title: Chemotherapy with modified docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil in patients with metastatic head and neck cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This retrospective study evaluates the efficacy of palliative chemotherapy with a modified docetaxel, cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU; "TPF" regimen) regimen (mTPF; reduced doses of docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-FU with reduction of intravenous 5-FU from 4 days to 2 days) in Asian patients with recurrent and metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck (HNSCC) after surgery and adjuvant chemoradiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mTPF regimen was used in this study. Fifty-five patients (from January 2007 to October 2009) received docetaxel on day 1, followed by cisplatin and 5-FU administered continuous infusion on day 2 for another 48 hours every 3 weeks for three to six cycles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The disease control rate was 81%. The overall response rate was 56%. Five patients achieved complete remission; 26 patients had partial remission; 14 patients had stable disease. Ten patients had disease progression. The metastatic sites that responded well to mTPF regimen (either complete or partial remission) were: neck lymph node, lung, liver, and skin. The median follow-up was 15 months (range 1-28 months). The median overall survival was 10 months (range 2-28 months). The common nonhematological toxicity was alopecia and the most common hematological adverse event was neutropenia. Thirty-one patients (56%) had grade 3-4 neutropenia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mTPF chemotherapy regimen is efficacious for the palliative treatment of recurrent and metastatic HNSCC in Asian patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, ChangHua Christian Hospital, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jen-Tsun
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Guam-Min
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Tung-Hao
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Mu-Tai
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chu-Ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.forename: Jer-Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Mu-Kuan
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018450:Disease Progression; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000188:drug therapy; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil