Intra-arterial continuous infusion of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum in untreated head and neck cancer patients.

The authors report the final analysis of a prospective phase I-II study in 53 previously untreated patients with squamous cell carcinoma (48 patients) and other histologic classifications (5 patients) of the head and neck region. Treatment consisted of cisplatin 10 mg infused intra-arterially in a 12-hour period, twice a day for 5 to 10 days via an external infusion pump. After a rest period of 5 to 7 days treatment could be restarted, with the same schedule, until a maximal total dose of 400 mg or toxicity.

Local neurotoxicity of cisplatin after intra-arterial chemotherapy.

Acute cranial neuropathy followed intra-arterial chemotherapy with Cisplatin for a squamous cell cancer of the mouth. The favourable course, histological studies and local trophic impairment suggested local neurotoxicity due to Cisplatin accumulation in cranial nerves. The patient was the first to develop such a toxic effect in a series of 35 consecutive patients treated with the same therapy.