Cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil and interferon alpha 2b for head and neck cancer
Author Information
Author(s): S. Cascinu, A. Fedeli, S. Luzi Fedeli, G. Catalano
Primary Institution: Servizio di Oncologia, Ospedali Riuniti, Pesaro, Italy
Hypothesis
Can the addition of interferon alpha 2b enhance the efficacy of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil in treating recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer?
Conclusion
The study found a low overall response rate of 23% and significant toxicity, suggesting that further trials should only proceed with better preclinical understanding.
Supporting Evidence
- Two patients achieved a complete response and six a partial response.
- Median survival time was 5 months for all patients.
- Toxicity was severe, with common side effects including stomatitis, diarrhoea, and myelosuppression.
Takeaway
Doctors tried a new treatment for patients with head and neck cancer, but it didn't work very well and caused a lot of side effects.
Methodology
Patients received cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil with interferon alpha 2b in a pilot clinical trial, with response and toxicity assessed according to standard criteria.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the small number of patients and the nature of the treatment regimen.
Limitations
The small sample size and high toxicity may limit the interpretation of the results.
Participant Demographics
{"male":30,"female":4,"age_median":62,"age_range":"44-69"}
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% confidence interval 10-36%
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
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