Twenty outpatients with locally advanced (inoperable) or metastatic transitional cell carcinomas of the bladder were treated with carboplatin (300 mg/m2 i.v., day 1) + methotrexate (40 mg/m2 days 1 and 8) + vinblastine (6 mg/m2 days 1 and 8) (CaMV), every 4 weeks. One patient died of disease progression before completing at least 2 cycles of chemotherapy. Seven patients (35%) obtained a partial response; 8 had disease stabilization (40%) and 4 progressed (20%). Median duration of response was 3 months (range: 3-9), and median overall survival was 12+ months (range: 1-18+). None of the patients suffered grade IV toxicities, and no nephro-, neuro-, or ototoxicity was observed.