Multiple drug therapy for disseminated malignant tumours

Abstract

Forty patients with various disseminated malignant tumours were treated with up to six antitumour drugs given for periods not exceeding 24 hours. Complete or partial objective tumour regression was achieved in 20 patients. No regression occurred in the remaining 20. Treatment given in this way seemed to be at least as effective as other multiple drug regimens and had the following advantages: (1) toxicity was reduced to a minimum and no access was needed to sterile rooms or platelet transfusions since severe bone marrow depression did not occur, and (2) the patients spent only a very short time in hospital.