Sequential chemotherapy for adenocarcinoma of unknown primary

Twenty-five adult patients with adenocarcinoma of unknown primary origin were treated with oral tegafur followed by the combination of cyclophosphamide/adriamycin/cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (CAP) if they failed to respond to tegafur. One complete and three partial responses were obtained in 17 patients evaluated for response to tegafur, and two partial responses were achieved in nine patients who received the CAP regimen after failing to respond to tegafur. The overall response rate with the treatment program in 21 evaluable patients was 29%; the overall median survival was 18 weeks. The administration of above regimens did not significantly improve the survival duration.