title: Epirubicin and DTIC (EDIC) for advanced soft-tissue sarcomas.
abstract: Fifty-six patients with measurable advanced soft-tissue sarcomas were treated with epirubicin, 90 mg/m2 intravenously on day 1, and DTIC, 250 mg/m2 intravenously on days 1-5, with the entire regimen repeated every 3 weeks. The overall response rate in 52 evaluable patients was 48% with 9 complete remissions. Noncardiac toxicity was limited predominantly to vomiting, alopecia and myelosuppression. Laboratory evidence of cardiotoxicity [greater than or equal to 20% decrease in left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) from the baseline value] was observed in 4 out of 39 patients who had at least two determinations of LVEF, at a median dose of 1,305 mg/m2. Two patients had clinical congestive heart failure at cumulative dose of 1,440 and 1,620 mg/m2. These findings suggest that the combination of epirubicin and DTIC is an active regimen in soft-tissue sarcomas, and provide further evidence that epirubicin is a doxorubicin analogue with reduced cardiac toxicity, but preserved efficacy in this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology II, Regina Elena Institute for Cancer Research, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carpano
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Lauro
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vici
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Conti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D015251:Epirubicin; D003606:Dacarbazine