title: Topotecan and the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer: is there a role for granulocyte colony-stimulating factor?
abstract: Topotecan (Hycamtin; SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, Philadelphia, PA) a new chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of patients with advanced carcinoma of the ovary after failure of initial or subsequent therapy, is a specific, potent inhibitor of the enzyme topoisomerase I. Myelosuppression is the dose-limiting toxicity of topotecan, and can interfere with the administration of the recommended dose/schedule of the drug by delaying the next cycle of chemotherapy or by requiring a reduction in the dose. The results from clinical studies suggest that routine granulocyte colony-stimulating factor therapy is not needed when topotecan is administered at the recommended dose of 1.5 mg/m2/d for 5 days. However, patients should be carefully monitored, as some may benefit from hematopoietic growth factor support on subsequent cycles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saltz
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Janik
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D059004:Topoisomerase I Inhibitors; D019772:Topotecan
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D059004:Topoisomerase I Inhibitors; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D019772:Topotecan; D002166:Camptothecin