Evaluating the efficacy and safety of continuous arterial infusion chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil in treating oral cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical effects and safety for cisplatin combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) intra-arterial chemotherapy in the treatment of oral cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of ninety cases with oral cancer were recruited in this study. Forty-three subjects received the pingyangmycin (PYM) (control group) with PYM 8 mg, intramuscular injection, QD for 21 days per cycle. Moreover, other 47 cases received cisplatin 100 mg/m 2 24 h perfusion chemotherapy, day 1 with 21 days per cycle, and 5-FU 1000 mg/m 2 perfusion chemotherapy 72 h with 21 days per cycle. All the patients received three cycles treatment. After three cycles chemotherapy, the objective response rate (ORR) and chemotherapy-related toxicities were evaluated between the two groups.

RESULTS: The ORR were 53.49% and 72.34%, respectively in the control and observation group which indicated observation group significant higher (P < 0.05). The chemotherapy-related toxicities incidence was much higher in control group compared with observation group (36.17% vs. 11.63%, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Cisplatin combined with 5-FU intra-arterial chemotherapy was effective in the treatment of oral cancer with less toxicties.