Clin Cancer Res. 2003 May;9(5):1666-72.

Phase II trial of tetrathiomolybdate in patients with advanced kidney
cancer.

Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Michigan Comprehensive
Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-0948, USA.

PURPOSE: Tetrathiomolybdate (TM), a copper-lowering agent, has been shown in
preclinical murine tumor models to be antiangiogenic. We evaluated the
antitumor activity of TM in patients with advanced kidney cancer in a Phase
II trial.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Fif{*filter*} patients with advanced kidney cancer were
eligible to participate in this trial. TM was initiated p.o. at 40 mg three
times a day with meals and 60 mg at bedtime to deplete copper. A target
serum ceruloplasmin (CP) level of 5-15 mg/dl was defined as copper
depletion. Doses of TM were reduced for grade 3-4 toxicity and to maintain a
CP level in the target range. Once copper depletion was attained, patients
underwent baseline tumor measurements and then again every 12 weeks for
response assessment. Patients not exhibiting progressive disease at 12 weeks
after copper depletion continued on treatment. Serum levels of Interleukin
(IL)-6, IL-8, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast
growth factor (bFGF) were assayed pretreatment and at various time points on
treatment. Dynamic contrast enhanced-magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI)
was performed on selected patients in an attempt to assess changes in tumor
vascularity.

RESULTS: All of the patients rapidly became copper depleted. Thir{*filter*}
patients were evaluable for response. No patient had a complete response or
PR. Four patients (31%) had stable disease for at least 6 months during
copper depletion (median, 34.5 weeks). TM was well tolerated, with dose
reductions most commonly occurring for grade 3-4 granulocytopenia of short
duration not associated with febrile episodes. Serum levels of IL-6, IL-8,
VEGF, and bFGF did not correlate with clinical activity. Serial DCE-MRI was
performed only in four patients, and a decrease in vascularity seemed to
correlate with necrosis of a tumor mass associated with tumor growth.

CONCLUSIONS: TM is well tolerated and consistently depletes copper as
measured by the serum CP level. Clinical activity was limited to stable
disease for a median of 34.5 weeks in this Phase II trial in patients with
advanced kidney cancer. Serum levels of proangiogenic factors IL-6, IL-8,
VEGF, and bFGF may correlate with copper depletion but not with disease
stability in this small cohort. TM may have a role in the treatment of
kidney cancer in combination with other antiangiogenic therapies.

You might want to check www.robertsreview.com.  They not only have a
GREAT FDA Trials Finder Tool for this(scroll down left hand column)
and TERRIFIC, up-to-the-minute interviews (audio, video, and
transcripts) with leading doc's and researchers on new treatments,
{*filter*}, research breakthroughs, pain management, etc..  (I think they
also offer special financial help to cancer patients...along with "top
cancer treatment" hospitals/clinis???)

I check 'em once or twice a week at http://www.***.com/

Hope this may be of some help to you.

Jack