Cisplatin, methotrexate and vinblastine plus surgical restaging for patients with advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium

• Published in: The Journal of urology Vol. 150; no. 1; p. 65
• Main Authors: Miller, R S, Freiha, F S, Reese, J H, Ozen, H, Torti, F M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-07-1993
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - adverse effects; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell - mortality; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell - pathology; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell - surgery; Cisplatin - administration & dosage; Cisplatin - adverse effects; Combined Modality Therapy; Female; Humans; Kidney - drug effects; Male; Methotrexate - administration & dosage; Methotrexate - adverse effects; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Staging; Survival Rate; Urologic Neoplasms - drug therapy; Urologic Neoplasms - mortality; Urologic Neoplasms - pathology; Urologic Neoplasms - surgery; Vinblastine - administration & dosage; Vinblastine - adverse effects
• ISSN: 0022-5347
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-5347(17)35398-3

Chemotherapy with cisplatin, methotrexate and vinblastine (CMV) is active in advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium. Aggressive surgical resection of residual disease following responses produced by CMV was incorporated into a combined modality approach. Between 1982 and 1990, 64 patients were entered into the study. Of 55 patients evaluable for response 11 (20%) had a pathological complete response, 14 (25%) achieved a complete response following resection of residual disease and 5 (9%) whose disease was not surgically restaged had a clinical complete response. The overall complete response rate was 55%. Patients with liver, lung or bone involvement had significantly decreased survival compared to patients without visceral disease (p = 0.002). With a median followup exceeding 50 months, 14 patients (22% of all patients entered into the study) were free of disease at 23 to 98+ months. There were no deaths related to treatment. CMV produced high rates of response in patients with advanced disease, including those with distant metastases. Surgical resection of residual disease following responses produced by chemotherapy proved to be feasible, without treatment related mortality, and may have prolonged survival in selected cases.