zinostatin and Hypotension

Neocarzinostatin is a new anticancer drug developed by Japanese investigators. In order to delineate the potential usefulness of this drug, we have reviewed the preclinical data and summarized the Japanese clinical data on 462 patients. The bulk of these patients had carcinoma of the stomach or pancreas and acute leukemia. Neocarzinostatin was administered intravenously in a daily dose of 2-3 mg for five to 15 day periods. Significant antitumor activity was observed in acute leukemia. A few responses were also reported in pancreatic adenocarcinoma, but the drug was inactive against gastric carcinoma. The side effects observed included nausea, vomiting, myelosuppression, fever, and occasional hypersensitivity reactions. The Investigational Drug Branch of the National Cancer Institute has recently sponsored an investigational new drug application with the Food and Drug Administration, and phase I studies are expected to begin soon in the United States.

Topics: Amino Acids; Animals; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Cell Division; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Diarrhea; DNA Replication; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Administration Schedule; Drug Eruptions; Fever; Humans; Hypotension; Kidney Diseases; Leukopenia; Molecular Weight; Nausea; Neoplasms; Neoplasms, Experimental; Temperature; Templates, Genetic; Thrombocytopenia; Zinostatin

We report a Phase I/II clinical trial of poly-(styrene-co-maleyl-half-n-butylate)-neocarzinostatin (SMANCS) for intra-arterial treatment of hepatoma. Early patients received 4 or 8 mg SMANCS dissolved in Lipiodol; later patients were treated according to tumour size and degree of filling achieved. SMANCS/Lipiodol drained rapidly from normal liver but was retained within tumour interstitium. Tumour nodules filled with SMANCS/Lipiodol usually stabilised and often regressed. No UICC criteria-defined responses were achieved, partly due to difficulties of filling several lesions simultaneously. Signs of therapeutic activity suggest a more extensive clinical study is warranted.

Topics: Abdominal Pain; Adult; Aged; alpha-Fetoproteins; Antineoplastic Agents; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Drug Evaluation; Drug Hypersensitivity; Female; Fever; Humans; Hypotension; Injections, Intra-Arterial; Liver; Liver Neoplasms; Male; Maleic Anhydrides; Middle Aged; Polystyrenes; Radiography; Syncope; Treatment Outcome; Zinostatin