zinostatin and Vomiting

An early phase II multicentered study of YM 881 (zinostatin stimalamer) was conducted in 36 patients to investigate response and the safety of the drug in malignant tumors. The response could be evaluated in 18 patients, one with brain tumor, 2 with lung cancer, one with breast cancer, one with liver cancer, one with pancreatic cancer, 6 with gastric cancer, and 6 with colon cancer. PR was found in the patient with brain tumor. Major subjective unwanted effects were gastrointestinal symptoms. Objective evidence of hematological changes (thrombocytopenia, decreased hematocrit, and lymphocytopenia) was also obtained.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Anorexia; Brain Neoplasms; Drug Evaluation; Female; Humans; Injections, Intravenous; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Maleic Anhydrides; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Polystyrenes; Stomach Neoplasms; Thrombocytopenia; Vomiting; Zinostatin

To determine the incidence of nausea and vomiting and the antiemetic effect of ondansetron hydrochloride (OND) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with arterial chemo-embolization, we studied 59 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who were treated with transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) or lipiodolized transcatheter arterial infusion (L-TAI). We investigated the incidence of nausea and vomiting and the amount of food intake when TAE or L-TAI was performed. All patients who experienced nausea and vomiting received OND administered prophylactically at the time of the next TAE or L-TAI to evaluate the antiemetic effect of the drug. Cumulative rates of nausea and vomiting during the week following arterial chemo-embolization were 44.8% and 27.6%, respectively. There was a tendency for the incidence to be higher in patients treated with the anticancer agent zinostatin stimalamer (SMANCS) than in those treated with epirubicin hydrochloride (EPI). Regarding food intake, 53.1% of the patients stated that they ate "half or more than half" of the food provided on the day of arterial chemo-embolization. The rate improved as time went on. In 5 patients who experienced nausea and vomiting at the time of arterial chemo-embolization, nausea and vomiting were inhibited satisfactorily by OND. When arterial chemo-embolization was performed, antiemetic treatment for approximately 3 days was necessary to improve patients' quality of life (QOL) to an acceptable level, and OND was found to be effective for the purpose in our 5 patients who had experienced nausea and/or vomiting at the previous treatment.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Antiemetics; Antineoplastic Agents; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; Contrast Media; Eating; Epirubicin; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Incidence; Infusions, Intra-Arterial; Injections, Intra-Arterial; Iodized Oil; Liver Neoplasms; Male; Maleic Anhydrides; Middle Aged; Mitomycin; Nausea; Ondansetron; Polystyrenes; Quality of Life; Vomiting; Zinostatin

Though SMANCS-Lipiodol suspension has advantages over tumor regression, its disadvantages should also be considered: (1) Anaphylactic reaction due to its high molecular weight. (2) Since it readily destroys the tissue, a smaller dose and repeated administration are required. (3) Due to its low viscosity, it easily enters the arterioles and causes damage even to the extrahepatic organs. When this drug is infused into the left hepatic artery in subsegmental fashion, it enters the neighboring gastric tissues through the communication of the left hepatic and left gastric arteries, and this ultimately causes intractable gastric ulcers. Considering the above facts, this drug should be used carefully.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Anaphylaxis; Antineoplastic Agents; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; Hepatic Artery; Humans; Infusions, Intra-Arterial; Liver Neoplasms; Male; Maleic Anhydrides; Middle Aged; Nausea; Polystyrenes; Stomach Ulcer; Vomiting; Zinostatin

Twenty-three children with advanced cancer refractory to conventional therapy received weekly iv doses of neocarzinostatin for 5 weeks. Doses were escalated from 500 to 6750 units/m2/week. Four types of toxic manifestations occurred: acute reactions consisting of shaking chills with or without fever and cyanosis (rigor), hypersensitivity, vomiting, and marrow depression. Evidence of oncolytic activity was limited to patients with acute leukemia in whom phase II trials at doses between 3000 and 4500 units/m2 appear warranted.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Bone Marrow; Child; Child, Preschool; Drug Evaluation; Drug Hypersensitivity; Humans; Infant; Leukemia, Lymphoid; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute; Neoplasms; Remission, Spontaneous; Shivering; Vomiting; Zinostatin