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Oral vinblastine sulfate in Hodgkin's disease
Author(s) -
MacDonald Carlton A.,
Lacher Mortimer J.
Publication year - 1966
Publication title -
clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.941
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1532-6535
pISSN - 0009-9236
DOI - 10.1002/cpt196674534
Subject(s) - medicine , vinblastine , leukopenia , vomiting , rash , nausea , gastroenterology , oral administration , chemotherapy
Fourteen patients with Hodgkin's disease were treated with a new oral preparation of vinblastine sulfate (VLB). All had previously experienced a remission with intravenous vinblastine prior to the oral VLB administration. Eight patients were considered to have exhibited a beneficial response to oral VLB with continued stabilization of their disease. Two patients did not have an adequate drug trial. The average duration of oral VLB treatment in those who responded was 10.4 months. Until oral VLB dose schedules are better understood we recommend that it be administered to patients who have already responded favorably to intravenous VLB. The recommended starting dose of oral VLB is 8 times the weekly intravenous dose of VLB. If possible, the total dose is divided into 2 to 3 consecutive daily doses each week. A treatment‐free interval of at least 2 days a week was maintained in all cases. Toxicity observed included nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, leukopenia, paresthesias, skin rash, and aggravation of a peptic ulcer with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Because maintenance therapy with vinblastine is necessary to sustain a remission in most patients with Hodgkin's disease, oral VLB will probably prove to be useful.