Comparison of chlorambucil and streptonigrin (NSC‐45383) in the treatment of malignant lymphomas

Abstract

Forty‐three patients with progressive, disseminated Hodgkin's disease and 68 patients with other lymphomas were treated with chlorambucil 0.2 mg/kg/day orally or streptonigrin 0.004 mg/kg/day orally for a minimum of 6 weeks in a double‐blind study. In the Hodgkin's group, 12 of the 23 (52%) patients receiving chlorambucil and 6 of the 20 (32%) patients receiving streptonigrin showed objective responses. In the lymphosarcoma group, which included giant follicular lymphoma, reticulum cell sarcoma, and mycosis fungoides, 12 of the 35 (34%) treated with chlorambucil and 11 of the 33 (34%) treated with streptonigrin, showed objective responses. Chlorambucil and streptonigrin seem to be equally effective in the treatment of Hodgkin's disease and other lymphomas. The most common forms of drug toxicity consisted of bone marrow depression and gastrointestinal symptoms. Leucopenia occurred in two‐thirds of patients treated with either drug. The incidence of gastrointestinal toxicity and thrombocytopenia was significantly higher in patients treated with streptonigrin. Copyright © 1969 American Cancer Society