Combination therapy with mitomycin C (NSC-26980), 5-fluorouracil (NSC-19893), and cytosine arabinoside (NSC-63878) for advanced cancer in man.

The combination of mitomycin C, 5-fluorouracil, and cytosine arabinoside (MFC), which had a marked synergistic effect in the treatment of L1210 mouse leukemia, was used clinically against advanced cancer. Response was assessed according to criteria proposed by Karnofsky. Of 90 patients with various kinds of solid tumors, 17 (19%) had I-B responses and 20 (22%) had I-A responses. Either I-A or I-B responses were observed in 15 (55%) of 27 patients with cancer of the stomach and in nine (60%) of 15 patients with cancer of the colon, indicating that the MFC combination is especially effective against gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma. Bone marrow suppression and gastrointestinal toxicity were observed; however, if the MFC therapy is carried out carefully with adequate intervals between treatments and periodic blood tests, it can be expected to be a safe and useful treatment that is superior to other chemotherapy especially for gastrointestinal cancers.