[Therapeutic effect of ranimustine(MCNU) on myeloproliferative disorder and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia].

ABSTRACT

Seventeen patients with myeloproliferative disorders and one patient with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMMoL) were treated with ranimustine++ (MCNU), and the efficacy was evaluated. MCNU was given intravenously by drip infusion at an usual dose of 100 approximately 150 mg with intervals arranged according to the counts of peripheral blood cells. A complete remission was achieved in all 10 patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in chronic phase. In three of patients with polycythemia vera (PV) the excellent effects were obtained, and the other 2 cases showed moderate effect. An excellent effect was obtained in both 2 patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET). A patient with CMMoL revealed partial remission. The overall efficacy rate was 100%. The cases with CML needed more long term and much more dose of the drug in order to get remission compared with PV and ET. After remission in both PV and ET, well controlled states were maintained for a relatively long period with no additional administration. In CMMoL, MCNU combined with 6-mercaptopurine also showed remarkable anti-tumor effects. It suggests that MCNU may be one of the useful drugs for the treatment of CMMoL. The side effects observed with MCNU were a slight degree of nausea and vomiting (28%), however they showed no trouble on carrying out the therapy.