Epirubicin activity in pancreatic carcinoma and hepatoma

Data on the antitumour activity and toxicity of epirubicin in the treatment of 18 hepatoma carcinoma patients and 16 pancreatic carcinoma patients are presented. Two methods of administration were used: 6-hour infusion subsequently changed to bolus administration. Median total dosage with the pancreatic carcinoma patient was 165 mg/m²; for the hepatoma carcinoma patients, some managed to accept 110 mg/m² and some 135 mg/m². Gastro-intestinal toxicity in both hepatoma and pancreatic patients was relatively mild. Only one patient suffered significant mucositis; mild to moderate alopecia occurred in a significant number of patients. There were four cases of infection, one serious; there were cases of cardiac toxicity. The limiting toxicity was myelosuppression. In the 18 previously untreated patients with hepatoma carcinoma, three (17%) showed some response to epirubicin. Four patients with stable disease showed a median overall survival of only 12 weeks. In the 16 pancreatic carcinoma patients, nine of whom had been treated previously, two (19%) showed some response to epirubicin. Three objective responders survived for 12, 14 and 20 weeks respectively. The median survival in the group was less than three months. It is suggested that further trial of epirubicin in multidrug combinations or in multimodality regimens is warranted.