[Combination chemotherapy with bleomycin, vinca alkaloid and cisplatin (BVP) for advanced urothelial cancer].

Since October 1979, 18 patients with metastatic urothelial cancer have been treated with combination chemotherapy of bleomycin (5-10 mg/day administered on days 1 to 7), vinca alkaloid (vinblastine 5-10 mg/day or vincristine 1 mg/sqm on days 8 and 9) and CDDP (60 mg/sqm on day 10). CR was achieved in 3 of the 18 patients and PR in 6 patients. Over-all, the response rate was 50%. Among 3 patients who achieved CR, 2 patients are still free of disease for 31 months and for 28 months, and the other is alive with cancer for 26 months. The 2-year survival rate was 58% in responders (CR + PR) and 0% in nonresponders. (p less than 0.005). In many cases, the response was observed after the first or second course of BVP therapy, and there was a relatively good response in patients with lymphnode metastasis alone. The treatment was tolerated well and common toxic effects were nausea, vomiting of moderate to severe degree (100%), myelosuppression (50%) and mild nephrotoxicity (22%). As to the choice of vinca alkaloids, vincristine seemed to be the treatment of choice because it was less toxic than vinblastine and was almost equally effective.