Vindesine in the treatment of small cell anaplastic bronchogenic carcinoma

The antineoplastic activity of vindesine was evaluated in a phase II trial in patients with small cell anaplastic bronchogenic carcinoma. All patients had been treated previously with vincristine, CCNU, cyclophosphamide, VP-16-213, methotrexate, and doxorubicin. In some of the patients, the primary tumor had also been irradiated, and some patients had received 5-FU or procarbazine. The dose of vindesine was 4 mg/m2/week iv, modified according to hematologic and neurologic side effects. Twenty-six of 32 patients included in the trial were evaluable. Objective response was observed in seven patients (27%). The median duration of response was 35 days (range, 28-90), the response occurring within 14 days after initiation of treatment. Dose modification of vindestine was necessary in 80% of the patients because of hematologic toxicity, while neurotoxicity made dose reductions necessary in about one half of the patients. The study demonstrates that vindesine is active against small cell bronchogenic carcinoma, with apparent lack of clinical cross-resistance to vincristine in previously heavily treated patients.