Effectiveness of a sequential combination of bleomycin and mitomycin-C on an advanced cervical cancer

Abstract

Fifteen patients with squamous type of metastatic cervical cancer were treated with a sequential combination of bleomycin (BLM) and mitomycin-C(MMC) as follows: 5 mg of BLM daily for 7 days followed by a single injection of 10 mg of MMC. After 1 week of rest, this course was repeated two to five times depending on the responses or adverse effects. Fourteen out of 15 patients (93%) responded, with a complete remission in 12(80%) and a partial remission in two (13%). During the courses one patient died of lung fibrosis. Four of 12 complete responders had reccurrence after 4.5 months; and three of them died of relapse with a median survival of 7 months, but the fourth one is living. After the treatment one patient who received a booster shot of MMC and five patients with maintenance therapy of Carboquon, all are alive without relapse at an average of over 17 months. These results offer a hopeful prospect for the control of metastatic solid cancers of the squamous cell type.