Chemotherapy of sarcoma. A comparison of three regimens.

Three regimens have been used in the chemotherapeutic management of 75 adults with sarcoma. Methotrexate alone was used in 41 cases, a five-drug regimen was given in 12 cases, and adriamycin, T.I.C.-mustard, and methotrexate were given to 22 patients. Remissions, sometimes prolonged, were achieved with each regimen, and none was obviously better than the others. Because of the higher response-rate of primary or locally recurrent tumours it is suggested that sensitivity to drugs should be assessed earlier in the disease. It is proposed that a randomised study of methotrexate versus combination chemotherapy should be started in particular sarcoma subgroups, such as leiomyosarcoma and fibrosarcoma.