Synergistic cytotoxicity of pyrazoloacridine with doxorubicin, etoposide, and topotecan in drug-resistant tumor cells.

Pyrazoloacridine (NSC 366140, PD115934, PZA) is a new class of acridine anticancer agents under investigation in Phase II clinical trials in patients with advanced cancers. Although poor responses in patients to the treatment with PZA alone have been observed, this class of agents remains of interest because of its distinct mechanism of action from other topoisomerase poisons. Therefore, the combination of PZA with conventional anticancer agents presents an attractive approach to treat drug-resistant human tumors.

Intratumoral cisplatin/epinephrine gel in advanced head and neck cancer: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, phase III study in North America.

Background: The objective was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel intratumoral cisplatin/epinephrine injectable gel (CDDP/epi gel) for local control and palliation of tumor-related symptoms in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Patients And Methods: Eighty-seven patients were randomly assigned to either CDDP/epi or placebo gel in this phase III, double-blind study. Tumors were < or =20 cm(3); most recurrences (88%) were in a previously irradiated field.

The role of intratumoral therapy with cisplatin/epinephrine injectable gel in the management of advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Objective: To determine the safety and efficacy of targeted antitumor therapy with cisplatin/epinephrine injectable gel in patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Design: Two prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III trials of identical design. Crossover from blinded to open-label phase was permitted for patients with disease progression.

Severe pulmonary toxicity in a patient treated with gemcitabine.

Gemcitabine is a pyrimidine analog of deoxycytidine with activity against nonhematologic and hematologic malignancies. Its pulmonary toxicity is usually mild and self-limiting. We describe a male patient with lung cancer in whom severe dyspnea and interstitial infiltrates developed after the administration of gemcitabine.