Bleomycin in malignant tumors of head and neck

Abstract

Bleomycin, discovered and developed by H. Umezawa in 1965, was administered to 50 patients with malignant tumors in head and neck. The doses and methods of administration were as follows : 10-15 mg-potency/day with intra-arterial infusion method, 10-30 mg-potency/day with intravenous injection and 15 mg-potency/day with local injection method. The effect of the drug was evaluated according to the changes of the tumors through gross observation in most cases. The remarkable effect was observed in 27.3% of intravenous injection group (the efficiency rate 59.1%), in 47.4% of intra-arterial infusion group (the efficiency rate 80%) and in 12% of local injection group. Side effects were rash, fever, stomatitis and anorexia, and these were appeared in 54% of the entire cases. No disturbance of the hematopoietic organs was observed. © 1969, The Keio Journal of Medicine. All rights reserved.