Efficacy of intra-arterial infusion therapy using a combination of cisplatin and docetaxel for recurrent head and neck cancers compared with cisplatin alone.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the initial effect and toxicity, response duration and survival time of intra-arterial infusion therapy using a combination of cisplatin (CDDP) and docetaxel (DXT) with those using CDDP alone for treatment of recurrent head and neck cancers.


METHODS
Twenty-nine patients with recurrent head and neck cancers were treated using intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy. The chemotherapeutic regimens consisted of CDDP alone (n=12) or a combination of CDDP and DTX (n=17). In the CDDP-DTX group, both CDDP 70 mg/m2 and DTX 60 mg/m2 were administrated via the external carotid artery (ECA) or via branches of the ECA or subclavian artery. In the CDDP-alone group, CDDP 70 mg/m2 was infused. The tumour response (response rate = complete response + partial response) and toxicities (World Health Organization [WHO] classification grades 3 and 4) were evaluated in both groups and compared by Fisher's exact probability test.


RESULTS
The response rates in the CDDP-DTX group and the CDDP-alone group were 71% (12/17) and 50% (6/12), respectively (P=0.44). Leucocytopenia and neutropenia (grades 3 and 4) were significantly more prevalent in the former than in the latter group (11/17 vs 1/12; 10/17 vs 1/12) (P<0.01). However, there were no infectious diseases in any of the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Combined cisplatin-docetaxel intra-arterial infusion therapy was shown to be effective and safe for recurrent head and neck cancers.
Yabuuchi
Hidetake
H
Department of Radiology, National Kyushu Cancer Center, Fukuoka, Japan. hyabuu@nk-cc.go.jp
Kuroiwa
Toshiro
T
Tajima
Tsuyoshi
T
Tomita
Kichinobu
K
Ochiai
Noriko
N
Kawamoto
Kenji
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D002945:Cisplatin