Advanced neoplastic disease. Treatment with 5-fluorouracil and irradiation

One hundred and twelve patients with far advanced, inoperable neoplastic disease were treated by a method utilizing the simultaneous administration of the pyrimidine antagonist, 5-fluorouracil, and ionizing irradiation to an estimated tumor dose of 2,000 roentgen units. Seventy-seven of them had periods of objective regression of tumor of three months or more. The data presented suggest that either there may be an additive effect when the two modes of therapy are used simultaneously or one mode of therapy may potentiate the antitumor effect of the other.