Extensive adenocarcinoma and large cell undifferentiated carcinoma of the lung treated with 5-FU, vindesine, and mitomycin (FEMi): a Southwest Oncology Group Study.

Sixty-three previously untreated patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (40 patients with adenocarcinoma and 23 with large cell undifferentiated carcinoma) were treated with combination chemotherapy consisting of 5-FU (300 mg/m2) given as an iv bolus on Days 1-4 and vindesine (3 mg/m2) and mitomycin (10 mg/m2), both given as an iv bolus on Day 1 of each treatment course (FEMi). FEMi was repeated at 3-week intervals for three treatment courses and thereafter at 6-week intervals until disease progression. Major objective responses were seen in 13 of 63 patients (21%). Minor responses were seen in an additional 12 patients (19%). The median survival for all patients was 23 weeks and for responding patients was 38 weeks. The pretreatment performance status had a significant effect on both the response rate and survival time. Patients having an initial Karnofsky performance score greater than or equal to 70% had a 54% response rate, with a median survival of 42 weeks for responding patients. FEMi was well-tolerated: 18 patients (29%) did not have any side effects and only five (8%) experienced vomiting.