[Antineoplastic effectiveness and unwanted side effects of polychemotherapy of extensive oro- and hypopharyngeal cancers--results of a prospective therapy study with 5-FU/cisplatin versus 5-FU/carboplatin].

60 patients with advanced carcinomas of the oropharynx and hypopharynx underwent chemotherapy, either with 5-FU/Cisplatin (n = 30) or with 5-FU/Carboplatin (n = 30). The remission-rates (complete and partial remissions) were comparable in both groups. The rate of complete remissions, however, was statistically significant higher in the cisplatinum group (6 patients) than in the carboplatinum group (1 patient). 2 patients of the 5-FU/Cis-group and 4 patients of the 5-FU/Carbo-group developed a progressive disease during chemotherapy. Statistically significant differences were found in the nephrotoxic and myelotoxic side effects between both therapy groups: nephrotoxic side effects were more frequent in the 5-FU/Cis-group, whereas myelotoxic side effects occurred mainly in the 5-FU/Carbo-group. The chemotherapy with 5-FU/Carboplatin was better tolerated by the patients than in the 5-FU/Cisplatinum-group. In the 5-FU/Carbo-group especially a lower rate and severity of loss in weight, nausea, vomiting, alopecia and mucositis/stomatitis was observed. No statistically significant differences were found in ototoxic side effects between both groups.