Comparison of chlorambucil and streptonigrin (NSC-45383) in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Forty-nine men with progressive chronic lymphocytic leukemia were treated with chlorambucil 0.2 mg/kg/day orally or streptonigrin 0.004 mg/kg/day orally for a minimum of six weeks in a double-blind study. Dosage modifications were frequently necessary to achieve maximum drug effect and prevent serious toxicity. Eighteen of 24 patients treated with chlorambucil (75%) and 21 of 25 patients treated with streptonigrin (84%) showed some objective response. The difference was not statistically significant. The incidence of bone marrow depression was comparable. Significantly more patients treated with streptonigrin had mild to moderate gastrointestinal toxicity.