[Cytostatic primary therapy of squamous cell carcinoma of the oro- and hypopharynx with cisplatin, bleomycin and methotrexate].

This is a report on induction chemotherapy of 20 oropharyngeal and 20 hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas with cis-platinum, bleomycin, and methotrexate. The response rate, defined as a tumour regression of at least 50%, was 70% for the hypopharynx and 80% for the oropharynx. The lymph nodes responded in 50% of the cases. The toxicity was low. Induction chemotherapy is considered to be significant, but it must be stressed that surgery and/or radiation therapy must follow to sustain the initial success.