The Efficacy of 5-Fluorouracil, Mitomycin C, and Methyl CCNU in Advanced Gastrointestinal Malignancy

Abstract

50 patients with advanced gastrointestinal malignancies were treated with 5-fluorouracil (5FU), 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-(4-methylcyclohexyl)-1-nitrosourea (MeCCNU) and mitomycin C (Mito C). 43 patients, with diagnoses of colorectal, pancreatic or gastric cancer, were evaluable. 13 patients (30%) achieved complete remissions, and 4 achieved partial remissions. The median durations of responses in colorectal, pancreatic and gastric disease were 11.0, 11.0, and 11.5 months, respectively. Survival was definitely prolonged in responding patients with pancreatic and gastric carcinomas. The combination was well tolerated. Mucositis, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia were the major toxicities that occurred. The quality of life was improved in all responding patients.

Perspectives on cancer therapy-induced mucosal injury

“…The incidence of oral and GI mucositis varied significantly among different treatment regimens and modalities (Table 4). 60–398 Most anthracycline‐based regimens were associated with rates of oral mucositis in the 1–10% range, except when regimens included 5‐FU. Included among these are the standard regimens for adjuvant therapy in patients with breast cancer (5‐FU, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide; doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide; or 5‐FU, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide) as well as regimens for patients with non‐Hodgkin lymphomas, including cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (CHOP).…”

Sequentielle Behandlung des progredient metastasierenden kolorektalen Karzinoms mit 5-Fluorouracil/Folinsäure, Dipyramidol und Mitomycin C

“…(5-FU) [6,18] und der von gravierenden Nebenwirkungen begleiteten Polychemotherapie mit verschie denen Zytostatika [10,12,19,22,25,26] seit den Ergebnissen von Machover [15] eine Verbesserung durch erhöhte Remis sionen bei tolerabler Toxizität erfahren. Grundlage der von Machover applizierten Kombination waren Beobachtungen des 5-FU-Metabolismus [24] und seine qualitativ verbesserte Hemmung der Zellkinetik durch komplex gebundene Thymidilatssynthetase infolge additiver hochdosierter Folinsäure [9].…”