Phase II Study of Paclitaxel and Cisplatin in Combination With Split Course Concomitant Hyperfractionated Re-Irradiation in Patients With Recurrent Squamous Cell Cancer of the Head and Neck

OBJECTIVES:

• Determine the median, one-year, and long-term (defined as two-year) disease-free survival and overall survival in patients with previously irradiated locally recurrent squamous cell cancer of the head and neck treated with paclitaxel, cisplatin, and filgrastim (G-CSF) combined with radiotherapy.
• Determine the rates of acute and late toxic effects of this regimen in these patients.
• Determine the pattern of disease progression in patients treated with this regimen.

OUTLINE: Patients undergo radiotherapy twice daily (4-6 hours apart) on days 1-5. Patients receive paclitaxel IV over 1 hour beginning immediately after completion of the first fraction of radiotherapy and completing less than 3 hours before starting the second fraction of radiotherapy on days 1-5. Patients receive cisplatin IV over 30 minutes beginning immediately after completion of paclitaxel infusion on days 1-5 and filgrastim (G-CSF) subcutaneously on days 6-13. Treatment repeats every 2 weeks for 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients who initially respond to therapy but develop a recurrence with a resectable lesion (inside or outside the retreatment field) may undergo surgical resection.

Patients are followed at 4 weeks after completion of radiotherapy, every 3 months for 2 years, every 6 months for 3 years, and then annually thereafter.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 100 patients will be accrued for this study within 34 months.