Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and the toxicities of recently developed second generation platinum, carboplatin in combination with 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin in head and neck cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between March 1993 and Apirl 1996, 22 patients with locally advanced/metastatic head and neck cancer were treated with FCL combination chemotherapy. Of these 20 patients were evaluable.
RESULTS
Median age was 58 years. The number of patients with stage III and IV patients was 4 and 18 respectively. Among the 20 evaluable patients, 1 (7.2%) achieved a complete response and 8 (40%) achieved partial responses. The median duration of the response was 24 weeks and the median survival duration was 12 months. Out of 77 chemotherapy cycles, 1 patient (1.3%) had anemia of WHO grade 2, 7 patients (9.1%) experienced leukopenia (WHO grade > or =2) and 7 (9.1%) experienced thrombocytopenia (WHO grade > or =2). Non-hematologic toxicities were mild; nausea and voming of WHO grade > or =2 was 12 (15.6%), stomatitis (WHO grade > or =2) was 6 (7.8%).
CONCLUSION
FCL chemotherapy was effective in locally advanced head and neck cancer. Toxocities were minimal compaired to cisplatin based combination chemotherapy.Further studies on increased dose of FCL chemotherapy in head and neck cancer patients is warranted.

• Keywords: Head and neck cancer;Carboplatin;FCL chemotherapy