Development of four-drug bcnu combination chemotherapy regimens.(Writing committee for southeastern cancer study group)

Three combilations of four drugs, including BCNU, were constructed by first testing combinations of BCNU with one other drug and using these data to determine dose and schedule in the four-drug combinations. The other agents used were cyclophosphamide, vinblastine, vincristine, and procarbazine. Doses were letermined for each combination which produced acceptable toxicity in patients with far-advanced tumors. Highly significant activity in Hodgkin's disease, moderate therapeutic effect in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and inconsistent beneficial responses in solid tumors were noted. The toxicity and anecdota efficacy data suggest that one of the regimens, the combination of BCNU, Cytoxan, vinblastine, and procarbazine, should be extensively explored in the management of Hodgkin's because of lesser toxicity and greater ease o: administration.