Abstract
Patients with metastatic regions of carcinoma of the salivary gland have been treated with chemotherapy. Cisplatin, adriamycin and cyslophosphamide are the most active agents against adenocarcinoma-like salivary gland tumors; however, response rates to these agents have been low. Chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel is used for non-small cell lung cancer. It has been reported that the combination of carboplatin and paclitaxel was effective in some patients with recurrent or metastaic salivary gland malignancies. Weekly low-dose carboplatin and paclitaxel has been reported to have good activity with acceptable toxicity. A 47-year-old patient underwent total parotidectomy for carcinoma ex-pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland. He developed multiple lung metastases 5 months later. The lung metastases did not response to CAP (cisplatin, adriamycin, cyslophosphamide) and we therefore began administration of carboplatin and low-dose paclitaxel. One cycle of treatment consisted of carboplatin at an area under the curve of 1.5 and paclitaxel at 80 mg/m2 on days 1, 8 and 15 on a 28-day cycle. After 6 cycles of this treatment, lung metastases partially responded while maintaining good QOL.
