[Adjuvant chemotherapy in advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck]

A prospective randomized study in a total of 36 patients with previously untreated advanced squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck was performed. 20 patients were in group of 120-hour continuous infusion 5-Fu and bolus cisplatin (continuous group). Over-all response rates of continuous group were 90% (complete response 20%, partial response 70%) and of conventional group were 43.8% (6.3%, 37.5%). The differences in the over-all response rates of two groups were statistically significant at P = 0.0039. There was no difference between the two chemotherapy toxicity (P > 0.05), and the toxicity was clinically acceptable. The authors concluded that two or three course of 120-hour 5-Fu continuous infusion and bolus cisplatin is highly effective and safe adjuvant treatment in patients with advanced carcinoma of the head and neck.