A study of 9-nitrocamptothecin (RFS-2000) in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Abstract

This ongoing study evaluates the efficacy of oral 9-nitrocamptothecin (9NC), or RFS-2000, in the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer. Patients received 9NC orally for 5 days/week; 8 weeks of therapy is required to achieve minimum effective dose. Starting dose was 1.5 mg/m2/day, with adjustments made as necessary. Patients were analyzed for changes in tumor size by CT scan, changes in serum CA 19-9 tumor marker levels, quality of life, and survival. 107 consecutive patients with advanced adenocarcinoma of the pancreas were enrolled before November 3, 1997. Of this group, 47 patients did not receive the minimum 2 courses of treatment necessary to induce response, leaving 60 evaluable patients. Primary dose-limiting toxicities were myelosuppression and interstitial cystitis. No deaths were attributed to 9NC. Median survival was 6.5 months for the 107 total patients and 8.7 months for the 60 evaluable patients, with one patient surviving at 44+ months. Of the 60 evaluable patients, 31.7% were responders (median survival 18.6 months; range 6.5-44.7+ months), 31.7% were stable (median survival 9.7 months), and 36.6% were non-responders (median survival 6.8 months). Fifty-seven previously untreated patients had a median survival of 7.3 months compared to 4.7 months for the 50 previously treated patients. Thirty-three patients who failed gemcitabine therapy prior to 9NC treatment had a median survival of 4.7 months. 9NC is safe and efficacious as first-line therapy for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer. It also shows some modest success as second-line therapy in treating gemcitabine failures.

• Authors: J S Stehlin, B C Giovanella, E A Natelson, P D De Ipolyi, D Coil, B Davis, D Wolk, P Wallace, A Trojacek
• Journal: International journal of oncology (Int J Oncol) Vol. 14 Issue 5 Pg. 821-31 (May 1999) ISSN: 1019-6439 [Print] Greece
• PMID: 10200331 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Clinical Trial, Phase I, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
• Antineoplastic Agents
• Biomarkers, Tumor
• CA-19-9 Antigen
• Deoxycytidine
• rubitecan
• Camptothecin
• Gemcitabine

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic (therapeutic use)
• Antineoplastic Agents (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Biomarkers, Tumor (metabolism)
• CA-19-9 Antigen (metabolism)
• Camptothecin (adverse effects, analogs & derivatives, therapeutic use)
• Deoxycytidine (analogs & derivatives, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Staging
• Outcome Assessment, Health Care
• Pancreatic Neoplasms (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy, mortality)
• Patient Selection
• Quality of Life
• Survival Analysis
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• Gemcitabine