Fludarabine monophosphate: a potentially useful agent in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Recent developments in experimental chemotherapy may benefit patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Fludarabine monophosphate has shown promise in heavily pretreated patients with advanced CLL. The Southwest Oncology Group has recently completed a phase II investigation of fludarabine in 32 patients. The patient population had a median age of 63 years, median performance status of 1, and included patients with the following stages of the disease: stage 0-3 patients; stage I-5 patients; stage II-6 patients; stage III-4 patients; stage IV-14 patients. A total of 176 courses were administered. Myelosuppression was the most frequent toxicity observed with 13 patients having a decline in platelets, and 11 patients having some decline in granulocytes. Fludarabine monophosphate has had unequivocal antileukemic activity in a group of patients with advanced CLL.
Grever
M R
MR
Ohio State University, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Columbus 43210.
Kopecky
K J
KJ
Coltman
C A
CA
Files
J C
JC
Greenberg
B R
BR
Hutton
J J
JJ
Talley
R
R
Von Hoff
D D
DD
Balcerzak
S P
SP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001088:Arabinonucleotides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction; D001084:Vidarabine Phosphate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D001088:Arabinonucleotides; D001084:Vidarabine Phosphate; C042382:fludarabine phosphate