SCUP and deserves further trials both in advanced disease and in combined modality programs with surgery and radiation therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology, University of Mississippi School of Medicine, Jackson, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Khansur
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Allred
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Little
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Anand
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006119:Groin; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009382:Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012074:Remission Induction; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil