| Abstrakt: |
Topotecan (Hycamtin, GlaxoSmithKline) is a water-soluble semisynthetic derivative of camptothecin (CPT), an alkaloid extracted from the stem wood of the Chinese tree Camptotheca acuminata (1). As a result of its anticancer activity and favorable toxicity profile, in 1996, topotecan was approved for use in the United States as an antitumor agent in the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer. In 1998, it was approved as a second-line treatment for patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Clinical trials have also assessed its activity in the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome, pancreatic, head and neck, myeloma, prostate, renal cell, melanoma, gliomal, uterine, cervical, hepatocellular, gastric, and breast cancers. Numerous ongoing trials are evaluating the role of topotecan in combination chemotherapy. The current dosing regimen approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a 30-minute intravenous (iv) infusion of 1.5 mg/m2 daily for 5 days, which is repeated every 3 weeks. Topotecan is available as a parenteral preparation and is supplied in vials containing 4 mg, which is reconstituted in 4 mL sterile water. The resulting 1 mg/mL solution is further diluted with a 5% dextrose or 0.9% saline solution before injection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
