title: Phase II evaluation of 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-(2,6-dioxo-3-piperidyl)-1-nitrosourea (PCNU, NSC 95466) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.
abstract: Thirty-two patients with measurable metastatic colorectal cancer refractory to 5-fluorouracil-containing regimens received PCNU (1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-(2,6-dioxo-3-piperidyl)-1-nitrosourea, NSC 95466) on a single-day I.V. schedule administered every 6 weeks. Good-risk patients received PCNU at the starting dose of 100 mg/m2, while patients who had received radiotherapy or myelosuppressive drugs such as mitomycin C received an initial dose of 75 mg/m2. There were two partial remissions. Fifteen patients including four with minor tumor regression had disease stabilization. The dose-limiting toxicity was myelosuppression, with thrombocytopenia being more severe than neutropenia. The myelosuppression occurred late in the treatment cycle (days 25-32), was more severe with repeated treatments, and was more severe in patients who had a poor bone marrow reserve. Other toxicities were mild and infrequent. PCNU administered by the single-dose I.V. schedule as used in this study has very modest antitumor activity against colorectal cancer in humans.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds; C018627:1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-(2,6-dioxo-3-piperidinyl)-1-nitrosourea