Palliative treatment with low-dose continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil in recurrent and/or metastatic undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma type.
BACKGROUND
Low-dose protracted continuous infusion (CI) 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), as proposed by Lokich et al, has been reported to be active and well tolerated in colorectal and breast cancers. We initiated a phase II trial with CI 5-FU in heavily pretreated undifferentiated carcinoma of the nasopharyngeal type (UCNT) patients in February 1989.


METHODS
Twenty-one UCNT patients with recurrent and/or metastatic disease were treated with CI 5-FU (300 mg/m2) for 6 consecutive weeks. Treatment was to be continued until disease progression.


RESULTS
Toxicity was mild. Diarrhea and mucositis (WHO grade 2 or greater) were seen in 4 (20%) and 6 patients (30%), respectively. Myelosuppression was infrequent, with only one patient with bone marrow invasion, experiencing grade 3 leukopenia. Two complete and 3 partial responses were obtained in 20 evaluable patients (ORR:25%). The median time to progression was 4 months (range 2-14); The median survival for the whole population was 10 months (avg 2-41).


CONCLUSIONS
This appears to be a useful palliative treatment for heavily pretreated UCNT patients.
Fandi
A
A
Institut Gustave Roussy, Unité La Grange, Savigny le Temple, France.
Taamma
A
A
Azli
N
N
Bachouchi
M
M
Yanes
B
B
Armand
J P
JP
Cvitkovic
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D005472:Fluorouracil