Intraarterial infusion chemotherapy has not been widely accepted for the treatment of head and neck cancer due to the high rate of complications it involves. To avoid these complications, a totally implantable infusion pump has been developed to achieve continuous low-level drug delivery for long periods of time. The pump is implanted in a subcutaneous pocket and connected to a permanent, indwelling, arterial catheter. It can be repeatedly refilled with chemotherapeutic agents by hypodermic needle injection through the skin and through a self-sealing septum located at the entry to the pump. Refilling the pump recharges an inexhaustible power source for the next delivery cycle. Preliminary results suggest that long term intraarterial infusion chemotherapy for the treatment of head and neck cancer is practical for outpatients.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Bleomycin, vincristine, and mitomycin C with or without methotrexate in the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma.

Forty-two patients with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma were treated with bleomycin, vincristine, and mitomycin C with or without methotrexate (BOM +/- M). The overall response rate of 64% (complete response [CR] rate, 19%) included 19 responses among 26 patients (seven CRs) with head and neck cancer, three responses among eight patients with cervical cancer, and three responses among five patients (one CR) with lung cancer. Six of 12 patients (two CRs) responded to BOM and 21 of 30 patients (six CRs) responded to BOMM. The median duration of response was 16 weeks. Toxic effects included nausea or vomiting in 33% of the patients, fever of > 101 degrees C in 26%, stomatitis in 29% and pulmonary toxicity in 19%. Four of eight cases of pulmonary toxicity were fatal and the incidence was related to the amount of both bleomycin and mitomycin C administered. The occurrence of pulmonary toxicity could not be predicted by serial determination of pulmonary function or blood gases. A wbc count nadir of < 2500/mm3 occurred in 15 of 42 patients. There were two episodes of sepsis with one death. A platelet count nadir of > 75,000/mm3 occurred in eight of 42 patients with no episodes of hemorrhage. BOMM produces a high objective response rate in patients with squamous cell cancer. However, the duration of remission is brief, and use of the regimen carries an increased risk of fatal pulmonary toxicity.

Adult↗