Phase II evaluation of interleukin-4 in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a Southwest Oncology Group trial.

We performed a phase II, Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) clinical trial of recombinant human interleukin-4 (rhuIL-4) in patients with previously treated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). We studied 18 eligible patients with low-grade and 21 patients with intermediate- or high-grade NHL. All patients had received prior chemotherapy. A protocol amendment after the first four patients reduced the frequency of s.c. rhuIL-4 administration from daily to 3 times per week at 3 microg/kg and limited the number of prior chemotherapy regimens allowed. We documented no complete or partial responses in the low-grade NHL group [0%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0-19%]. One patient in the intermediate/high-grade NHL group developed a partial response lasting longer than 15 months (5%; 95% CI 0-24%). Median survivals for the low- and intermediate/high-grade NHL groups were 15 and 13 months, respectively. Common toxicities included: arhralgia/myalgia, fatigue/malaise/lethargy, fever, headache, nausea and rigors/chills. Cardiac toxicity, gastrointestinal ulceration and nasal congestion due to rhuIL-4 were not prominent toxicities in our patients. Our previously treated NHL patients tolerated s.c. rhuIL-4 at a dose of 3 microg/kg given 3 times per week, but objective response rarely occurred. Further evaluation of rhuIL-4 in these patient populations does not appear warranted.

Phase II trial of 5-fluorouracil, folinic acid and recombinant alpha-2a-interferon in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

A clinical trial regimen modulating 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) with both folinic acid (FA) and recombinant alpha-2a-interferon (ralpha-2a-IFN) was noted to have a response rate of 54% and median survival of 16.3 months (Grem et al., J Clin Oncol 1993, 11: 1737-45). Reported herein is a phase II trial performed to further examine this regimen in metastatic colorectal cancer. Fifty-one patients with histologically proven, measurable advanced colorectal cancer with no prior therapy for metastatic disease were enrolled. ralpha-2a-IFN, 5 MIU/m2/day was given s.c. on days 1-7. FA, 500 mg/m2/day, and 5-FU, 370 mg/m2/day, were given i.v. on days 2-6. Cycles were repeated at 3 week intervals. Three complete and 12 partial responses were observed for an overall response rate of 29% (95% confidence interval: 18-45%). The median time to treatment failure and median survival were 4.6 and 15.5 months, respectively. Dose-limiting toxicities encountered were gastrointestinal, and included diarrhea, stomatitis, nausea and vomiting. These results do not support the concept of using concurrent ralpha-2a-IFN and FA as biochemical modulators of 5-FU. We observed increased toxicity and similar efficacy compared to using either modulator separately with 5-FU.

Interferon versus interferon plus prednisone remission maintenance therapy for multiple myeloma: a Southwest Oncology Group Study.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the vincristine, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone (VAD) regimen alone or with chemosensitizers for remission induction and interferon (IFN) versus IFN plus prednisone (IFN/P) for remission maintenance in previously untreated multiple myeloma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two hundred thirty-three patients were registered for remission-induction therapy with VAD or VAD plus the chemosensitizers verapamil and quinine. Patients who achieved remission were randomized to maintenance therapy with IFNalpha 3 MU in the evening three times weekly or IFN plus 50 mg of prednisone (IFN/P) on the morning after IFN until relapse. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-nine patients were eligible for induction. Fatal toxicities in nine patients who received VAD plus verapamil and quinine led to closure of this arm after 47 registrations. Subsequently, all patients received VAD induction. Despite the high early mortality rate on VAD plus sensitizers, overall survival by induction arm did not differ for median or 5-year survival with approximately 40% of patients surviving 5 years. Eighty-nine eligible patients who achieved remission were randomized to maintenance. Patients who received IFN/P had improved progression-free survival (median, 19 v9 months for IFN; P = .008). After 48 months, progression-free survival on IFN/P was at the thirtieth percentile, whereas it was below the tenth percentile on IFN alone. Median survival from start of maintenance was long on both arms (57 months for IFN/P v 46 months for IFN; P = .36). CONCLUSION: IFN/Pwas more effective than IFN alone. Improved relapse-free survival may be attributable to IFN/P or to the use of prednisone for maintenance. This latter alternative is currently being studied.

A phase II trial of piroxantrone in endometrial cancer: Southwest Oncology Group study 8918.

A phase II trial of the new anthrapyrazole piroxantrone was carried out by the Southwest Oncology Group in patients with advanced metastatic or recurrent endometrial cancer. A two-stage statistical design targeted accrual of 20 eligible patients. The starting dose of piroxantrone was 150 mg/m2 in patients without prior radiation therapy (RT) and 120 mg/m2 in patients with prior RT. There were 15 eligible patients, six of whom had received prior hormonal therapy while nine patients had not received prior hormonal therapy. Eight patients had received prior RT while seven patients had not received any prior RT. One to seven cycles of piroxantrone were administered. Dose escalation was feasible in four patients. No grade 5 toxicity was experienced by any patients. Most of the grade 4 (granulocytopenia in one) and grade 3 (leukopenia in three, granulocytopenia in three, anemia in two and thrombocytopenia in one) toxicity was related to myelosuppression. Grade 3 non-hematologic toxicities were nausea, fatigue and SGOT elevation. There was one partial response for a response rate of 7% (95% CI 0.2-32%) and median survival was 11 months (95% CI 3-13 months). The study was prematurely terminated due to lack of patient accrual.

Evaluation of cisplatin intensity in metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer: a phase III study of the Southwest Oncology Group.

PURPOSE: To test the concept that cisplatin dose-intensity is important in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) performed a randomized trial comparing standard-dose cisplatin (SDCP) 50 mg/m2 days 1 and 8 on a 28-day cycle for eight cycles, high-dose cisplatin (HDCP) 100 mg/m2 days 1 and 8 for four cycles, and high-dose cisplatin plus mitomycin (HDCP-M) 8 mg/m2 day 1. To isolate the effects of dose-intensity versus total dose, the planned cumulative cisplatin dose was 800 mg/m2 in each arm. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between July 1988 and April 1990, 356 patients were enrolled and 323 were eligible and assessable. All patients had metastatic, measurable disease, were chemotherapy-naive, and had a performance status (PS) of 0 to 2. RESULTS: Confirmed complete plus partial response rates were SDCP, 12%; HDCP, 14%; and HDCP-M, 27% (P < .05). Complete responses were uncommon (HDCP, 3%; HDCP-M, 4%) and were observed only in the high-dose arms. Progressive disease occurred more frequently in the SDCP arm (57%) compared with HDCP (38%) or HDCP-M (34%) (P < .05). However, there were no significant differences in median survival times (SDCP, 6.9 months; HDCP, 5.3 months; HDCP-M, 7.2 months; P = .53). The mean delivered dose-intensity for cisplatin was significantly greater in the high-dose arms: HDCP 41 mg/m2/wk and HDCP-M 39 mg/m2/wk, versus SDCP 23 mg/m2/wk (P = .05). The high-dose arms resulted in an increased incidence of ototoxicity, emesis, and myelosuppression, but similar degrees of renal toxicity and neuropathy compared with SDCP. CONCLUSION: This study does not confirm evidence of a steep clinical dose-response curve for cisplatin in NSCLC at the cisplatin dose-intensities achieved. The addition of mitomycin increases the response rate, but does not improve survival. Continued evaluation of new agents in this disease is warranted.

A phase II evaluation of cisplatin in unresectable diffuse malignant mesothelioma: a Southwest Oncology Group Study.

Cisplatin was given intravenously to 35 evaluable patients with unresectable malignant mesothelioma on Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) Study 8418. Five patients (14.3%) achieved partial response with median response duration of six months (range 2-12 months); eleven patients (31.4%) had stable disease of median duration of 5.5. months (range 2-21 months). Median survival for all patients was 7.5 months, 9 months for responders. Toxicity was as expected except that 12 patients (34.2%) discontinued cisplatin because of side effects. Cisplatin has moderate activity in mesothelioma and further studies with platinum analogues should be pursued.

A comparative trial of mitoxantrone and doxorubicin in patients with minimally pretreated breast cancer.

A randomized trial began in 1980 comparing the efficacy and toxicity of mitoxantrone and doxorubicin. Patients with metastatic breast cancer unresponsive to cyclophosphamide-methotrexate-5-fluorouracil with or without tamoxifen were randomized to either mitoxantrone, 12 mg/m2, or doxorubicin, 60 mg/m2, every 3 weeks. Patients were crossed over to the alternative treatment if they progressed after two courses or fail to respond after four courses. Fifty-nine patients have been randomized at the present time, and most of these have a performance status near to normal. During initial therapy, partial responses were obtained in 10 of 25 patients receiving doxorubicin, and a further 12 showed stable disease; 3 showed progressive disease. Of the 26 patients who received mitoxantrone as initial therapy, 7 achieved a partial response, 14 had stable disease, and 5 progressive disease. Twenty-seven patients received doxorubicin or mitoxantrone as secondary therapy; two patients each responded to these drugs, suggesting a lack of cross-resistance. The median time to response was 48 days for doxorubicin and 57 days for mitoxantrone. The duration of partial responses measured from the onset of response was similar for both drugs, being 84 days for doxorubicin and 96 days for mitoxantrone. Hematologic toxicity, vomiting, alopecia, and fatigue tended to be less frequent and less severe with mitoxantrone than with doxorubicin. Mitoxantrone appears to be an effective and well-tolerated agent for breast cancer. Definitive comparisons will be available at the completion of this study.

Characterization of multiple immune defects in human malignant lymphoma.

Sixty-three patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) were studied to analyze the mechanisms responsible for impaired in vitro lymphocyte reactivities to the mitogen concanavalin A. Lymphocytes from 43 of the 52 untreated patients acquired enhanced in vitro responsiveness after preculturing in media alone for 3 days. However, 38 of the untreated patients failed to achieve entirely normal lymphocyte responses after preculturing . Suppressor cells were detected in 25 patients, but the intensity of suppression was much less than expected when compared with the severity of in vitro impairments. Suppressor activity did correlate with certain clinical characteristics in NHL, whereas no correlation was observed for HD. In contrast to the untreated patients, successfully treated patients demonstrated either normal responses or profound, irreversible impairments. The data indicate that several mechanisms which usually coexist can contribute to the impaired in vitro lymphocyte responses in untreated HD and NHL, and that a single, irreversible type of mechanism explains the impaired reactivities in successfully treated patients.

Successful treatment of skeletal hemangioma and Kasabach-Merritt syndrome with aminocaproic acid. Is fibrinolysis "defensive"?

A young man presented with a disabling skeletal hemangioma. Fibrinolysis seemed to be a major component of coagulopathy and persisted after steroid therapy and irradiation of the lesions. Three weeks after therapy with epsilon-aminocaproic acid, there was dramatic alleviation of pain and eventual disappearance of laboratory evidence of fibrinolysis. Epsilon-aminocaproic acid therapy was discontinued. The patient remained free from symptoms and coagulopathy. There was evidence of new bone formation nine months later. Fibrinolysis may be a primary or sustaining feature of hemangioma. Epsilon-aminocaproic acid may be beneficial in the treatment of selected patients with these lesions.