PHASE-II STUDIES OF ELSAMITRUCIN IN BREAST-CANCER, COLORECTAL-CANCER,NONSMALL CELL LUNG-CANCER AND OVARIAN-CANCER

Purpose: To test the antitumor activity of Elsamitrucin in metastatic cancer of the breast, colon and rectum, non-small cell lung and ovary. Patients and methods: Eligibility required histologically proven canc er. Patients with colorectal or non-small cell lung cancer could not h ave received prior chemotherapy. Patients were entered if WHO PS was l ess-than-or-equal-to 2 and organ functions were normal. Treatment cons isted of Elsamitrucin 25 mg/m2/week given as a 5-10 min infusion for a t least 3-6 weekly doses. Results: One hundred and five patients enter ed the studies, 97 were eligible, 94 are evaluable for toxicity and 75 for response. Toxicity mainly consisted of mild nausea/vomiting, and less frequently reversible hepatotoxicity and malaise. No objective re sponses were seen. Conclusion: Elsamitrucin at this dose and schedule is not an active drug in metastatic breast cancer, colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer or ovarian cancer.