The proportion of cancer patients who receive potentially curative therapy declines with increasing chronological age. Between January 1979 and January 1988, 36 patients aged from 76 to 84 years (median 78) consented to cisplatin combination chemotherapy. Eighteen patients received 1 to 7 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy (median 5). This resulted in a drop in creatinine clearance rate from 70 +/- 28.5 ml/min to 49 +/- 20 ml/min. Eight patients (44%) are alive without evidence of disease, with a whole group median survival of 23 months. The dose intensity of cisplatin was found to predict recurrence. Eighteen other patients were treated for metastatic disease; 39% had an objective response after receiving 2 to 9 cycles (median 7). Only 2 patients (11%) are alive and free of disease. In this group no significant kidney damage occurred and the dose intensity of cisplatin did not predict response. Treatment resulted in a significant sepsis rate (39%) and 6 patients (17%) withdrew from treatment because of toxicity. It was concluded that cisplatin combination chemotherapy can be administered without treatment-related death and its efficacy is similar to that in younger patients. Age should not exclude patients from the potential benefit of such therapy. An important cause of reduced benefit from chemotherapy among elderly patients may be the reduced dosage of cisplatin.