A clinical review of bleomycin—a new antineoplastic agent

Bleomycin, a new antibiotic antineoplastic agent, has undergone extensive clinical trial. Data from 1,174 patients were reviewed and summarized by cell type. The most commonly used dose schedule was 15 mg/m² twice a week intravenously. Significant response rates were achieved in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of various anatomical sites, lymphomas, and testicular carcinoma. Most responses were of 1 to 2 months' duration. Drug toxicities included significant skin and pulmonary complications and some degree of drug‐induced pyrexia and nausea with vomiting. Rare insignificant bone marrow depression was encountered. The limitations of a retrospective clinical review of this type using uncontrolled pooled data from various patient populations were discussed. In conclusion, however, bleomycin appeared to be useful in the treatment of patients with specific tumors refractory to standard treatment and/or whose bone marrow status precluded the use of conventional chemotherapy. The final role of bleomycin in cancer chemotherapy awaits the results of controlled prospective clinical trials.