Potential role of oral anthracyclines in older patients with cancer.
Two anthracycline analogues, idarubicin and menogaril, have acceptable bioavailability via the oral route of administration. Encouraging antitumour activity of oral idarubicin has been reported in breast cancer, non-lymphocytic leukaemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and myeloma. The outlook for menogaril is less clear, given the modest antitumour activity reported so far. Although the oral formulations of idarubicin and menogaril remain investigational, they represent a step forward in the direction of developing new active anticancer drugs with oral bio-availability. Further prospective studies of the orally-active anthracyclines in elderly patients with cancer are justified. These studies should address specific issues such as optimal dosage regimens as a function of 'physiological age', and quality of life.
Lasota
W S
WS
Service de Médecine Interne, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
de Valeriola
D L
DL
Piccart
M J
MJ
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D001682:Biological Availability; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D015255:Idarubicin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D017290:Menogaril / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
D017290:Menogaril; D015255:Idarubicin