Intracarotid infusion of PCNU (NSC: 95466): preclinical toxicological study in dogs.

The prognosis of patients with unresectable intracerebral primary and metastatic tumours that recur following cranial irradiation is poor. Chemotherapy agents have been of limited value. PCNU--a new nitrosourea, has been shown to have the optimum log P for treatment of murine intracerebral tumours. We conducted a preclinical toxicological study of intracarotid injection of PCNU in dogs. Our results show that there was no major neurological or retinal toxicity from the drug, suggesting that PCNU may be less toxic than the presently available BCNU.