5-fluorouracil, adriamycin, and mitomycin-C (FAM) chemotherapy for adenocarcinoma of the lung

Abstract

Twenty-five patients with advanced measurable adenocarcinoma of the lung were treated with combination chemotherapy consisting of 5-fluorouracil, adriamycin, and mitomycin-C (FAM). Objective response (1CR, 8PR) was obtained in 36% of patients. The median duration of response was 7.0 months and the median survival for responders is greater than 8.5 months. Five responders are alive 5.5 to 23.5 months after starting therapy. Three of four patients evidencing stabilization of disease are alive at 10-23 months. Non-responding patients had a median survival of 2.5 months and none lived beyond seven months. Tumor response and survival suggested correlation with initial performance status and limited disease. The FAM regimen was tolerated well, with moderate bone marrow suppression and gastrointestinal symptoms being the only clinically significant toxicities. These results indicate that patients with advanced pulmonary adenocarcinoma can obtain objective tumor regression with FAM chemotherapy.