title: Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of long-term continuous-infusion doxorubicin.
abstract: Steady-state plasma levels of doxorubicin and doxorubicinol were analyzed in 32 patients with advanced cancer, each of whom was given doxorubicin by long-term continuous infusion at progressively increasing infusion rates. Patients received doxorubicin for 2 to 50 weeks at rates of 0.2 to 6.1 mg/m2/day. Dose-limiting stomatitis and leukopenia were observed. The mean maximum steady-state doxorubicin concentration was 6.04 ng/ml at a mean maximum infusion rate of 3.92 mg/m2/day. Clearance mechanisms did not appear to be saturated at the durations or infusion rates used in this study. The maximum steady-state doxorubicin level and the ln (initial WBC) were significant correlates of the ln (nadir WBC) (p = 0.002 and 0.02, respectively). A model was constructed according to these two parameters that significantly describes ln (nadir WBC) (p = 0.001). Neither age, infusion rate, nor doxorubicinol level correlated with nadir WBC. Stomatitis did not correlate with any of these parameters. The demonstration of this pharmacodynamic relationship highlights the potential importance of pharmacologic data collection in ongoing attempts to predict the clinical effects of anticancer drugs.
authors.affiliation: Lynn Sage Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Medicine, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Ackland
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ratain
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Vogelzang
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruane
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sinkule
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007260:Infusion Pumps; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D004317:Doxorubicin; C010013:adriamycinol