[Phase II clinical trial on mitoxantrone]

Mitoxantrone prepared by Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry is reported. 154 patients with various advanced cancers confirmed by pathology were treated by mitoxantrone with a dose of 14 mg/M2, i. v., once every 3 or 4 weeks from Feb. 1985 to Feb. 1987. There were 96 males and 58 females. The ages ranged from 16 to 76 years with an mean age of 48 +/- 15. Objective response rates were 21% in breast cancer, 36% in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 56% in acute lymphocytic leukemia, 14% in acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, 31% in gastric cancer and 5% in primary hepatic cancer. The side effects were leukopenia and gastro-intestinal disturbances. No marked cardiac toxicity was observed.