Phase II trial of cytembena in patients with advanced ovarian and breast cancer

Thirty women with histologically proven advanced ovarian or breast cancer were treated with cytembena. Of nine patients with ovarian cancer and 21 with breast cancer none had worthwhile objective remissions. Cytembena was given at a dose of 250 mg/m2/day for a course of 5 days repeated at weekly intervals. Improvement, particularly relief of pain from skeletal metastases, was observed in 16 of the patients; an additional seven patients had stable disease while treated with cytembena. Cytembena has no hemopoietic toxicity, but nausea and vomiting and an "autonomic storm" phenomenon are dose-limiting factors. Further studies incorporating this drug in combination regimens seem warranted.