Phase II study of intravenous melphalan (NSC-8806) in the treatment of patients with advanced squamous carcinoma of the head and neck.
The Illinois Cancer Center entered 25 patients on a phase II trial of intravenous melphalan treating patients with recurrent, metastatic or locally advanced and inoperable squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. All patients had bi-dimensionally measurable disease, at least a sixty day life expectancy, and adequate performance status (ECOG scale < or = 2). All patients except one had received prior radiotherapy, chemotherapy or both. Melphalan dosage was 30 mg/m2 every three weeks. Twenty-four patients were evaluable for response. One patient with laryngeal carcinoma had a clinical complete response of a nodal metastasis. Four patients had stabilization of disease for one to three months. There was formidable toxicity, including neutropenia (ANC < 1000/microliters 36%), and thrombocytopenia (< 50,000/microliter 32%). There were no drug-related deaths. Melphalan administered intravenously does not appear to be efficacious therapy in patients with previously treated advanced head and neck squamous carcinomas.
Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL.
M S
MS
Kies
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D
Grinblatt
M
M
Runge-Morris
R
R
Blough
A
A
Watkins
S
S
Taylor
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008558:Melphalan / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D015996:Survival Rate; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced
D008558:Melphalan