Aims: To maximize the palliative benefits of capecitabine and oxaliplatin for patients with refractory squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).
Methods: Patients received fixed-dose capecitabine (1500 mg orally twice a day) on days 1 to 7 and oxaliplatin (85 mg/m) days 1 and 14.
Results: Fifteen patients with refractory SCCHN were enrolled. All patients had relapsed after surgery and had failed radiation therapy. Eighty-seven percent (13) had progressed after chemotherapy. The most common toxicities were grades 1 or 2 fatigue and anemia. There was a 13% partial response rate and 33% stable disease rate for a clinical benefit of 46% by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors criteria.
Conclusions: Fixed-dose capecitabine and oxaliplatin combination on an every-other-week schedule showed activity in refractory SCCHN. The simplicity and toxicity profile of this regimen compares favorably with other commonly used chemotherapies and should be tested in larger studies.