[Chemotherapy for medullary cancer of the thyroid. Phase II trials with adriamycin and cis-platinum administered as monochemotherapy].

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a rare tumor, and patients with distant metastases have a poor prognosis. Chemotherapy efficacity is not well established and we have conducted a phase II trial of monochemotherapy with Adriamycin (ADR) and Cis-platinum (CDDP) in 18 patients. Fourteen MTC have been treated by ADR, the dose was 60 mg/m2 every 4 weeks. The mean number of administration has been 5.3. The results have been: 1 complete response (6 months), 1 partial response (36 months), 1 minor response, 4 stabilisations and 6 failures. The overall responses rate has been 15 per cent and the toxicity has been low. Fourteen MTC have been treated by CDDP. Ten patients had been treated before with ADR. The dose of CDDP was 90 mg/m2 in two hours perfusion with hyperhydration administered every 4 weeks. The mean number of treatment has been 5. The results have been: 1 complete response (9 months), 2 partial responses (16 and 48 months), 4 stabilisations and 7 failures. The overall responses rate has been 21 per cent. In conclusion, ADR and CDDP have some, but limited, efficiency in treatment of metastatic MTC. The effect of their association must be evaluated.