Induction bleomycin infusion in head and neck cancer

Twenty-one male patients with previously untreated advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were treated with an induction regimen of bleomycin 15 mg/m2 I.V. bolus followed by a continuous 24-hour I.V. infusion at a dose of 15 mg/m2/day for 7 days. One week following induction therapy, patients were reevaluated for response and then received definitive therapy with surgery and/or radiation therapy. The chemotherapy yielded a major response rate of 33% (one CR, six PR). Toxic manifestations of this regimen were mild, consisting of fever, alopecia, rash, and mucositis. There was no pulmonary toxicity detected. The response rate obtained with bleomycin infusion is inferior to the combination of cis-platinum with a bleomycin infusion as induction therapy in previously untreated patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.