title: Chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and streptozotocin in carcinoid tumors of gastrointestinal origin: experiences with 13 patients.
abstract: The Authors report their experiences on the treatment of 13 consecutive cases of gastro-intestinal carcinoid tumors observed over the last 11 years. The primary sites were as follows: intestine (5 cases), appendix (3 cases), colon (1 case) and peritoneum (4 cases); only 3 patients presented systemic signs. Ten patients in advanced phase were treated with a chemotherapeutic regimen containing 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) and streptozotocin (STZ). One case was excluded from the study because of a concomitant gastric carcinoma. Of the 9 evaluable patients, two achieved partial remission (22%) with a duration of 18+ and 66 months respectively; 4 (44.5%) had stable disease for periods ranging from 7 to 40 months and 3 cases progressed. Severe toxicity (thrombocytopenia and diarrhea) occurred in 2 cases and disappeared with the suspension of therapy. The systemic signs disappeared with treatment and did not appear in 2 cases out of 3. The prospective of the employment of new drugs such as alpha-interferon and, above all, somatostatin provides hope that this uncommon disease may have an improved response rate to treatment in the future.
authors.affiliation: Unità Sanitaria Locale n. 38 Ospedali G.B. Morgagni-L. Pierantoni, Divisione di Oncologia, Forlì, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ridolfi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Amaducci
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Derni
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fabbri
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Innocenti
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vignutelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001063:Appendiceal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D013311:Streptozocin; D005472:Fluorouracil