title: 5-Fluorouracil and interferon-alpha in chemotherapy refractory bladder carcinoma: an effective regimen.
abstract: Seventy-seven patients with metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder who were unable to receive primary Cisplatin-based therapy or failed primary chemotherapy received one of three sequential 5-Fluorouracil-based salvage regimens: a) 5-Fluorouracil (1000 mg/m2 B.S.A. x 5 days) and Mitomycin-C (14 mg/m2 B.S.A. 6 week intervals), b) 5-Fluorouracil (750 mg/m2 B.S.A. x 5 days) and a-Interferon (5 miu/m2 B.S.A. daily x 5 then 3 times a week (TIW), c) 5-Fluorouracil (500 mg/m2 B.S.A. x 5 days), a-Interferon (5 miu/m2 B.S.A. x 5 days then TIW) and 13-Cis Retinoic Acid in escalating doses daily. Only 1 (6%) of the patients with regimen A responded, whereas 9 (30%) of the patients with regimen B and 8 (27%) in regimen C responded. Although all responses were partial remissions, responses were seen in patients with advanced and initially refractory transitional cell carcinomas. This data reveals that a-Interferon and 5-Fluorouracil is an effective combination in the treatment of metastatic transitional cell carcinoma and worthy of further study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Logothetis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hossan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Recondo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sella
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ellerhorst
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kilbourn
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zukiwski
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D005472:Fluorouracil