aclarubicin and Anorexia

Sixty six patients with an advanced or a relapsed cancer have been treated with a combination of radiation and aclarubicin (ACR). The average irradiation dose was 45 +/- 15 Gy, and the combined total dose of ACR ranged from 130 to 260 mg, depending upon the following differing schedules: 10 mg x 3 or 5/w, 20 mg x 2 or 3/w and 20 mg x 2/d x 2/w. The tumor response attained was 70%, including 30% who achieved a complete response. A high response rate also was observed in rather radioresistant cancerous tumor, such as those of the lung, stomach and esophagus. The adverse effects, such as anorexia, nausea, and so on, were found increase with an increase in the dose of ACR. It thus was concluded that for clinical usefulness, 10 mg of ACR should administered every other day in combination with a definite program of radiotherapy.

Topics: Aclarubicin; Aged; Anorexia; Combined Modality Therapy; Drug Administration Schedule; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Female; Humans; Japan; Male; Middle Aged; Multicenter Studies as Topic; Nausea; Neoplasms; Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; Radiotherapy Dosage; Remission Induction

Nineteen patients with refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated with a combination of N4-behenoyl-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (150-200 mg/m2), aclacinomycin (15 mg/m2), etoposide (70 mg/m2 i.v. or 100 mg/m2 p.o) and prednisolone (20 mg/m2) (ABEP regimen). Patients who achieved complete remission (CR) received 10 courses of consolidation therapy with ACOP-E chemotherapy (adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisolone and etoposide). Seven patients achieved CR and three partial remission. Twelve patients with fresh non-Hodgkin's lymphoma stage IV were treated with ABEP regimen. CR was obtained in eight patients (66.7%). The median duration of CR was 11+ alpha months. Hematological toxicity was a dose-limiting factor but this was manageable.

Topics: Aclarubicin; Adult; Aged; Alopecia; Anorexia; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Cyclophosphamide; Cytarabine; Doxorubicin; Drug Administration Schedule; Etoposide; Female; Humans; Leukopenia; Lymphoma; Male; Middle Aged; Naphthacenes; Prednisolone; Thrombocytopenia; Vincristine