title: Treatment of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia with 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the activity of 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2CdA) in the treatment of patients with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Uncontrolled phase II trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary, referral cancer center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine consecutive, symptomatic patients with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, of whom 9 were previously untreated.
  
  
  METHODS
  2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine was administered as a continuous intravenous infusion at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg body weight per day for 7 days. Only two courses of 2CdA were given and responding patients were then followed without further treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 17 (59%) patients responded, including all of those who were newly diagnosed and 40% of those who had failed previous therapies. Treatment was well tolerated except for one death in a patient who had presented with severe pancytopenia. With a median follow-up of 7 months, only one responding patient has relapsed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine is a nucleoside analog that was effective in most patients with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia and was associated with little toxicity.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dimopoulos
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kantarjian
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Estey
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Delasalle
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Keating
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Freireich
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alexanian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017338:Cladribine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction; D008258:Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D017338:Cladribine