Treatment for lung metastasis from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a preliminary study of docetaxel

Objectives The aims of the study were to investigate the prognosis of patients with lung metastasis after treatment for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HANSCC) and to preliminarily evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of docetaxel (DOC)-based chemotherapy.Materials and methods The effectiveness of the chemotherapy was evaluated retrospectively according to the tumor response rate and survival time post-metastasis. Thirty patients were enrolled in the study. Twenty-seven have died, two are living, and one was lost during follow-up. Nineteen patients were treated for lung metastasis with chemotherapy. DOC-based chemotherapy was given to seven patients and non-DOC-based chemotherapy to 12.Results and discussion The response rate was 28.6% for the first administration of DOC-based chemotherapy, but only 8.3% for the non-DOC-based chemotherapy. Thus, DOC-based chemotherapy had a better response rate for lung metastases than other chemotherapy agents tested. Although the sample size was small, DOC seems to shrink or inhibit the growth of lung metastases in patients with primary HANSCC.