Cyclophosphamide, hexamethylmelamine, adriamycin and cisplatin combination chemotherapy in mixed mesodermal sarcoma of the female genital tract.

Clinically mixed mesodermal sarcoma is a different entity among the other subtypes of soft tissue sarcomas. Although adriamycin is considered to be the most active single agent in the treatment of adult soft tissue sarcomas, the drug has only limited activity in mixed mesodermal sarcomas. On the other hand, cisplatin is inactive in soft tissue sarcomas, but was reported to be active in mixed mesodermal sarcomas. Therefore combinations including both adriamycin and cisplatin appear attractive for testing in the treatment of mixed mesodermal sarcomas. We have performed a pilot study with two combinations in mixed mesodermal sarcomas of the female genital tract. Two patients treated with adriamycin and cisplatin showed rapid progression. Of 7 patients treated with cyclophosphamide, hexamethylmelamine, adriamycin and cisplatin (CHAP-5), 6 had measurable disease, of whom 5 yielded a response (2 complete responses for 19+ and 40 months and 3 partial responses for 4, 7 and 8 months). The patient with non-measurable disease had a progression-free survival of 27 months. The median survival for all CHAP-5-treated patients was 20 months. This regimen is recommended for further phase II studies.