Oral tegafur in the treatment of gastrointestinal tract cancers: a phase II study.

Fifty patients affected by histologically confirmed gastrointestinal tract cancer (GTC) were treated with oral tegafur (TG) 1,000 mg m-2 p.o. on days 1-14 repeated after a 14 day interval. Out of 42 evaluable patients seven patients had a partial response (PR. 17%) with a median duration of 20.5 weeks, three had a minimal response (7%) with a median duration of 23.7 weeks, nine showed a stabilisation which lasted a median of 31.3 weeks, and 23 progressed (55%). No response was obtained in patients affected by carcinoma of the pancreas and the hepatobiliary system. All PRs were achieved in patients with metastatic disease to the liver. No response was seen in patients with bone, lung or noda…