mTPF IN HEAD-NECK CANCER

Int J Clin Oncol. 2015 Dec;20(6):1086-92. doi: 10.1007/s10147-015-0836-1. Epub 2015 May 1.

Feasibility and safety of dose-dense modified docetaxel-cisplatin or carboplatin and 5-fluorouracil regimen (mTPF) in locally advanced or metastatic head and neck cancers: a retrospective monocentric study.

Yossi S1,2,3, Linot B4, Peyraga G4,5, Breheret R6, Laccourreye L6, Capitain O4.

Author information

Abstract

BACKGROUND: 

Docetaxel-cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (TPF) chemotherapy (days 1-21) represents a standard but toxic regimen for advanced head and neck cancer (HNC). We report a retrospective monocentric study evaluating the safety and the efficacy of a dose-dense modified TPF (mTPF) regimen (days 1-14) in patients with stage III-IV HNC.

METHODS: 

Thirty-seven patients retrospectively included from May 2011 to May 2014 were treated with a bimonthly dose-dense mTPF regimen (40 mg/m(2) docetaxel, 40 mg/m(2) cisplatin or AUC2 carboplatin, folinic acid 400 mg/m(2) for 2 h, bolus 5-FU 400 mg/m(2) for 10 min and 5-FU 1,000 mg/m(2)/day) by continuous infusion over 46 h).

RESULTS: 

Chemotherapy was used as induction or palliative treatment in 12 and 25 patients, respectively, with a median age of 60 years (range 46-83). Median follow-up time was 7.4 months (2.53-16.7 months). There was no intestinal toxicity in 25 patients (68 %). Grade 3-4 hematological toxicity was noticed for 5 (13.5 %) patients. Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor was used as primary prophylaxis in 30 patients (81 %). After at least 4 delivered cycles, complete responses, partial responses and stable diseases were reported in 5 (15 %), 13 (39 %) and 5 (15 %) of the 33 evaluable patients, respectively, yielding an objective response rate of 54.5 % (39 % for palliative chemotherapy and 90 % for induction chemotherapy).

CONCLUSION: 

Dose-dense mTPF (days 1-14) is safe and seems to be as effective as TPF (days 1-21). Future prospective trials are required to confirm our results.