Broad phase II study of vindesine

A broad phase II study of vindesine was conducted in 79 adults with advanced malignancies. Most patients had solid tumors, particularly adenocarcinomas (59%), and 67 patients had received prior chemotherapy which included vincristine in 24 patients and vinblastine in one. Depending on tolerance to previous therapy, patients received vindesine at doses of 3-4 mg/m2 administered iv at 2-week intervals. Objective tumor regressions were seen in eight of 36 patients (one complete response, one partial response [PR], and six minor responses) with colorectal cancer, one of four patients (PR) with squamous cell cancer of the esophagus, one of four patients (PR) with malignant melanoma, and one of two patients (PR) with lymphoma. Five of 11 responding patients had received vincristine previously. Toxic effects were manageable. The results of this study justify in-depth, disease-oriented phase II evaluations of vindesine, regardless of prior therapy with other vinca alkaloids.