Comparison of radiotherapy alone and radiotherapy with chemotherapy using adriamycin and 5-fluorouracil in bronchogenic carcinoma

Abstract

Eighty-two patients with histologically confirmed lung cancer were randomly allocated to receive either radiotherapy alone (2400-3200 rads, depending upon cell type) or the same dose of radiotherapy followed by four cycles of adriamycin and 5-fluorouracil. Eighty-one patients were evaluated and for the group as a whole survival was better in the group receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. Within cell types survival was better in the undifferentiated group assigned to receive adjuvant chemotherapy but survival in the patients with squamous tumours was not significantly prolonged. The chemotherapy was not unduly toxic.