Carboplatin plus ftorafur as a palliative treatment in locally advanced cancer of the oral cavity and lip

• Published in: American journal of clinical oncology Vol. 17; no. 2; p. 134
• Main Authors: Grau, J J, Palombo, H, Estapé, J, Mañé, J M, Blanch, J L, Vilalta, A, Castro, V, Biete, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-04-1994
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - adverse effects; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Carboplatin - administration & dosage; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; Humans; Lip Neoplasms - drug therapy; Lip Neoplasms - mortality; Lip Neoplasms - pathology; Male; Middle Aged; Mouth Neoplasms - drug therapy; Mouth Neoplasms - mortality; Mouth Neoplasms - pathology; Neoplasm Staging; Palliative Care; Survival Rate; Tegafur - administration & dosage; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0277-3732
• DOI: 10.1097/00000421-199404000-00009

Forty consecutive patients with local advanced cancer of the oral cavity and lip, heavily pretreated, were palliated with two courses of carboplatin, 400 mg/m2 intravenously once a month plus ftorafur, 500 mg/m2 daily per os for 30 days. Previous treatment consisted of surgery (17 patients), radiation therapy (23 patients), and chemotherapy with cisplatin plus bleomycin (15 patients). The main sites of primary tumor were the tongue (12 patients), hard palate (6 patients), retromolar area (6 patients), tonsils (6 patients), perioral skin and lip (5 patients), and floor of the mouth (5 patients). Complete response was observed in 3 patients, and partial response in 7. Symptomatic improvement was observed in 56% of the cases. Median duration of response was 9 months. Median survival was 7 months. The main toxic effects were nausea (39 cases), vomiting (35 cases), and thrombocytopenia (4 cases). We conclude that carboplatin plus ftorafur has a role as palliative chemotherapy in cancer of the oral cavity and lip in heavily pretreated patients when local therapies are not suitable.