Two cases of acute lymphatic leukemia treated with VM 26 underwent a severe cardiovascular syndrome with hypertension and cardiac failure. The first patient, a 9-year-old boy, after the appearance of hypertension suffered from serious cerebral hemorrhages which were lethal. The second patient, a 12-year-old boy, also developed hypertension with retinal hemorrhages and cardiac failure. Hypertension was, however, controlled, the patient recovered, and at present he is in remission. Although cardiovascular toxic effects are not frequent after administration of VM 26, they should be known to the medical oncologist so that treatment of this side effect may be introduced at the first appearance of the symptoms.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AllenL.M.CreavenP.J.: Comparison of the human pharmacokinetics of VM 26 and VP 16, two antineoplastic epipodophyllotoxin glucopyranoside derivatives.Eur. J. Cancer, 11: 697–707, 1975.
2.
AveryT.De WaineR.PriceR.A.: Delayed toxicity of 4-demethylepipodophyllotoxin 9-(4,6-0-2-thenlidene beta-D-glucopyranoside (NSC 122819; VM-26) in mice.Cancer Chemother. Rep., 57: 165–173, 1973.
3.
BleyerW.A.KrivitW.ChardR.L.Jr., HammondD.: Phase II study of VM-26 in acute leukemia, neuroblastoma and other refractory childhood malignancies: a report from the Children's Cancer Study.Cancer Treat. Rep., 63: 977–981, 1979.
4.
ChiutenD.F.BennetJ.M.CreechR.H.GlickJ.FalksonG.BrodowskyH.S.BeggC.B.MuggiaF.M.CargoneP.P.: VM-26 a new anticancer drug with effectiveness in malignant lymphoma: an Eastern cooperative oncology group study (EST 1474).Cancer Treat. Rep., 63: 7–11, 1979.
5.
EORTC:Clinical screening of epipodophyllotoxin VM 26 in malignant lymphomas and solid tumors.Br. Med. J., 2: 744, 1972.
6.
EORTC:Epidophyllotoxin VP 16 213 in treatment of acute leukemias, haematosarcomas and solid tumors.Br. Med. J.: 3: 199–202, 1973.
7.
DombernoaskyP.NissenN.I.LarsenV.: Clinical investigation of a new podophyllum derivative, epipodophyllotoxin 4'-demethyl-9-(4,6-0-2-thenylidene-beta-D-glucopyranoside (NSC 122819), in patients with malignant lymphomas and solid tumors.Cancer Chemother. Rep., 56: 71–82, 1972.
8.
GoldhirschA.PirovinoM.SonntagR.W.TschoppL.RisselH.J.BrunnerK.W.: VM-26, adriamycin, bleomycin and prednisone at a secondary treatment of malignant lymphoma.Cancer Treat. Rep., 64: 335–337, 1980.
9.
MathéG.SchwarzenbergL.PouillartP.WeinerR.OldhamR.JasminG.RosenfeldC.HayatM.SchneiderM.AmielJ.L.CeoaraB.Steresco-MussetF.: Essai de traitement de divers hematosarcomes par le 4'-demethyl-epipodophyllotoxin beta-D-thenylidene glucoside (VM 26 or EPT).Nouv. Presse Med., 3: 447–451, 1974.
10.
MuggiaF.M.SelawryO.S.HansenH.H.: Clinical studies with a new podophyllotoxin derivative, epipodophyllotoxin-4-demethyl-9-(4,6-0-2-thenylidene beta-D-glucopyranoside (NSC 122819).Cancer Chemother. Rep., 55: 575–581, 1971.
11.
NissenN.I.PajakT.F.LeoneL.A.KennedyB.J.EllisonR.R.SilverR.T.WeissR.B.CuttnerJ.FalksonG.KungF.BergevinP.R.HollandG.F.: Clinical trials of VP 16–213 (NSC 141540) i.V. twice weekly in advanced neoplastic disease.Cancer, 45: 232–235, 1980.
12.
RadiceP.A.BunnP.A.Jr., IhdeD.C.: Commentary. Therapeutic trials with VP 16–213 and VM-26: active agents in small cell lung cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and other malignancies.Cancer Treat. Rep., 63: 1231–1239, 1979.
13.
RausaL.GebbiaN.: Pharmacological studies on VM 26. New drugs for cancer therapy in the eighties.International Symposium, April 10–11, 1981, Roma.
14.
RiveraG.AveryT.PrattC.: 4'-demethylepipodophyllotoxin-9-(4,6-0-2-thenylidene beta-D-glucopyranoxide (NSC 122819: VM 26) and 4'-demethylepipodophyllotoxin 9-4,6-0 ethylidene-beta-B-glucopyranoside (NSC 141540): VP 16–213) in childhood cancer.Preliminary observations. Cancer Chemother. Rep., 59: 743–749, 1975.
15.
RiveraG.AveryT.De WaineR.: Response of L 1210 to combinations of cytosine arabinoside and VM-26 or VP 16–213.Eur. J. Cancer, 11: 639–647, 1975.
16.
RiveraG.RhomesJ.A.DahlG.V.PrattC.B.WoodA.AveryT.L.: Combined VM-26 and cytosine arabinoside in treatment of refractory childhood lymphocytic leukemia.Cancer, 45: 1284–1288, 1980.
17.
RosenstockJ.C.DonaldsonM.H.: Phase I-II trial of VM-26 (NSC-122819) in the treatment of children with late-stage leukemia.Cancer Treat. Rep., 60: 265–267, 1976.
18.
RovencweigM.Von HoffD.D.HenneyJ.E.MuggiaF.M.: VW26 and VP 16–213: a comparative analysis.Cancer, 40: 334–342, 1977.
19.
SchechterJ.P.JonesS.E.JacksonR.A.: Myocardial infarction in a 27-year-old woman. Possible complication of treatment with VP-16–213 (NSC 141540), mediastinal irradiation, or both.Cancer Chemother. Rep., 59: 887–888, 1975.
20.
SonntagR.W.SennH.J.NagelG.GigerK.AlbertoP.: Experience with 4'-demethylepipodophyllotoxin 9-(4,6-0-2-thenylidene-beta-D-glucopyramidose) VM26; NSC 122819 in the treatment of malignant lymphosis.Eur. J. Cancer, 10: 93–98, 1974.
21.
SpremulliE.SchulzJ.J.SpeckhartV.J.WamplerG.L.: Phase II study of VM-26 in adult malignancies.Cancer Treat. Rep., 64: 147–149, 1980.
