title: Phase II trial of trimetrexate in patients with stage III and IV non-small-cell lung cancer.
abstract: Trimetrexate is a nonclassical antifolate with greater preclinical antitumor activity than methotrexate. Fourteen patients with stage III or IV non-small-cell lung cancer who had not previously received chemotherapy were given trimetrexate (12 mg/m2 intravenously daily for 5 days) every 3 weeks. No major objective responses were observed (95% confidence limits: 0-20%). Ten of the 14 patients had grade 2 or greater toxicity, with 50% experiencing grade 2 or greater leukopenia and/or thrombocytopenia. Nausea, vomiting, rash, mucositis, diarrhea, and serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) elevations were also seen. At the dosage and schedule of trimetrexate used, no responses occurred in this population of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. With the low response rate and the observed degree of myelosuppression, trimetrexate appears to have limited utility in this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kris
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: D'Acquisto
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Gralla
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Fanucchi
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Heelan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016597:Trimetrexate
chemical_list: D011799:Quinazolines; D016597:Trimetrexate