title: Continuous infusion diaziquone and etoposide: a phase I study in adult patients with acute leukemia.
abstract: Diaziquone (AZQ) and etoposide (VP-16) were administered as simultaneous 5-day continuous infusions to 27 patients with acute leukemia (22 with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), three with chronic myeloid leukemia in blast crisis (CML-B), and two with acute lymphocytic leukemia) at four different doses in a phase I trial. Gastrointestinal toxicity, primarily stomatitis, was dose limiting, occurring in six of 10 patients at the highest dose level. Diarrhea was the only other grade 3 toxicity noted (three of 10 at the highest dose level). The duration of bone marrow aplasia was excessive at the highest dose (median 48 days to granulocytes greater than 500/mm3, range 33-67) but acceptable (31 days) at the maximum tolerated dose: AZQ 28 mg/m2/day x 5 days, VP-16 150 mg/m2/day x 5 days. Complete remissions were seen in seven patients (six AML, one CML-B) and a partial remission in one patient with AML. The median duration of unmaintained complete remission was 3 months (range 1.5-26+).
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematologic Malignancies, University of Maryland Cancer Center, Baltimore 21201.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reck
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Schiffer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001388:Aziridines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D016227:Benzoquinones; D001752:Blast Crisis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000473:pathology*; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D001388:Aziridines; D016227:Benzoquinones; D005047:Etoposide; C029108:diaziquone