A phase II trial of pyrazoloacridine (PZA) in squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix: a Gynecologic Oncology Group study.

Purpose: The Gynecologic Oncology Group performed a phase II study to determine the response rate to pyrazoloacridine (PZA) in patients with advanced, persistent or recurrent squamous carcinoma of the cervix.

Methods: PZA was administered intravenously over 3 h every 3 weeks. A dose of 760 mg/m(2) was given to the first 11 patients and was reduced to 560 mg/m(2) for subsequent patients. The dose reduction was undertaken because of unexpected severe neutropenia among the initial patients.

Results: Among 24 evaluable patients, 21 of whom had prior chemotherapy, there was one, brief, complete response (4.2%) and no partial responses. The major toxicity was neutropenia.

Conclusion: PZA at the dose and schedule employed, has insignificant activity in this population.