[Effect of a cisplatin-5-fluorouracil combination chemotherapy on malignant transformation of the epithelium of mouth mucosa].

In a prospective study we examined the effect of preoperative chemotherapy with cisplatinum and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in 40 patients with advanced carcinoma of the oral cavity. Histopathologic grading, cell kinetics and immunohistochemical parameters of the mucosa were determined at two different locations. Prior to therapy, histologic dysplasias in the mucosa "close" to the tumor were observed in 75 percent of the patients. Dysplastic changes of the mucosa "far" from tumor were also found in more than one-third of the patients. Our results show that more advanced dysplasias improve only temporarily under the influence of preoperative systemic chemotherapy. Moreover, new dysplasias appearing during chemotherapy and persisting after its termination are probably induced. The results point to a possible carcinogenic potential of the combined chemotherapy schema used.