Evaluation of topotecan in patients with recurrent for metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. A phase II Southwest Oncology Group study.

Twenty-nine patients with persistent, recurrent and/or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were treated daily for five days at three-week intervals with topotecan 1.5 mg/m2. Four patients received prior chemotherapy, 23 prior surgery and 29 prior radiation therapy. Of the 29 eligible patients, 8 patients were not evaluable for response and were assumed to be non-responders. Of the remaining 21 evaluable patients, there were zero responses (0%, 95% confidence interval [0,.12]). The most common toxicities were myelosuppression, dyspnea and malaise/fatigue/lethargy. Topotecan has limited activity in advanced head and neck cancer with this dose and schedule.