[Long-term complete response to treatment with TS-1 in a patient with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma]

A 60-year-old man had a recurrence of squamous cell carcinoma at the right side of the tongue base. Chemotherapy with TS-1 (100 mg/day) was begun. Each course of chemotherapy consisted of 4 weeks of TS-1, followed by 2 weeks of no treatment. After the completion of two courses, macroscopic examination revealed a complete response. From the third course of TS-1 treatment, the dose was increased to 120 mg/day. The complete response persisted on macroscopic examination. A biopsy done during the ninth course of TS-1 treatment confirmed the complete response histologically, with no evidence of malignancy. After 12 courses of TS-1 treatment, the drug was switched to 600 mg/day of UFT. Although there were no signs or symptoms of recurrence, the patient died of cancer of the pancreas. There was no recurrence of the oropharyngeal cancer, even at the time of death.