Combination chemotherapy with mitomycin-C, cisplatin, and vinblastine in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer.

The drug combination of mitomycin-C, cisplatin, and vinblastine was administered to 30 patients with stage III non-small-cell lung cancer. All patients had a performance status of 50% or greater, had evaluable disease, and had not received previous chemotherapy. The overall response rate was 37% with responses seen in 7 of 18 (39%) squamous cell and 3 of 11 (27%) patients with adenocarcinoma of the lung. Mean survival was greater by 2 months in those patients with an objective response to chemotherapy (8.1 vs 5.5). Drug-associated gastrointestinal toxicity was the most common side effect observed. This three-drug combination appears to be an active regimen in the treatment of non-small-cell bronchogenic carcinoma; however, altered dosage schedules should be examined in order to decrease drug-related toxicity.