Rozencweig M, Dodion P, Bruntsch U, Gallmeier W, Clavel M, Gignoux B, Cortes Funes H, Cavalli F, Kirkpatrick A, Dalesio O
Cancer. 1984 Oct 15;54(8):1499-503. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19841015)54:8<1499::aid-cncr2820540804>3.0.co;2-t.
A combination of cisplatin, methotrexate, bleomycin, and vincristine (CABO) was assessed in advanced epidermoid head and neck cancer. Among 72 patients with recurrent or metastatic disease and measurable lesions, there were 9 complete and 27 partial responses for an overall response rate of 50%. These results were adversely affected by prior surgery plus prior radiotherapy. The median response duration was 28 weeks (16-100+) in complete responders and 16 weeks (6-84) in partial responders. CABO was also administered to 56 patients with measurable, previously untreated, locoregional disease. In these patients, complete and partial response rates were 18% and 46%, respectively. Toxic effects were generally mild to moderate. In spite of its encouraging therapeutic efficacy, CABO is unlikely to be clearly superior to single-agent chemotherapy, at least in recurrent or disseminated disease. Increased effectiveness of CABO given as initial treatment suggests that chemotherapy might play an effective adjuvant role in carefully selected patients.
