Methotrexate therapy of head and neck cancer: improvement in therapeutic index by the use of leucovorin "rescue".

Abstract

Twenty-one patients with advanced epidermoid carcinoma of the head and neck were treated with 24-hr infusions of methotrexate followed by leucovorin rescue repeated at 4-day intervals. Thirteen of the 21 patients responded with a greater than 50% reduction of tumor mass and 7 of the 13 sustained a greater than 75% reduction. The median duration of tumor regression was 16 weeks. In general, toxicity was tolerable. The rationale of this regimen and its comparison with other methotrexate schedules is discussed.