Chemotherapy of large intestinal carcinoma. Current results and future prospects.
Chemotherapy of advanced stages of large bowel cancer has until recently made little progress since the introduction of 5-FU 16 years ago. While survival is improved for patients who respond, 5-FU alone has made little impact on life span of the overall population of patients. Mitomycin-C and the chloroethyl nitrosourea antitumor agents, and in particular methyl-CCNU, have also demonstrated marginal activity in large bowel cancer. Two recently reported controlled clinical trials of combination chemotherapy have demonstrated response rates that are substantially better than those obtained with 5-FU alone; a 43% response rate in colorectal carcinoma has been reported using a combination of 5-FU, BCNU, vincristine, and DTIC, compared to a 25% response with 5-FU as a single agent; a 44% objective response rate with a combination of 5-FU, methyl-CCNU, and vincristine has been reported to be significantly better than 5-FU alone. 5-FU as an adjuvant following surgical resection with curative intent has not prevented tumor relapse; however, it is hoped that future studies employing more effective drug combinations will result in increased number of patients achieving disease free survival.
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002330:Carmustine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012673:Semustine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014750:Vincristine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D012673:Semustine; D014750:Vincristine; D003606:Dacarbazine; D005472:Fluorouracil; D002330:Carmustine