Phase II evaluation of echinomycin (NSC-526417) in patients with central nervous system malignancies. A Southwest Oncology Group study.

The objective of this trial was to determine the efficacy of echinomycin (1.2 mg/m2) administered on a weekly times four schedule in the treatment of patients with recurrent or progressive central nervous malignancies despite adequate radiotherapy. Thirty-five patients were registered on study. The majority of patients (20) had glioblastoma multiforme. Ten had anaplastic astrocytoma. Eight patients had received prior nitrosoureas. SWOG performance status was 1 in 11 patients and 2 in 22. The median age was 51 years (25-75 years). One patient had a partial remission (3%:95% confidence interval: 1%-16%). Twenty two patients had progressive disease. The median survival was 5.9 months. Toxicity was primarily gastrointestinal with nausea and vomiting in 13 patients and nausea only in 11 patients. Hepatotoxicity occurred in 10 patients. Echinomycin given at this dose and schedule is not effective in treating patients with recurrent or progressive glioblastoma multiforme or anaplastic astrocytomas.