Efficacy of intra-arterial infusion therapy using a combination of cisplatin and docetaxel for recurrent head and neck cancers compared with cisplatin alone

Aims: To compare the initial effect and toxicity, response duration and survival time of intra-arterial infusion therapy using a combination of cisplatin (CDDP) and docetaxel (DXT) with those using CDDP alone for treatment of recurrent head and neck cancers. Materials and methods: Twenty-nine patients with recurrent head and neck cancers were treated using intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy. The chemotherapeutic regimens consisted of CDDP alone (n=12) or a combination of CDDP and DTX (n= 17). In the CDDP-DTX group, both CDDP 70 mg/m² and DTX 60 mg/m² were administrated via the external carotid artery (ECA) or via branches of the ECA or subclavian artery. In the CDDP-alone group, CDDP 70 mg/m² was infused. The tumour response (response rate = complete response + partial response) and toxicities (World Health Organization [WHO] classification grades 3 and 4) were evaluated in both groups and compared by Fisher's exact probability test. Results: The response rates in the CDDP-DTX group and the CDDP-alone group were 71% (12/17) and 50% (6/12), respectively (P=0.44). Leucocytopenia and neutropenia (grades 3 and 4) were significantly more prevalent in the former than in the latter group (11/17 vs 1/12; 10/17 vs 1/12) (P<0.01). However, there were no infectious diseases in any of the patients. Conclusion: Combined cisplatin-docetaxel intra-arterial infusion therapy was shown to be effective and safe for recurrent head and neck cancers.