Chemotherapy for Advanced Salivary Gland Tumours
Author Information
Author(s): A.S. Jones, D.E. Phillips, J.A. Cook, T.R. Helliwell
Primary Institution: University of Liverpool
Hypothesis
Is Epirubicin and 5-Fluorouracil more effective than Cisplatinum in treating advanced salivary gland tumours?
Conclusion
The study suggests that chemotherapy is not effective in treating advanced salivary gland malignancies.
Supporting Evidence
- Seven patients received Epirubicin/5-Fluorouracil and none responded.
- Nine patients received Cisplatinum and only one had a partial response.
- The median survival was 243 days for the Epirubicin/5-FU group and 450 days for the Cisplatinum group.
Takeaway
Doctors tested two types of chemotherapy on patients with serious salivary gland cancer, but neither worked well.
Methodology
Patients were randomly assigned to receive either Epirubicin/5-Fluorouracil or Cisplatinum, with assessments of response and toxicity.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the small number of patients and the nature of the trial.
Limitations
The small sample size limits the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
Patients had advanced, recurrent malignant tumours of the salivary glands, unsuitable for surgery or radiotherapy.
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