A randomized comparison of doxifluridine and fluorouracil in colorectal carcinoma.

In a randomized study 52 patients with advanced colorectal cancer and measurable lesions were treated with doxifluridine 4000 mg/m2 or fluorouracil 450 mg/m2 i.v. on 5 consecutive days over 3 weeks. None had prior fluoropyrimidines except two who received adjuvant fluorouracil. Partial responses with a duration ranging from 259 to 406 days were observed in five patients treated with doxifluridine and two patients treated with fluorouracil. Toxic reactions were evaluated in 88 doxifluridine courses and 105 fluorouracil courses. The most frequent adverse effects were neurotoxicity (48% of patients) and mucositis (43%) for doxifluridine, leukopenia (48%) and nausea/emesis (37%) for fluorouracil. Mucositis, diarrhea, nausea, emesis and skin reactions were observed in both treatment groups. Fluorouracil produced neurotoxic effects in 26% of patients. Reversible cardiac dysfunctions were observed in four patients treated with doxifluridine, expressed by ectopic ventricular beats (2) precordial pains (1) and ventricular fibrillation (1). This latter toxicity justified the premature interruption of the study. Doxifluridine is an active agent in colorectal cancer. Compared to fluorouracil it produces, when used i.v., a lower myelosuppression and a greater incidence of neurological and cardiac toxicity.

[Fluorouracil, mitomycin-C and adriamycin in the treatment of metastasizing gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas]. / Fluorouracil, Mitomycin-C und Adriamycin in der Behandlung metastasierender gastrointestinaler Adenokarzinome.

28 patients with advanced adenocarcinomas were treated with combinations of 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin-C (FM, 21 patients) or of 5-fluorouracil, adriamycin and mitomycin-C (FAM, 7 patients). 5 patients responded, 3 showing an objective response of more than 50% lasting 3-5 months. Toxicity was primarily hematologic, chiefly comprising severe thrombopenias. The results indicate that with these combinations a limited palliative effect can be achieved in only a few patients.

Behaviour of serum beta 2-microglobulin and acute phase reactant proteins in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. A multicentre study.

Changes in serum-beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-m) levels were measured in 52 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia during periods of observation of 5-43 months. While the majority of patients had elevated levels (> 3 mg/l), higher values tended to be associated with more advanced disease as assessed clinically. Patients with nonprogressive, predominantly Rai stage 0 and I disease had persistently normal or near normal beta 2-m levels, whereas patients with progressive, predominantly Rai stage II-IV disease, had higher levels often showing rapid changes. Sequential measurements of serum beta 2-m show patterns of change that reflect and may anticipate the clinical progression of the disease.

Serial measurement of beta2 microglobulin, acute phase reactant proteins and the ESR in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

Long-term observation of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas indicates they can be sub-divided into two groups with respect to changes in the plasma proteins. The first group has acute phase reactant proteins raised during active disease and sometimes a raised B2m, whilst in remission the protein profile is normal. The second group is typified by a chronic elevation of B2m and ESR but has normal C-RP levels. Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia usually has a raised B2 m level and normal acute phase proteins, a subset with low B2 m is described.