Adjuvant cancer chemotherapy after resection of carcinoma of the lung

Abstract

A prospective randomized trial was conducted by the Veterans Administration Surgical Adjuvant Group in an attempt to discern the value of prolonged intermittent courses of adjuvant cancer chemotherapy after a successful curative resection of a carcinoma of the lung in men. Four hundred and seventeen patients were randomized into three groups: 132 patients received cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), regimen A; 142 patients received cyclophosphamide alternating with methotrexate, regimen B; and 143 patients received no additional therapy, the controls. The patients in the two treatment groups received an average of 7.1 drug courses. No drug mortality was noted, but toxic symptoms of varying severity were seen after 43.6% of the drug courses. Five‐year survival in the two treatment groups was 24.9% (regimen A) and 25.7% (regimen B), respectively, and 23.5% in the control group. No treatment benefit was associated with adjuvant chemotherapy in this trial.