Twenty-one patients with advanced, inoperable epidermoid carcinoma of the oesophagus were treated with combined 5-fluorouracil (F, 600 mg/m2, days 1 and 8), adriamycin (A, 30 mg/m2, day 1) and cis-platinum (C, 75 mg/m2, day 1), together with hydratation and mannitol-induced diuresis. Each course was repeated after 4 weeks. Response could be assessed in all 21 patients and was objective in seven (33%), who had metastasis prior to treatment. Two of these 7 patients went into complete remission confirmed by negative endoscopy and pathology; 5 showed partial response. Median survival of the 21 patients was 8 months; it fell to 4.5 months in non-responders and rose over 9 months in responders. Three patients survived for more than 16 months. No severe bone marrow depression or nephrotoxicity was observed. The 3-drug combination appeared to be more effective than the additive effects of each drug given separately. It is concluded that the FAP regimen is useful in the treatment of advanced oesophageal tumours.