ABSTRACT
The nucleoside analogs fludarabine, 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CdA), and deoxycoformycin have been extensively studied in recent years and have antitumor activity in a growing number of lymphoproliferative malignancies, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia, hairy cell leukemia, low-grade lymphomas, Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia, and prolymphocytic leukemia. This chapter analyzes the rationale and results with different schedules of administration. Attention is also focused on alternative schedules of administration aimed at improving the response rate and facilitating the administration of outpatient therapy, including subcutaneous and oral routes of administration. Adenine arabino-side is a purine analog with marked antiviral and antitumor activity. The pharmacokinetics of 2-CdA after oral and subcutaneous administration have recently been studied. Fludarabine was detected in plasma 2 minutes after oral dosing, but peak concentrations were not achieved until 1.5 h after the administration and were one third of the level achieved 5 min after IV administration of the same dose of fludarabine.
