Summary
In a phase II study, 32 patients with advanced pancreatic carcinoma were treated with intravenous 6-thioguanine. A 30-min infusion of 55 mg/m2 (starting dose) was administered once a day for 5 consecutive days, the course being repeated every 5 weeks. A median of two courses (range, 1–10) was administered. Among the 32 patients, 30 having measurable cancer and optimum follow-up were fully assessable for response. One patient achieved a partial response of extensive liver metastases (12 + months), and another patient had a transient minor response (5 weeks). Cancer in 27 of 30 assessable patients progressed during intravenous 6-thioguanine treatment. Myelosuppression, although frequent, was mild to moderate at these doses and did not result in significant morbidity. Nonhematologic toxicities were also mild. Our data suggest that intravenous 6-thioguanine given at this schedule is ineffective in previously untreated patients with advanced carcinoma of the pancreas.
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Address for offprints: J.A. Ajani, Department of Medical Oncology, Box 78, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030-4096, USA
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Ajani, J.A., Pazdur, R., Winn, R.J. et al. Phase II study of intravenous 6-thioguanine in patients with advanced carcinoma of the pancreas. Invest New Drugs 9, 369–371 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00183584
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00183584