[Cytostatic therapy of advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. A randomized study comparing cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) and bleomycin with methotrexate and vindesine].

79 patients were randomized and treated either with cis-DDP 33 mg/kg i.v. day 1 and BLM 15 mg/m2 i.v. continuously day 2-6 (arm A) or less aggressively with MTX 30 mg/m2 i.v. day 1 + 6 and VDS 3 mg/m2 day 2 + 7 (arm B). Patients with inadequate response were further treated with the alternative regimen ("cross over"). Regarding response rates therapy A was superior to B (p = 0.01) respectively p = 0.05 for the cross over patients. Not pretreated in comparison to pretreated patients demonstrated not significantly better results. Pretreated patients had statistically superior response rates with arm A than with arm B (p = 0.05). All other prognostic factors were without any influence on treatment results. CR induced by chemotherapy (2 X) in not pretreated patients could be increased by additional surgery and X-ray therapy (CR = 26X). Survival times demonstrated no difference between both regimes. Chemotherapy was of less influence on median survival times after 39 months than in comparison to post-chemotherapeutically performed surgery +/- radiotherapy in 44 not pretreated patients. Chemotherapy: CR + PR to MR + NC + PD 16 respectively 13 months with 38 respectively 48% survivors (p = 0.25). Surgery +/- radiotherapy: CR + PR median not reached yet, MR + NC + PD 13 months with 60 respectively 18% survivors (p = 0.001).