Mitoxantrone and cisplatin in recurrent and/or metastatic salivary gland malignancies

• Published in: Anti-cancer drugs Vol. 13; no. 5; p. 491
• Main Authors: Gedlicka, Claudia, Schüll, Birgit, Formanek, Michael, Kornfehl, Johannes, Burian, Martin, Knerer, Birgit, Selzer, Edgar, Scheithauer, Werner, Kornek, Gabriela V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.06.2002
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - adverse effects; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; Cisplatin - administration & dosage; Disease-Free Survival; Drug Administration Schedule; Humans; Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy; Lung Neoplasms - secondary; Middle Aged; Mitoxantrone - administration & dosage; Nausea - chemically induced; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - drug therapy; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - pathology; Neutropenia - chemically induced; Palliative Care; Salivary Gland Neoplasms - drug therapy; Salivary Gland Neoplasms - pathology; Survival Rate; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0959-4973
• DOI: 10.1097/00001813-200206000-00007

A phase II study was performed to assess the safety and efficacy of mitoxantrone and cisplatin in locally recurrent and/or metastatic carcinomas of the salivary glands. Between May 1997 and March 2001, a total of 14 patients were entered on this trial. All of them had previously undergone radical resection and 10 were subsequently treated with adjuvant radiation therapy with (n=3) or without (n=7) concomitant chemotherapy. Therapy according to the study protocol consisted of mitoxantrone given as i.v. bolus on day 1 at a dose of 12 mg/m2 and cisplatin given as 90-min infusion at a dose of 30 mg/m2 on days 1-3. We observed two partial responses (14.3%) and stabilization of disease in nine patients (64.3%); progression during therapy was noted in only three cases (21.4%). The median time to progression was 15 months (range 2-36) and the median survival time was 27 months (range 4-54). Myelosuppression was commonly observed. Leukocytopenia occurred in all patients, and was grade 3 or 4 in three (21%) and four (29%) patients. WHO grade 3 thrombocytopenia and anemia was seen in three (21%) and four (29%) patients, respectively. Non-hematologic toxicity was in general mild to moderate except for two cases (14%) of grade 3 nausea and vomiting; overall incidence rates were nausea and vomiting (n=14), stomatitis (n=6), diarrhea (n=3), alopecia (n=11), infection (n=7), increase of serum creatinine (n=3), and peripheral neuropathy (n=3). The combination of mitoxantrone and cisplatin seems to be an active and fairly well-tolerated regimen for the treatment of advanced salivary gland cancers. According to the observed high rate of abrogating progressive disease for a long duration, and the resulting promising progression-free and overall survival time, further investigation seems warranted.