EXTENSIVE ADENOCARCINOMA AND LARGE CELL UNDIFFERENTIATED CARCINOMA OF THE LUNG TREATED WITH 5-FU, VINDESINE, AND MITOMYCIN (FEMI) - A SOUTHWEST-ONCOLOGY-GROUP STUDY

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 66  (3) , 553-556
Abstract
Sixty-three previously untreated patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (40 patients with adenocarcinoma and 23 with large cell undifferentiated carcinoma) were treated with combination chemotherapy consisting of 5-FU [5-fluorouracil] (300 mg/m2) given as an i.v. bolus on Days 1-4 and vindesine (3 mg/m2) and mitomycin (10 mg/m2), both given as an i.v. bolus on Day 1 of each treatment course (FEMi). FEMi was repeated at 3-wk intervals for 3 treatment courses and thereafter at 6-wk intervals until disease progression. Major objective responses were seen in 13 of the 63 patients (21%). Minor responses were seen in an additional 12 patients (19%). The median survival for all patients was 23 wk and for responding patients was 38 wk. The pretreatment performance status had a significant effect on the response rate and survival time. Patients having an initial Karnofsky performance score .gtoreq. 70% had a 54% response rate, with a median survival of 42 wk for responding patients. FEMi was well tolerated; 18 patients (29%) did not have any side effects and only five (8%) experienced vomiting.