Oral high-dose methotrexate with citrovorum factor rescue in metastastic squamous cell carcinoma of the lung

Thirteen patients with metastatic squamous cell cancer of the lung were treated, in a nonrandomized study, with an oral high-dose methotrexate and citrovorum factor rescue regimen. There was some response and/or stabilization of disease for at least three months in six (46%) of 13 cases. The median survival time of the study group was double (365 vs. 180 days) that of a retrospectively matched control group. This suggests a possible therapeutic effect of this treatment program in metastatic squamous cell cancer of the lung.