tingling in the extremities, but these feelings are diminished by timing the infusions to be given in the afternoon and are relieved by discontinuing the drug. Its activity against colorectal cancer when combined with 5-fluorouracil is generating a lot of interest. Trials are awaited in the United States.
Oxanthrazole derivatives are drugs bearing some chemical resemblance to the standard agents doxorubicin and mitoxantrone . One of the three derivatives under study has shown considerable activity (60 percent) in breast cancer. This derivative has been selected for widespread study.
PALA is an antimetabolite that proved too toxic when given by itself, but has shown some promising activity at low doses when combined with 5-fluorouracil for treating colorectal cancer.
Suramin is an old drug used to treat the parasite responsible for sleeping sickness. Interest in it as an anticancer compound followed a description of how it interferes with growth pathways in tumor cells . Activity has been noted against prostate cancer. Additional studies have awaited details of its pharmacology in relation to toxicities and antitumor effects. Life-threatening side effects have occurred in many organ systems, but these should become uncommon with greater experience of its complex metabolism.
