beta-2--deoxythioguanosine and Leukopenia

Phase II trials of several single agents demonstrated only minimal objective response rates in patients with pancreatic carcinoma and measurable tumors: hexamethylmelamine (7%; four responses among 55 patients); dianhydrogalactitol (2.5%; one response among 40 patients); razoxane (7%; two responses among 29 patients); and beta-2'-deoxythioguanosine (6%; two responses among 32 patients). Among patients with a good performance status (0-2) and no prior chemotherapy, response rates were 8% for hexamethylmelamine (two responses among 26 patients); 8% for dianhydrogalactitol (one response among 13 patients); 8% for razoxane (one response among 12 patients); and 10% for beta-2'-deoxythioguanosine (two responses among 20 patients). None of these agents given by the methods of this study offers substantive benefit to the patient with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Altretamine; Antineoplastic Agents; Deoxyguanosine; Dianhydrogalactitol; Drug Evaluation; Humans; Leukopenia; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Piperazines; Razoxane; Sugar Alcohols; Thionucleosides; Thrombocytopenia; Triazines

Two hundred twenty eligible patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma were treated with a combination of beta-2'-deoxythioguanosine (BTG), plus methyl-CCNU or mitomycin. There was no significant difference in overall response (CR/PR + stable) among fully evaluable patients between the mitomycin plus BTG arm 19/96 (19.7%) and the MeCCNU arm 26/87 (29.8%). Median survival of eligible patients was 19 weeks with mitomycin plus BTG versus 21 weeks with MeCCNU plus BTG: no difference. Median survival of responders (40 weeks) and patients with stable disease (35 weeks) was significantly better than patients with increasing disease (17 weeks): p + 0.001.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Colonic Neoplasms; Deoxyguanosine; Drug Evaluation; Drug Therapy, Combination; Humans; Leukopenia; Lomustine; Mitomycins; Nausea; Nitrosourea Compounds; Thionucleosides; Thrombocytopenia

Beta-thioguanine deoxyriboside (betaTGdR) is a purine nucleoside derivative which was studied alone or in combination with arabinosyl cytosine (Ara-C) in patients with solid tumors and acute leukemia. No significant responses were observed in 22 patients with solid tumors. The response rate with betaTGdR alone in acute leukemia was 26% and in combination with Ara-C was 24%. Responses were generally of short duration. Toxicity included myelosuppression, nausea, stomatitis, hyperpigmentation, photosensitivity, and liver function abnormalities.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; Cytarabine; Deoxyguanosine; Deoxyribonucleosides; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Guanosine; Humans; Leukemia; Leukopenia; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasms; Remission, Spontaneous; Thioguanine; Thionucleosides; Thrombocytopenia; Time Factors