Methyl-CCNU (NSC-95441) in advanced colorectal carcinoma after failure of 5-fluorouracil (NSC-19893) therapy.

Twenty-seven patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma who had earlier failed to respond to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) were given methyl-CCNU. Of the 21 patients who received methyl-CCNU alone, two (9.5%) responded partially with a mean duration of 28 weeks. Of the six patients who received methyl-CCNU and beta-TGdR, three had a partial response. There were no complete responses in either group. Response was not related to performance status, site of metastasis, or previous response to 5-FU treatment. It seems that the addition of beta-TGdR to methyl-CCNU might give better results after failure to previous 5-FU treatment. Hematologic toxicity was noted in 33% of the patients and gastrointestinal toxicity in 25%.