A phase I trial of gemcitabine and infusional 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in patients with refractory solid tumors: Louisiana Oncology Associates protocol no. 1 (LOA-1).

The major purposes of this study were to determine the maximally tolerated dose (MTD), dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), toxicity profile, and antitumor activity of gemcitabine (GEM) (Gemzar) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) combination therapy when administered to patients with advanced solid tumors. GEM was administered intravenously over 30 minutes on days 1, 8, and 15, and 5-FU was administered as a continuous intravenous infusion from day 1 through day 15 of each 28-day treatment course. Seventeen patients (13 men and 4 women, median age 57, all previously treated with chemotherapy) were treated with 68 courses at 3 dose levels: 800/200, 1,000/200, and 1,000/300 [GEM (mg/m2/week)/ 5-FU (mg/m2/day)]. Two further patients were not fully evaluable for toxicity; one died from a probable pulmonary embolism, and one refused further treatment after developing grade II mucositis and dermatitis after her day 1 to 7 treatment. At the third dose level, 2 of 4 patients developed grade III mucositis; one also developed grade IV neutropenia with fever and grade III thrombocytopenia. Patient accrual then resumed at the second dose level. At this level, 10 patients were treated, with two developing grade III mucositis. One of these patients also developed grade IV dermatitis. No other patient developed grade III or IV side effects. Prophylactic dexamethasone was initiated after 4 of the first 7 patients (including 1 of the not fully evaluable patients) developed dermatitis-grade IV in 1 patient and grade II in the remaining 3 patients. After the steroids were initiated, 4 of the last 11 patients treated developed dermatitis, but grade 1 in all cases. One patient with metastatic gastric cancer achieved a near-complete response of his gastric mass and adrenal metastasis. Minor responses were achieved in a patient with colon carcinoma and a patient with an ethmoid sinus adenoid cystic carcinoma. The MTD and recommended dose for phase II clinical trials of GEM and 5-FU on the above schedule is 1,000 mg/m2 and 200 mg/m2 respectively, with mucositis as the DLT.

One-hour paclitaxel plus carboplatin in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer: results of a multicentre, phase II trial.

The aim of this phase II study was to determine the activity and toxicity of paclitaxel (administered by 1-h infusion) and carboplatin in advanced non-small cell lung cancer when used in a multicentre, community-based treatment setting. 100 chemotherapy-naive patients with stage IIIB or IV non-small cell lung cancer were treated between March 1995 and February 1996. All patients had Karnofsky performance status 70-100, measurable disease and adequate bone marrow, kidney and liver function. All patients received intravenous (i.v.) paclitaxel 225 mg/m2 by 1-h infusion followed immediately by carboplatin at a targeted area under the concentration time curve (AUC) of 6.0 using the Calvert formula. Courses were repeated every 21 days. Colony stimulating factors were not used routinely. 38 of 94 evaluable patients (40%) had objective responses to treatment (3 complete responses, 35 partial responses). An additional 32 patients had stable disease at initial re-evaluation. Weight gain during treatment was experienced by 47% of patients with objective response or stable disease. The median survival in this group of 100 patients was 8 months, with an actuarial 1-year survival of 42%. Leucopenia was common, but hospitalisation for treatment of neutropenia and fever occurred in only 3% of courses. Cumulative peripheral neuropathy was common, but usually appeared after the third or fourth course and was severe (grade 3) in only 15% of patients. Other grade 3 and 4 toxicity was uncommon. There was one treatment-related death due to sepsis. This large multicentre community-based phase II trial demonstrated the efficacy of paclitaxel and carboplatin combination chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. When paclitaxel is given by 1-h infusion, this regimen is easily administered in the outpatient setting.

Clinical pharmacokinetics of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (zidovudine) and catabolites with formation of a toxic catabolite, 3'-amino-3'-deoxythymidine.

This study investigated pharmacokinetics and metabolism of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (zidovudine) in patients after a 1-hour intravenous infusion of 2.5 mg/kg zidovudine with a radiolabeled tracer amount of [5-3H]-zidovudine. In addition to unchanged drug and its 5'-O-glucuronide (zidovudine glucuronide), two novel catabolites of zidovudine were detected as 3'-amino-3'-deoxythymidine (AMT), and its 5'-O-glucuronide (GAMT). The AMT apparent plasma elimination half-life (2.70 +/- 0.7 hours) was longer than that of zidovudine (1.20 +/- 0.30 hours) and zidovudine glucuronide (1.60 +/- 0.5 hours). The zidovudine/AMT plasma peak concentration and area under the concentration-time curve ratios were approximately 8 and 5, respectively. Urinary recovery of radioactivity was essentially complete within 24 hours. AMT glucuronide was not detected in urine or plasma, and only low levels of this catabolite were detected in bile. In contrast, AMT was not detected in bile. The substantial levels of AMT in the plasma of patients after zidovudine administration suggests that this catabolite may affect the pharmacodynamic properties of zidovudine in relation to its activity against human immunodeficiency virus replication and cytotoxicity to host cells.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemic meningitis as a cause of the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone.

A patient with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is described who presented with fever, headache, and hyponatremia. Subsequent evaluation established the diagnoses of CLL meningitis and the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). Both findings resolved following therapy with intrathecal methotrexate. A brief citation of the literature of CLL meningitis is presented.