BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Chemotherapy combined with other therapeutic modalities 
is the main option for advanced and metastatic soft tissue sarcoma(STS). So far 
there is no standard regimen for STS yet. Adrimycin, ifosfamide, and dacarbazine 
are the most effective agents at present. The purpose of this clinical trial was 
to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of MAID regimen (mesna/ifosfamide + 
Adriamycin + dacarbazine) in the treatment of advanced soft tissue sarcoma.
METHODS: Twenty-two patients with advanced STS were treated by MAID(Adriamycin 
60 mg/m2, ifosfamide 6,000 mg/m2, and dacarbazine 1,000 mg/m2). These drugs were 
administered as continuous intravenous infusion for 72 hours while mesna was 
infused continuously for 96 hours.
RESULTS: Partial response rate was 36.4% without complete remission. The 
duration of response ranged from 2-10 months with median of 4.6 months. Main 
toxicities were myelosuppression, gastrointestinal toxicity and alopecia. 
Percentage of leucopenia, nausea/vomiting, and alopecia in WHO grade III and IV 
were 63.6%, 27.3%, and 50%, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: The response rate of MAID for advanced STS was not satisfactory 
with evident myelosuppression. Further study on new anti-cancer agents and 
regimen are needed.