nogalamycin and Adenocarcinoma

The National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC) Clinical Trials Group conducted a phase II study of weekly oral menogaril as first-line therapy in 51 patients with incurable, metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer. While no prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease was permitted, prior adjuvant chemotherapy was allowed provided that no anthracycline or anthracene had been given. Forty-eight patients were evaluable for response. Two patients (4%) achieved complete remissions, 9 patients (19%) achieved partial remissions, 26 patients (54%) were stable and 11 patients (23%) failed. At the initial menogaril dose of 275 mg/m2 per week, 13 of 14 patients required a dose reduction and/or a treatment delay of one or more weeks. Therefore, the menogaril dose was reduced to 225 mg/m2 per week for the last 37 patients. At that those, 20 of 37 patients developed grade 3 or 4 granulocytopenia and 22 required dosage delays. At the initial starting dose, the average dose intensity actually delivered was 169 mg/m2 per week. At 225 mg/m2 the average dose intensity actually delivered was 197 mg/m2 per week. Toxic effects included mild to moderate nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, hair loss and occasional hyperpigmentation. In summary, menogaril is an anthracycline derivative that has modest activity when administered orally to minimally pretreated patients with breast cancer.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Administration, Oral; Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Agents; Breast Neoplasms; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Administration Schedule; Drug Evaluation; Female; Humans; Menogaril; Middle Aged; Nogalamycin

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Agents; Drug Evaluation; Female; Humans; Infusions, Intravenous; Male; Menogaril; Middle Aged; Nogalamycin; Pancreatic Neoplasms

Fifteen patients with advanced adenocarcinoma of the pancreas were treated with menogarol 150-225 mg/m2 i.v. every 3 weeks. All patients had bidimensionally measurable disease. This regimen and dosage schedule are well tolerated, with minimal toxicity that included myelosupression; median white blood cell (WBC) count nadir of 2,700 cells/mm3 (range 1,400-7,100 cells/mm3) and median platelet nadir of 162,000 cells/mm3 (range 53,000-390,000 cells/mm3). Anorexia occurred in one patient, nausea or vomiting in six, phlebitis in one, and alopecia in six patients. No patients responded. At this dosage and schedule, there is no role for menogarol in the treatment of advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Daunorubicin; Drug Evaluation; Female; Humans; Male; Menogaril; Middle Aged; Nogalamycin; Pancreatic Neoplasms

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Agents; Colonic Neoplasms; Daunorubicin; Drug Evaluation; Female; Humans; Male; Menogaril; Middle Aged; Nogalamycin; Rectal Neoplasms