Altered irinotecan pharmacokinetics in pediatric high-grade glioma patients receiving enzyme-inducing anticonvulsant therapy.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of enzyme-inducing anticonvulsants (EIAs) on the disposition of irinotecan and metabolites in pediatric patients with high-grade glioma.


METHODS
Pediatric patients with newly diagnosed high-grade glioma were enrolled on this study between March 1999 and February 2001. During course 1, irinotecan was administered as a 60-min i.v. infusion at a dosage of 20 mg/m(2)/day for 5 days of 2 consecutive weeks. On days 1 and 12 of course 1, we collected serial plasma samples to measure the concentrations of the lactone and total forms of irinotecan and its metabolites SN-38 (7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin), SN-38 glucuronide (7-ethyl-10-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-pyran-2-carboxylic acid]camptothecin), and 7-ethyl-10-[4-N-(5-aminopentanoic acid)-1-piperidino]carbonyloxycamptothecin.


RESULTS
Thirty-one patients were enrolled. In patients receiving EIAs, the area under the concentration versus time curve (AUC) of irinotecan lactone and SN-38 lactone was significantly lower (P = 0.01 and P = 0.002, respectively), and the irinotecan lactone clearance was significantly higher (P = 0.0003), as compared with those in patients who received no EIAs. The glucuronidation ratio was higher (P = 0.0009), and the ratio of SN-38 AUC to irinotecan AUC was lower (P = 0.02) in patients who received EIAs. Two patients receiving EIAs tolerated increased irinotecan dosages of 30 and 40 mg/m(2)/day without toxicity. One patient receiving EIAs experienced grade 3 diarrhea when the dosage of irinotecan was increased to 60 mg/m(2)/day.


CONCLUSIONS
EIAs increase the clearance of irinotecan and cause a decrease in systemic exposure to the active metabolite SN-38. Patients who are receiving irinotecan and who require anticonvulsants should be placed on non-EIA therapy, when possible.
Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, USA. kristine.crews@stjude.org
Kristine R
KR
Crews
Clinton F
CF
Stewart
Dana
D
Jones-Wallace
Stephen J
SJ
Thompson
Peter J
PJ
Houghton
Richard L
RL
Heideman
Maryam
M
Fouladi
Daniel C
DC
Bowers
Murali M
MM
Chintagumpala
Amar
A
Gajjar
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008297:Male; D059004:Topoisomerase I Inhibitors
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D059004:Topoisomerase I Inhibitors; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002166:Camptothecin