title: Phase II trial of pre-irradiation KRN8602 (MX2) in malignant glioma patients.
abstract: KRN8602 (MX2) is a newly developed morpholino anthracycline that crosses the blood-brain barrier where it becomes distributed in brain tissue after intravenous administration. This morpholino anthracycline has been found to be effective against human glioma cells and the intracerebrally transplanted tumors in vivo, We performed a phase II trial using KRN8602 as a single agent in malignant glioma patients who had not received prior adjuvant therapy. The 13 patients (5 glioblastomas, 7 anaplastic astrocytomas and 1 malignant oligodendroglioma) enrolled received at least 1 cycle of KRN8602 at 35 mg/m2/day in 3-4 week intervals by intravenous bolus. Ten of these patients could be evaluated for response, and 13 for toxicity. Three patients (1 glioblastoma and 2 anaplastic astrocytomas) demonstrated a complete response (3/10, 30%). Concerning side effects, myelosuppression was moderately severe, with 30.7% of patients developing grade 3 leukopenia. Severe nausea/vomiting was observed in 69% of the patients, however, cardiotoxicity was not observed. The results indicate that KRN8602 demonstrated modest activity against malignant glioma with relatively severe, but manageable toxicity. Further assessment of the efficacy and toxicity of KRN8602 against malignant glioma may be worthwhile.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Japan.
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Kuratsu
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arita
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kayama
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sawamura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ushio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000139:chemically induced; D002360:Carubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D009837:Oligodendroglioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; C053537:morpholinoanthracycline MX2; D002360:Carubicin