Vindesine: a new vinca alkaloid.

Vindesine (VDS) is an analogue of the vinca alkaloids. Its spectrum of antitumoral activity is similar to that of vincristine (VCR), but with milder experimental neurotoxicity, and it inhibits the polymerization of tubulin. Its terminal half-life is 24 h and its plasma clearance is intermediate between those of vinblastine (VLB) and VCR. The maximal tolerated dose is 4-5 mg/m2/week, the dose-limiting toxicity being myelosuppression (nadir by days 7-8 and recovery by days 11-13). It has already been demonstrated as efficient in childhood acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, blastic crisis of chronic myeloid leukemia, and esophageal carcinoma. It has also shown activity in Hodgkin's disease, breast and germ cell carcinomas, and melanoma. Intolerance is mainly neurologic, with paresthesias, without motor impairment, or hematologic, with leukopenia, and sometimes alopecia, asthenia, and muscle pains. The results are better if the patients have not been treated previously; continuous infusion could be of interest and there appears to be no cross-resistance with its parent VCR, as documented in ALL.