Chemotherapy with low-dose consecutive cisplatin (CDDP) for patients with recurrent and distant metastasis of head and neck cancer

Treatment with low-dose consecutive cisplatin (CDDP) was performed on six patients with recurrent and distant metastasis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. All patients were men, and their ages ranged from 64 to 86 years with an average of 75. Primary treatments were radiotherapy and surgery in three patients, chemotherapy and radiotherapy in two patients, and radiotherapy, regional chemotherapy and surgery in one patient. Two patients had laryngeal recurrent carcinomas, one patient had nasopharyngeal recurrent carcinoma, one patient had recurrent metastatic neck lymph node and two patients had distant metastasis (lung and brain). CDDP was administered over consecutive seven days, with a daily dose of 10mg/m2 as continuous drip infusion for 148 hours from day 1 to day 7. Four patients received two courses, while two patients received one course. The overall response rate was 33%, which was restricted to a partial response in two patients. These patients were still alive about one year after treatment. No toxic effect was observed. The present study indicated that low-dose consecutive CDDP was safe and efficacious for patients with recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.