Treatment of carcinoma in situ of the urinary bladder with bropirimine.
OBJECTIVE
To explore new treatment strategies in high-risk superficial bladder cancer patients, such as recurrent carcinoma in situ (CIS) or pT1 transitional cell carcinoma after intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG).


METHODS
Mechanism of action, pharmacology and the results of clinical phase I and II trials with the oral biological response modifier bropirimine are reviewed.


RESULTS
In a phase II trial in which CIS patients were treated, 17 complete responses were seen in 29 patients (59%) at the 3,000-mg dose level. Moreover, this trial indicated that bropirimine is a promising alternative in BCG recurrent or BCG intolerant patients: in 13 BCG failures, 6 complete responses were seen. Side effects are mild to moderate, mainly flu-like symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that bropirimine is effective at 3,000 mg/day, and that patients with prior BCG therapy may be salvaged by bropirimine treatment.
Witjes
J A
JA
Department of Urology, University Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003596:Cytosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003596:Cytosine; C033560:bropirimine