5-fluorouracil, adriamycin, and mitomycin-C (Hi-FAM) chemotherapy for adenocarcinoma of the lung.

Thirty patients with unresectable adenocarcinoma of the lung were treated with high doses of 5-fluorouracil, Adriamycin, and mitomycin-C (Hi-FAM). Objective responses were seen in ten patients (one complete and nine partial remissions). No patient with pleural disease responded to treatment. Responses were seen in all other sites of involvement including liver. In a subgroup of patients younger than 65 years, who had not had prior treatment, and who had a performance status of greater than 60 (Karnofsky), an overall response rate of 50% was realized. The overall median survival for responding patients was 10+ months while nonresponders had a median survival of 5.21 months. Patients who had had prior irradiation had a median survival of 4.81 months compared with patients who had not had any prior treatment, whose median survival was 8.45 months. Toxicity was substantial and included primarily bone marrow suppression and stomatitis. Elderly patients with poor performance status and prior treatment tolerated therapy less well. These results indicate that Hi-FAM is useful in selected groups of patients with advanced adenocrcinoma of the lung.