Xeloda for palliation for head and neck cancer

Lay Summary: Xeloda is a reasonable palliative option in metastatic head and neck cancer.

Xeloda for pallaitve use in head and neck cancer is supported by phase II studies. To my knowledge there is only one phase II study as a single agent but CXeldoa is certianly active in heand adn neck cancer as it its close relative 5FU and there are a number of studies of Xeloda in combination with platin drugs that confirm its effectiveness. It is not FDA approved for this indication and would be consdiered off-label.

Arnedos M, Carbonell X, et al. Phase I Study of Capecitabine in Combination With Platinol in Patients (pts) With Advanced and/or Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck (SCCHN). Annals of Oncology. 2002. 13(Suppl. 5): p. A#567.

J. Martínez-Trufero, D. Isla, J. C. Adansa, R. Hitt, J. J. Cruz, Phase II study of capecitabine (X) as palliative treatment for patients (p) with squamous head and neck cancer (HNC) with locoregional and/or metastatic relapse after previous platinum-based treatment (PBT): An interim analysis. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2007 ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings Part I. Vol 25, No. 18S (June 20 Supplement), 2007: 6074