[Phase II study of vindesine in patients with carcinoma of the lung and metastatic pulmonary tumor].

A phase II study of Vindesine (VDS) was carried out in 20 patients with carcinoma of the lung (14 adenocarcinomas, 3 squamous cell carcinomas, 2 large cell carcinomas and 1 small cell carcinoma), and in 18 patients with metastatic pulmonary tumor (primary organ: 4 colons, 2 uteri, 2 lungs, one each tongue, pharynx, maxillary sinus, esophagus, mediastinum, bile duct, pancreas, kidney, rectum and sarcoma). VDS was given weekly by i. v. push at a dose of 3 mg/m2. Patients should be given at least three times of VDS for eligibility. Of 18 evaluable patients with carcinoma of the lung, 3 patients with adenocarcinoma showed a partial response. Response rates were 17% for patients with carcinoma of the lung, and 25% for 12 patients with adenocarcinoma. Two responders (uterine cervical carcinoma and mediastinal embryonal carcinoma) were observed in 14 evaluable patients with metastatic pulmonary tumor. In addition, one patient with metastatic maxillary sinus tumor showed a minor response. Major hematologic toxicities of VDS were leukopenia (less than 4000 cells/mm3--92%, less than 2000 cells/mm3--28%), anemia (less than 10.0 g/dl, 38%) and thrombocytopenia (less than 10 X 10(4) cells/mm3, 11%). Major non-hematologic toxicities were numbness (24%), constipation (11%), anorexia (21%), fever (16%) and liver dysfunction (21%). The dose limiting factor of VDS was leukopenia.