homoharringtonine and Head-and-Neck-Neoplasms

The chemosensitivities of 27 fresh specimens of head and neck cancers were tested with MTT assay to study the practicability and accuracy of the assay for the examination of chemosensitivity in head and neck cancer patients. The chemosensitivities among cancers of different primary sites, pathologic types, histological differentiations, DNA ploidies and estrogen receptors were compared in an attempt to evaluate the choice of anticancer drugs for individual chemotherapy. Eight anticancer drugs: Methotroxate (MTX), Mitomycin C (MMC), fluorouracil (5-Fu), Carboplatin (CBDCA), Pingyangmycin (PYM), Homoharringtonine (HHA), Etoposid (VP16) and Vincristine (VCR) were included. The success rate of MTT assay in the present study was 92.6% and the accuracy was relatively high. The sensitivity sequence was PYM > HHA > MTX > CBDCA > MMC > 5-Fu > VCR > VP16, which suggested HHA should be recommended first to the chemotherapy of head and neck cancer. No chemosensitivity differences were found among different primary sites histological differentiations and estrogen receptors. The chemosensitivity of squamous cell carcinoma was significantly higher than that of adenoid cystic carcinoma. The chemosensitivity of aneuploid tumor was significantly higher than that of diploid.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; Antineoplastic Agents; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Bleomycin; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Female; Harringtonines; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Homoharringtonine; Humans; Male; Methotrexate; Middle Aged

Eighteen patients entered this study of the efficacy of homoharringtonine (HHT) treatment in advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Seventeen eligible patients received at least one day of the first 5-day cycle of HHT (4.0 mg/m2/day) by continuous IV infusion. Cycles were scheduled to repeat every 28 days. The major severe toxicities encountered were hypotension and myelosuppression. There was one drug-related death. Fourteen patients were evaluable for response, and no patient exhibited an objective response to treatment with HHT.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Alkaloids; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Drug Evaluation; Female; Harringtonines; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Hematologic Diseases; Homoharringtonine; Humans; Infusions, Intravenous; Male; Middle Aged

Five phase II trials of the antitumor agent homoharringtonine were conducted in 80 patients who had advanced solid tumors. The five categories of solid tumors included malignant melanoma; sarcoma; and head and neck, breast, and colorectal carcinomas. The starting dose of homoharringtonine was 3.0-4.0 mg/m2 by short iv infusion daily X 5 days every 21 days. Seventy-eight of 80 patients had had prior chemotherapy and 49 had had prior radiation therapy. Among the 74 evaluable patients in the five tumor categories, there were no complete or partial remissions. Homoharringtonine was generally well-tolerated. Nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and fever and chills were the most common side effects. Serious reversible cardiovascular toxicity, which occurred in three patients, included symptomatic hypotension in two and short runs of ventricular tachycardia in one. The investigations thus conclude that homoharringtonine given by intermittent schedule is an inactive drug against these solid tumors previously exposed to chemotherapy.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Alkaloids; Bone Marrow; Breast Neoplasms; Carcinoma; Colonic Neoplasms; Drug Evaluation; Female; Harringtonines; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Heart; Homoharringtonine; Humans; Hypotension; Male; Melanoma; Middle Aged; Rectal Neoplasms; Sarcoma