Clinical Study on Gemcitabine Combination with Cisplatin Therapy for Recurrent Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

Objective 　To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of Gemcitabine ( GEM) combination with cisplatin (CDDP) treatment in the recurrent advanced head and neck cancer. Methods 　Twenty-seven patients of recurrent advanced head and neck cancer were treated. The treatment schedule was consisting of GEM 1 000mg/ m² iv, dl, d8 and CDDP 60mg/ m ²/ cycle iv (divided into dl～5) . Cycles repeated for 21 days.All patient s received over 2 cycles of chemotherapy, median 3. 52 cycles. Results 　The overall response rate was 29. 63 % (1 complete response and 7 partial response were observed in 27 patients) . The median response duration was 4. 4 months. The median survival period was 9 months. The dose-limiting toxicity was mainly hematologic. Neut ropenia was the most frequent side-effect (85. 18 % of patient s ; grade 3～4 in 22. 22 %) . Conclusion 　The GEM and CDDP combination has a palliative role in patient s with recurrent advanced head and neck cancer.