PHASE-II STUDY OF ORAL-ADMINISTRATION OF ETOPOSIDE FOR PATIENTS WITH WELL-DIFFERENTIATED AND MODERATELY-DIFFERENTIATED ADENOCARCINOMAS OF UNKNOWN PRIMARY SITE

Citation
A. Vandergaast et al., PHASE-II STUDY OF ORAL-ADMINISTRATION OF ETOPOSIDE FOR PATIENTS WITH WELL-DIFFERENTIATED AND MODERATELY-DIFFERENTIATED ADENOCARCINOMAS OF UNKNOWN PRIMARY SITE, Annals of oncology, 4(9), 1993, pp. 789-790
Citations number
8
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Note
Categorie Soggetti
Oncology
Journal title
ISSN journal
0923-7534
Volume
4
Issue
9
Year of publication
1993
Pages
789 - 790
Database
ISI
SICI code
0923-7534(1993)4:9<789:PSOOOE>2.0.ZU;2-G
Abstract
Background: The prognosis of patients with well- and moderately-differ entiated adenocarcinomas of unknown primary is poor, as a consequence of chemotherapy resistance. Patients and methods: We performed a phase II study with prolonged oral administration of etoposide in 25 chemot herapy-naive patients with well and moderately-differentiated adenocar cinomas of unknown primary site. The treatment regimen was 50 mg/m2 fo r 21 days, every four weeks. Results: Of 24 evaluable patients, two ac hieved partial responses (8%) lasting 15+ and 17 months, 11 patients h ad stable disease, and 11 progressed during treatment. The major toxic ity was myelosuppression. WHO grades 3 or 4 leukocytopenia was seen in six patients but confined to the first treatment cycle in five of the m. Four of these latter five patients already had disease progression after one treatment cycle. A primary tumor site was later identified i n four patients, three colon carcinomas and one carcinoma of the pancr eas. Conclusion: Etoposide given in this dose and schedule has only li mited activity in patients with well- or moderately-differentiated ade nocarcinomas of unknown primary site.