Methotrexate, cisplatin and carboplatin as single agents and in combination for metastatic bladder cancer.

A review of 78 previously untreated patients with bidimensionally measurable metastatic bladder cancer who were entered into a series of studies of cytotoxic chemotherapy has shown that complete response occurred in 1 of 23 patients receiving methotrexate, none of 15 receiving cisplatin, none of 20 receiving the platinum analogue carboplatin and 3 (2 with histological confirmation) of 20 receiving methotrexate in combination with cisplatin. WHO/UICC performance status 3 and 4, though a prediction of lower response, did not provide a means for excluding patients who might benefit from chemotherapy. Studies using serial cytology showed that 5 of 8 responders according to standard criteria had complete loss of malignant cells from the urine compared with none of 10 non-responders and there was a suggestion that duration of response was longer in those whose urine was negative for malignant cells than in those which remained positive.