Random study of hexamethylmelamine, 5-fluorouracil, and melphalan in treatment of advanced carcinoma of the ovary.
The effectiveness of melphalan, hexamethylmelamine, and 5-fluorouracil was compared in the treatment of patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Patients responded the best to hexamethylmelamine, which, however, was associated with considerable neurotoxicity. Patients responded the worst to 5-fluorouracil, which occasionally induced severe gastrointestinal toxicity. Patients treated with melphalan continued to demonstrate the response rate reported for several years in the literature. Melphalan seemed the best choice as a second-line drug. It induced not only the longest survival rate among patients, but also the only two complete responses as a second-line drug. Hexamethylmelamine has shown no activity as a third-line drug to date.
D000328:Adult; D006585:Altretamine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008558:Melphalan / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D008558:Melphalan; D006585:Altretamine; D005472:Fluorouracil