5-fluorouracil, Adriamycin, and mitomycin-C (FAM) chemotherapy for advanced adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.

Thirty-nine patients with advanced metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas were treated with a combination of 5-fluorouracil, Adriamycin, and mitomycin-C (FAM). Twenty-seven of these patients had measurable disease, and ten (37%) achieved a partial response. An additional three patients had evidence of disease stabilization. The median survival period of responding patients was 12 months, compared with 3.5 months for nonresponders (P < 0.01). The median survival period for all patients was 6 months. Moderate myelosuppression constituted the treatment-limiting toxicity. The FAM combination is an active and well-tolerated regimen for pancreatic cancer and may have an application in the management of patients with less advanced disease.