Combination VM-26 and adriamycin for metastatic transitional cell carcinoma
Rodriguez, L.H.; Johnson, D.E.; Holoye, P.Y.; Samuels, M.L.
Cancer Treatment Reports 61(1): 87-88
1977
ISSN/ISBN: 0361-5960 PMID: 324624 Document Number: 115454
The reported use of chemotherapy in patients with metastatic bladder carcinoma was limited and demonstrated the relative refractiveness of this tumor to a variety of drug programs. The finding of only 5 responses (none complete) in 27 patients with metastatic transitional cell carcinoma treated with VM-26 [4'-demethylepipodophyllotoxin-9-(416-O-2-thenylidene-.beta.-D-glucopyranoside)] and adriamycin is not significantly different from the results reported with VM-26 when used alone, and it is considerably less than the 36% reported response rate for adriamycin given alone. Confirmation of these reports awaits the result of a randomized study now being conducted under the egis of the National Bladder Cancer Project. This investigation suggests that if VM-26 is to be used as a synchronizing agent followed by other drugs acting in different phases of the cell cycle, its dosage may need to be increased. The current program was well tolerated although 1/3 of the patients received prior extensive pelvic irradiation (> 4000 rads, tumor dose) and > 40% underwent supravesical urinary diversion.