title: Phase I and clinical pharmacological evaluation of 4'-deoxydoxorubicin in patients with advanced cancer.
abstract: We have conducted a Phase I and initial clinical pharmacological evaluation of 4'-deoxydoxorubicin (4'-DXDX), administering the drug i.v. on an every 21-day schedule to 60 patients with advanced cancer. Patients were treated at six dosage levels ranging from 10 to 35 mg/sq m. Leukopenia was the dose-limiting toxic effect, and no cardiac, renal, or hepatic toxicity was observed; stomatitis was not seen; and there were no drug-related deaths. Significant alopecia was rare at doses less than 35 mg/sq m, mild nausea and vomiting occurred in one-third of patients at myelosuppressive doses; 12 patients had a transient local urticarial reaction. In the 30 patients with measurable disease, two partial remissions were seen, lasting 5 months in a patient with a nasopharyngeal adenocarcinoma, and 7 months in a patient with endometrial adenocarcinoma. The recommended dose of 4'-DXDX for Phase II studies is 30 mg/sq m in good-risk patients and 25 mg/sq m in moderate-risk or heavily pretreated patients. Pharmacokinetic studies were carried out in ten patients, four of whom received 4'-DXDX at a dose of 10 mg/sq m and six at 30 mg/sq m. Disappearance of 4'-DXDX from plasma was triphasic with a rapid initial phase clearance showing a t1/2 alpha of 1 to 2 min and a prolonged terminal phase with a median t1/2 gamma in excess of 90 h in patients receiving 30 mg/sq m.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004317:Doxorubicin; C030851:esorubicin