title: Phase II study of weekly intravenous menogaril in the treatment of recurrent astrocytomas in adults.
abstract: Twenty patients with astrocytomas recurrent after surgery +/- radiation were treated on a phase II protocol of the new anthracycline derivative menogaril 115 mg/m2 administered intravenously once per week. Sixteen patients were evaluable for treatment efficacy. No patient achieved a major therapeutic response. Three patients (19%) had stable disease for greater than 8 weeks, including one who showed minor evidence of tumor regression, but less than 50%. Thirteen patients failed. Treatment was well tolerated. One patient developed granulocytopenia, while none developed thrombocytopenia. Four patients required an interruption in their treatment for one to two weeks because of development of granulocytopenia (one patient) or other reasons. Other toxic effects included arm vein phlebitis and skin irritation, skin discoloration of the infused arm, mild to moderate nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, stomatitis, and a fatal central venous catheter infection. Despite the fact that menogaril appeared to have therapeutic activity against recurrent astrocytomas in our phase I studies, we could not document any activity in this phase II study.
authors.affiliation: Ontario Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation, Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre, Canada.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hugenholtz
authors.forename: V F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: DaSilva
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Benoit
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Earhart
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Robillard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D017290:Menogaril / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012074:Remission Induction; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D017290:Menogaril