Abstract

56 patients with dissminated or recurrent head and neck cancer were treated with 5-FU infusion and cisplatin between July, 1983 and June, 1986. The results were as follows; 1) Among 54 evaluable patients, response rate was 48.1% (complete responses 7.4% partial responses 40.7%).Response rates of disseminated and recurrent group were 88.9% and 40%, respectively (p<0. 05). 2) Median time to disease progression was 4.4 months for overall patients, and 7.5 months and 2. 9 month for responders and nonresponders; there was statistically significant difference (P<0.05). 3) Median survival was 15.3 month for overall patients and 24.5 month and 9.2 month for responders and nonresponders; there was statistically significant difference (P<0.05). 4) Nausea and vomitting were observed in all patients but easily controlled, and stomatitis, alopecia, diarrhea were obrerved infrequently, 1eukopenia and thrombocytopenia were observed in 25, 9% and 1, 9%, In conclusion, combination chemotherapy with 5 FV infusion and cisplatin in patients with disseninated or recurrent head and neck cancer seemed to be relatively effective and well tolerable.