Four days' continuous infusion of cisplatin-5-fluorouracil and short daily infusion of high-dose leucovorin as induction chemotherapy for locally advanced head and neck cancer.

Cisplatin-fluorouracil (PF) is the most frequently used combination as induction chemotherapy (CT) for the treatment of locally advanced squamous cell head and neck cancer. This study was designed to evaluate the role of leucovorin (L) in the modulation of the therapeutic activity of PF continuously infused for 4 days. Between June 1990 and June 1992, stage III and IV previously untreated patients received PFL induction chemotherapy followed by surgery, radiotherapy, or both. The chemotherapy consisted of P 25 mg/m2, F 1000 mg/m2 both continuously infused for 4 days and L 250 mg/m2 infused for 2 hours before each daily infusion of PF. PFL was administered every 3 weeks for 4 cycles. The overall response rate at the completion of PFL was 91%, with 54% CR and 37% PR. Locoregional treatment was performed on 68 patients, 11 (16%) underwent surgery, 20 (29%) surgery plus radiotherapy, and 37 (54%) radiotherapy. Complete response status after both induction and locoregional therapy was 71%. Biopsies of the primary tumor or definitive resection specimens immediately after PFL therapy were available in 25 patients in CR. Pathological CR was found in 11 (44%). With a maximum follow-up of 44 months, the overall survival rate is 51% and the median survival has not been reached. PFL is highly active as induction chemotherapy. A randomized comparison between PF and PFL is necessary to define the place of leucovorin modulation in the treatment of head and neck cancer.