BACKGROUND Thalidomide is active in multiple myeloma and is associated with minimal myelosuppression, making it a good candidate for induction therapy prior to high-dose therapy with autologous stem-cell transplantation. DESIGN AND METHODS Oral cyclophosphamide, thalidomide, and dexamethasone was compared with infusional cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone in patient...

Vincristine and vinblastine exhibit differential activity against tumors and normal tissues. In this work, a number of cultured cell lines were assayed for their sensitivity to the antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects of the two drugs following short-term (4 hr) or during continuous exposures. Differential activity was not seen when cells were subjected to continuous exposures. The concentra...

Verapamil sensitizes multidrug-resistant cell lines to various heterocyclic anticancer drugs by inhibition of energy-dependent release of drug, presumably by interaction with membrane glycoproteins involved in drug efflux. This work assessed verapamil sensitization of human multidrug-resistant lymphocytic and myeloid leukemic cell lines (CEM/VLB100, HL-60/AR) to vincristine during exposures of ...

Introduction In developing countries, patients with a Wilms’ tumour often present late with a high degree of malnutrition and large tumours. We investigated whether this affects vincristine pharmacokinetics. Methods Patients newly diagnosed with Wilms’ tumour in Malawi and the UK were included. We documented anthropometric parameters, nutritional status and tumour size. Vincristine (1.50 mg/m2)...

Vincristine is a chemotherapeutic agent that is a component of many combination regimens for a variety of malignancies, including several common pediatric tumors. Vincristine treatment is limited by a progressive sensorimotor peripheral neuropathy. Vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy (VIPN) is particularly challenging to detect and monitor in pediatric patients, in whom the side effect ca...