Originally published as JCO Early Release 10.1200/JCO.2009.22.1333 on August 24 2009

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Phase I Study of C-TPF in Patients With Locally Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

From the Department of Medical and Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School; and the Departments of Medicine, Radiation Oncology, and Head and Neck Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.

Corresponding author: Robert I. Haddad, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney St, Boston, MA, 02115; e-mail: robert_haddad{at}dfci.harvard.edu.

Purpose Phase I study to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of fluorouracil (FU) in the docetaxel/cisplatin/FU (TPF) regimen when combined with cetuximab (C) for induction treatment of locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).

Patients and Methods Patients with previously untreated SCCHN were enrolled. FU cohorts were 700, 850, and 1,000 mg/m²/d for 4 days via continuous infusion. TPF given every 3 weeks for three cycles and C was given weekly for a total of 9 weeks, starting on day 1 of TPF. All patients received chemoradiotherapy after C-TPF.

Results A total of 30 patients were enrolled and 28 were assessable. The median age was 57 years, 92% had stage 4 disease, 71% were oropharynx, and 100% had a performance status of 0. No dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was encountered on dose levels 1 and 2. At dose level 3 of 1000 mg/m², one DLT was encountered and three more patients were enrolled with no DLTs. In the expansion cohort at the MTD, three DLT's were encountered. The decision was made to decrease the FU from 1,000 mg/m² to dose level 2 of 850 mg/m². A total of 13 patients were enrolled at the MTD of 850 mg/m². The number of average weeks that C was delivered was seven of nine planned.

Conclusion C-TPF appears to be safe and feasible as given in this study. GI toxicity (mucositis, enteritis, and diarrhea) appears to be the major combined DLT. Reducing the FU in TPF to 850 mg/m² reduces GI toxicity and is the recommended phase II dose.

Supported by Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Presented in part at the 44th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, May 30-June 3, 2008, Chicago, IL.

Authors' disclosures of potential conflicts of interest and author contributions are found at the end of this article.

Clinical trial information can be found for the following: NCT00402545 [ClinicalTrials.gov] .

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