The efficacy of chemotherapy for unresectable recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck can not be proved by survival periods. However, the efficacy of chemotherapy has been observed in some select patients. We investigated the effect of chemotherapy for unresectable recurrent squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. Four patients with a good performance status (PS) were treated with high-doses of leucovorin (LV), cisplatin (CDDP), and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The regimen consisted of 25 mg/m2 of CDDP on days 1-5; 600 mg/m2 of 5-FU of days 2-6; and 200 mg/m2 of LV on days 1-6. Patients received 3 cycles of this regimen at 28-day intervals. Ten patients with a poor PS were treated with low-doses of CDDP and tegafur.uracil upon admission. The regimen of seven poor PS patients consisted of 8 mg/m2 of CDDP on days 1-5 and 8-12, and 400 mg/body of tegafur.uracil administered orally on days 1-14. The other three patients received chemotherapy on an outpatient basis for ten weeks. The weekly regimen consisted of 7.5 mg/m2 of CDDP on days 3 and 6 and 400 mg/body of tegafur.uracil administered orally on days 1-7. With respect to the LV + CDDP and 5-FU treatment, complete remission was obtained in one patient. Two patients showed no change (NC), while one patient developed a progressive disease (PD). This regimen is highly toxic, has severe side effects including myelosuppression, oral mucositis, and diarrhea, and has a survival period of between 16 and 32 weeks. The low-dose CDDP + tegafur.uracil treatment produced a partial response in three patients, NC in three patients, and four patients developed a PD. This regimen doses not have any severe side effects and has a survival period of between 4 and 67 weeks.