Combination chemotherapy of metastatic thyroid cancer. Phase II study.

Eleven patients with metastatic thyroid cancer received combination chemotherapy with doxorubicin, bleomycin, vincristine, and melphalan. Six of 11 patients responded, two with a minor response, three a partial, and one with a complete response. Most responses were brief (2-3 months), but the patient with a complete response is alive and free of disease at 60+ months. Toxicity was moderate and predominantly hematologic. Thyroid carcinoma is a moderately sensitive neoplasm with occasional prolonged responses to chemotherapy.