High-dose adriamycin (ADM) and cis-platinum (DDP) in advanced soft-tissue sarcomas and invasive thymomas. A pilot study.

Eighteen previously untreated patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic soft-tissue sarcomas (STS) and two patients with locally invasive thymoma were treated with a combination of adriamycin (ADM) 80 mg/m2 on day 1 and cis-platinum (DDP) 120 mg/m2 on day 1. The regimen was repeated at 4-weeks intervals. In STS the overall remission rate was 44%, with 21% complete remissions. The overall survival was 15 months (3-35+), responders surviving a median of 20 months (3-35+) and nonresponders, a median of 9 months (3-20+). Tumor responses lasted a median of 8 months (3-35+). Two patients with liposarcoma have now survived disease-free for at least 2 years and are potentially cured. The two patients with thymoma experienced complete remission lasting 4+ and 20+ months. Substantial hematologic toxicity was prominent, due to the high-doses used in this combination regimen.