Phase II study of dibromodulcitol in colorectal, kidney, and other carcinomas

In a phase II study dibromodulcitol (DBD), an alpha-omega dibrominated hexitol, was used to treat 99 previously treated patients with colon, rectal, kidney, and other tumors. Six patients were ineligible and 10 patients were nonevaluable for response. Aside from thrombocytopenia toxicity was moderate. Twenty-three patients had platelet nadirs of less than 50,000/mm3 and there were three thrombocytopenic-associated drug deaths. One of 21 rectal and 1 of 13 kidney cancer patients entered a remission. All but seven patients had received previous treatment with one or more cytotoxic agents. Previously treated patients with colorectal and kidney cancer appear to be resistant to DBD.