Continuous infusion paclitaxel, 5-fluorouracil, and hydroxyurea with concomitant radiotherapy in patients with advanced or recurrent head and neck cancer.

Concomitant chemotherapy and radiation in the treatment of patients with advanced head and neck cancer is under intense investigation, although the optimal regimen remains undefined. The head and neck cancer program at the University of Chicago has reported encouraging results with concomitant 5-fluorouracil, hydroxyurea, and radiation administered every other week to patients with locally advanced or recurrent disease. The feasibility of adding continuous-infusion paclitaxel (Taxol; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ) to this combination currently is being tested in a phase I trial. We present here the rationale and preliminary results of this regimen.