title: Combination chemotherapy with methotrexate, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide and CCNU (MACC) for nonsmall cell lung cancer. 4-year experience with 92 patients.
abstract: Ninety-two nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients were treated with a combination chemotherapy containing methotrexate, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide and CCNU (MACC). The regimen was administered in the dose and schedule originally reported. Median survival for all patients was 32 weeks. Only 6 patients demonstrated an objective response with a median survival rate of 51 weeks. The remaining 70 evaluable patients were nonresponders. These latter patients had a survival probability reduced to 29 weeks. Median time to progression for the whole group was 17 weeks. Partial responses were seen in 3 squamous, 1 large cell carcinoma and 1 adenocarcinoma. One patient with bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma had complete disease regression and is still alive 136 weeks after starting treatment. Toxicity was significant with 2 treatment-related deaths. The major toxic effects consisted of myelosuppression, nausea, vomiting, and stomatitis. Alopecia was nearly universal; a mild cardiac, renal, or hepatic toxicity was relatively infrequent. Polychemotherapy with MACC regimen may benefit a few selected patients with NSCLC, but its overall antitumor efficacy appears to be very limited.
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Antonio Carle Hospital of Chest Diseases, Cuneo, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buccheri
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ferrigno
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vola
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Curcio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008130:Lomustine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D008130:Lomustine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D008727:Methotrexate