TREATMENT OF MALIGNANT MESOTHELIOMA WITH EPIRUBICIN AND IFOSFAMIDE - A PHASE-II COOPERATIVE STUDY

From May 1988 to March 1990, 17 consecutive patients with histological ly proven malignant mesothelioma were treated with epirubicin 75 mg/sq m i.v. on day 1 and ifosfamide 1.8 gr/sqm/day i.v. from day 1-5. Treat ment was repeated every 3 weeks until progression. Fifty-three chemoth erapy cycles were administered to the 17 patients treated (median, 3 c ycles/patient). No complete responses, 1 partial response, 8 stable di seases and 8 progressions were noted. Toxocity was acceptable and no t reatment-related deaths occurred. Actuarial median survival was 6 mont hs. In this study, a combination of full doses of epirubicin and ifosf amide did not prove to be active in malignant mesothelioma.