Clinical Experience with Vincaleukoblastine in Far-advanced Hodgkin's Disease and Various Malignant States

Abstract

The effect of a new oncolytic agent, vincaleukoblastine, in 33 patients has been reported. Beneficial results were obtained in 8 of 22 patients with Hodgkin''s disease who had become resistant to all forms of conventional therapy. Side effects included marked leukopenia, ileus, alopecia, neuropathy, and anxiety, as well as a drop in hemoglobin and platelets when the leukocyte count fell to below 1000/mm3. The effect of therapy on the white blood cell count in any individual patient could not be predicted. Marked leukopenia and sepsis occurred in 7 patients. Three patients with Hodgkin''s disease recovered and obtained a good remission. Use of the drug in patients with reticulum cell sarcoma (3), acute myelogenous leukemia (2), chronic myelogenous leukemia (1), embryonal testicular tumor (1), carcinoma of the breast, (2), carcinoma of the pancreas (1), and rhabdomyosarcoma of the thigh (1), gave no lasting or significant effect except for diminution in lymph node size in 2 of 3 cases of reticulum cell sarcoma. The usefulness of this drug in Hodgkin''s disease is not to be denied. Good responses were obtained, except for one case, in patients who had become refractory to all the usual modes of therapy. The marked variability of response to the drug as expressed by the leukocyte count, and the dangers accompanying severe leukopenia make individualization of dosage and careful control imperative.