Streptozotocin in the treatment of cancer: Phase II study

Abstract

Streptozotocin (NSC‐85998) was administered to 53 patients at a dose of 1 to 2 g/m2 weekly. Response to therapy could be evaluated in 39 patients. Responses exceeding 50% in magnitude of tumor reduction were noted in three patients; responses of 25–50% were noted in an additional four patients. Responses were noted in two of four patients with islet cell carcinoma, one of four patients with malignant carcinoid, one of two patients with carcinoma of the lung, one of two patients with squamous carcinoma of the oral cavity, one patient with synovial sarcoma, and one patient with adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder. Renal toxicity was manifested by azotemia in 21 patients and by proteinuria in 28 patients. Elevation of serum glucose occurred in seven patients, but clinical diabetes did not develop. Nausea and vomiting occurred in 40 patients. Hematologic toxicity was noted in four patients.

Streptozocin for treatment of pancreatic islet cell tumors in dogs: 17 cases (1989–1999)

“…1,3,5 Streptozocin (streptozotocin) is a nitrosourea alkylating agent that is directly cytotoxic to pancreatic beta cells and has been used to treat humans with unresectable or metastatic islet cell tumors, including insulinomas. [6][7][8] Other diseases in human patients that have responded to streptozocin treatment include carcinoid, Hodgkin' s disease, lymphocytic lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and synovial cell sarco-ma. [6][7][8] The major toxicosis associated with streptozocin treatment in humans is proximal renal tubular necrosis, which is dose related and cumulative.…”

Salvage Treatment After rInterferon α-2a in Advanced Neuroendocrine Tumors

“…The result of chemotherapy is sometimes only a reduction of tumor markers without any objective tumor regression. Some rather favorable results have, however, appeared in the literature: some authors have thus found anti-tumor activity of STZ in metastatic carcinoid tumors (6,23,24) while Schein et al (8) found response only in islet cell carcinomas. Doxorubicin has demonstrated activity in carcinoid patients without heart disease, and also in patients failing to respond to STZ, while cisplatin alone appears to be inactive in such patients (25).…”

Combination chemotherapy with adriamycin and streptozotocin; I. Clinical results in patients with advanced sarcoma

“…The Adriamycin and streptozotocin in sarcoma 609 significantly higher incidence of leukopenia and especially of thrombocytopenia when the two drugs were combined was unexpected. The significantly more frequent mucositis after the combination was disproportionate in view of the 10% incidence with adriamycin used in this schedule 1 and the single case 12 reported in 290 patients treated with streptozotocin alone.4, 6,8,[10][11][12] These differences may suggest that the therapeutic effects and toxicity of the combination of these drugs are mediated by differing mechanisms. Pharmacokinetic studies in patients on both treatment arms in an attempt to elucidate these differences are reported elsewhere.…”