Effects of sodium thiosulfate in combination therapy of cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum and vindesine

The effects of sodium thiosulfate (STS) were studied in patients who received a combination therapy of cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum (CDDP) and vindesine. In this study, 61 patients with non-small-cell lung carcinoma were randomized to receive either CDDP and vindesine (both given i.v.) with i.v. STS [30 patients, STS(+) group] or CDDP and vindesine without STS [31 patients, STS(-) group]. In the STS(+) group, 16 patients who showed an improvement (reduction in tumor size or relief of symptoms) after the first course received the second STS(+) treatment, and 15 patients in the STS(-) group who showed an improvement after the first course received the second STS(-) treatment. Urinary levels of beta 2-microglobulin (BMG) and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) were measured as an index of proximal tubular function. Analysis of both levels indicated that STS suppressed CDDP nephrotoxicity to a minimal level. Serum BMG, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and total as well as 24-h creatinine clearance levels were measured as an index of glomerular function. There were no significant differences in these levels between the STS(+) and STS(-) groups. The urinary recoveries of total platinum 24 h after CDDP administration were 29% and 21% in the STS(+) and STS(-) groups, respectively. The mean plasma concentrations of total platinum at 24 h after CDDP administration were 2.24 and 2.70 micrograms/ml in the STS(+) and STS(-) groups, respectively. There were no significant differences in the response rates of the STS(+) and STS(-) groups at a fixed dose of 100 mg/m2 CDDP. Therefore, the present study clearly demonstrates that systemic administration of STS reduces the side effects of CDDP to a minimal level without impairing its antitumor activity and that STS treatment is applicable in a repeated chemotherapy using CDDP alone or in combination with other antitumor agents.