Phase II study of a combination of low-dose cisplatin with 13-cis-retinoic acid and interferon-alpha in patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Preclinical and clinical data have suggested antitumor efficacy in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of interferon (IFN)-alpha and 13-cis-retinoic acid (13-c-RA) as single agent with greater activity in combination. Cisplatin was added to potentiate activity. Twenty-three patients with pretreated advanced or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma were given a combination of IFN-alpha (6 x 10(6) U/day, 84 days s.

[Asbestos and cancer of the larynx].

Two hundred subjects were evaluated using a standardised questionnaire in order to determine possible exposure to asbestos: 50 patients with a carcinoma of the larynx (mean age: 59.2 +/- 1.6 years), 50 patients with a carcinoma of the bronchus (mean age 61.

A randomized EORTC trial comparing intra-arterial infusion with methotrexate vs bleomycin as initial therapy in carcinoma of the oral cavity.

Either intra-arterial infusions of MTX (500 mg over 10 days) or intra-arterial infusions of BLM (95 mg over 13 days) were administered as initial treatment to 85 patients with untreated squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity. Tumour regression was assessed 10-15 days after the end of chemotherapy. A sequential analysis was used, and BLM demonstrated a significantly greater local efficacy after the 32nd matched pair was assessed.