title: New oral drugs in older patients: a review of idarubicin in elderly patients.
abstract: Idarubicin (IDA) is a structural analogue of daunorubicin with the same mechanism of action. Unlike the other currently available anthracyclines, it has a significant oral bioavailability, which makes it particularly attractive for the treatment of elderly patients. IDA resulted at least as effective as daunorubicin for acute nonlymphocytic leukemia and additional data are in analysis as far as lymphomas and breast cancer are concerned. Adverse effects are mainly hematological, while hair loss, mucositis and cardiotoxicity are less frequently reported with IDA than with other anthracyclines. The pharmacokinetics, activity, adverse effects and new modalities of oral administration are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Department, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Via Pedemontana Occ., 12, 33081 Aviano, PN, Italy. dcrivellari@cro.it
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crivellari
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spazzapan
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Veronesi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Toffoli
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015255:Idarubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D007938:Leukemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D015255:Idarubicin