A combined chemo-endocrine treatment with tegafur, adriamycin, methotrexate and tamoxifen for advanced renal cell carcinoma.

Eight patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma were given a new chemo-endocrine treatment with tegafur, adriamycin, methotrexate and tamoxifen. Estrogen receptor was detected in five cases from renal or metastatic tumors. The patients were medicated with 800-1, 200mg of tegafur and 20 mg of tamoxifen daily po and 20mg of adriamycin and 10 mg of methotrexate iv intermittently at two week intervals. Two patients were regarded as CR, two as PR, one as NC and three as PD. Two out of three with estrogen receptor and one out of two without estrogen receptor responded favorably to this treatment. Side effects observed during the treatment were Grade II nausea/vomiting in six, Grade II leukopenia in three, Grade I thrombocytopenia in two, and Grade I hepatoxicity in three patients. The patients were found to be enjoying a good quality of life during the treatment because of lowered toxicity. This treatment can be regarded as a good treatment modality for advanced renal cell carcinoma.