THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY AND TOXICITY OF SEQUENTIAL METHOTREXATE AND 5-FLUOROURACIL IN GASTRIC-CANCER

The therapeutic efficacy and toxicity of sequential methotrexate and 5 -fluorouracil in 64 inoperable gastric cancer patients are reported. A n intermediate-dose treatment was given to 48 patients, and a low-dose treatment to 16 patients. In the intermediate-dose treatment, leukope nia was observed in 11 patients, nausea and vomiting in six patients a nd diarrhea and stomatitis in two patients each. In the low-dose treat ment, no patient developed toxic symptyoms of grade 3 or 4. All 9 resp onders had adenocarcinoma of the poorly differentiated type and the re sponse rate inpatients who belonged to this type was 32.1%.