Phase II study of amsacrine (m-AMSA) in advanced lymphomas: a Southwest Oncology Group study.

Amsacrine was administered to 73 evaluable patients with previously treated malignant lymphoma in the Southwest Oncology Group. The drug was administered iv every 3 weeks at a dose of either 90 mg/m2 to poor-risk patients (38 patients) or 120 mg/m2 to good-risk patients (35 patients) in 500 ml of 5% dextrose in water over 1 hour. The overall complete plus partial response rate is 16% (12 responses among 73 evaluable patients), with a response duration of 1-33 months. The dose-limiting toxic effect was myelosuppression, with leukopenia in 29 patients and thrombocytopenia in 18 patients. Our experience in the Southwest Oncology Group demonstrates the activity of amsacrine in malignant lymphoma.