Successful palliative chemotherapy for peristomal recurrence of laryngeal metastasis from colon adenocarcinoma.

abstract not available ...Rare cases of metastasis of colon adenocarcinoma to the larynx usually present with disseminated disease. In view of the poor chances of long-term survival only palliative laryngeal treatment aimed to improve the patients’ quality of life is advised. In palliative approaches to laryngeal metastases from colon carcinoma, laser endoscopic resection of the laryngeal lesion has been described as an ideal tool for relieving airway obstruction without significant morbidity [2]. Associated chemotherapeutic approaches in patients with head and neck metastatic colorectal cancer should also be considered. Considering the therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer, a recent review by Goldberg [3] showed that the chemotherapeutic regimens FOLFOX (oxaliplatin/ 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin) and FOLFIRI (irinotecan/ 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin) consistently lead to median overall survivals in the range of 1520 months. Combinations seemed to confer a 56 month advantage in median overall survival when compared with single-agent chemotherapy. The patients aged over 70 seemed to tolerate FOLFOX regimen as well as younger patients. There are few published data on the tolerability of first-line irinotecan- based regimens in elderly patients [3]. Our patient did not respond significantly to the FOLFOX regimen; on the other hand, the FOLFIRI regimen determined a good partial response of peristomal recurrence and lung metastases.