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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · South Asian J Cancer 2014; 03(03): 166-170
DOI: 10.4103/2278-330X.136798
MINI SYMPOSIUM: HEAD AND NECK CANCER : Original Article

Palliative low dose fortnightly methotrexate in oral cancers: Experience at a rural cancer centre from India

Authors

  • Santam Chakraborty

    Departments of Radiation Oncology, Malabar Cancer Centre, Thalassery, Kerala

  • M. Geetha

    Departments of Radiation Oncology, Malabar Cancer Centre, Thalassery, Kerala

  • K. M. Sujith

    Departments of Radiation Oncology, Malabar Cancer Centre, Thalassery, Kerala

  • M. S. Biji

    Cancer Palliative Medicine, Malabar Cancer Centre, Thalassery, Kerala

  • B. Sateeshan

    Surgical Oncology, Malabar Cancer Centre, Thalassery, Kerala, India

Source of Support: Nill.
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Abstract

Context: Palliative fortnightly chemotherapy in oral cancers. Aims: We present our experience with a regimen employing fortnightly (once in 2 weeks) injectable methotrexate (MTX) (40 mg/m 2 ) in a predominantly elderly cohort of patients with carcinoma of oral cavity and oropharynx. Settings and Design: Retrospective chart review conducted at a rural cancer center in India. Materials and Methods: All patients with oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers started on treatment with fortnightly injectable MTX (40 mg/m 2 ) between 01/01/2011 and 31/12/2011. Statistical Analysis Used: The factors analyzed included the duration of disease control, pain control, overall survival and progression free survival which were evaluated using the Kaplan Meier method. Results: A total of 60 patients with a median age of 66.5 years were analyzed. Majority of the patients had poor nutritional status, performance status or co-morbidities. MTX was given for recurrent disease in 19 patients and after initial palliative radiotherapy in 41 patients. The median number of cycles delivered was nine. Grade 3/4 toxicities were seen in 2 patients only. Disease control rate at the end of treatment was seen in 33 (55%) patients. Median overall survival was 34 weeks (interquartile range: 17-50 weeks). Conclusions: The fortnightly regimen of MTX was well-tolerated and showed a good clinical activity in this elderly cohort of patients with advanced oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers.

Key words

Methotrexate - oral cancer - palliative chemotherapy - squamous cell cancers


Publication History

Article published online:
31 December 2020

© 2014. MedIntel Services Pvt Ltd. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.)

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