The continuous arterial infusion of 5-fluorouracil as a therapeutic adjunct in the treatment of advanced carcinoma of the bladder and prostate. A preliminary report.

Abstract

Twenty-two patients have been treated with the intra-arterial infusion of 5-fluorouracil followed by megavoltage radiation. Nine patients with carcinoma of the prostate completed the protocol. All of these patients responded to 5-fluorouracil. This was documented by a decrease in tumor size, improvement in IVP and cystograms, lowering of specific acid phosphatase, control of bony metastasis, and a marked improvement in symptoms. Six of the patients are alive and asymptomatic today. Three patients have no clinical or microscopic evidence of retained disease. The mean survival is 21 months with a range of 13 to 31 months. Six of ten patients with bladder carcinoma responded to the 5-fluorouracil. This was documented by a marked reduction in tumor size in all patients and complete destruction of the tumor in four patients. Four of the patients are alive and microscopically free of their disease. The mean survival is 25 months with a range of 19 to 34 months. These results suggest that this therapeutic modality should be continued at our institution for advanced carcinomas of the bladder and prostate. In order that a more complete evaluation of the protocol be obtained, other institutions will have to participate in an identical treatment program.