The safety and efficacy of the weekly dosing of irinotecan for platinum- and taxanes-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Irinotecan is one of the drugs that might be effective against platinum- and taxanes-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer. We investigated efficacy and safety of the weekly dosing schedule of irinotecan.


METHODS
From September 2001 to March 2003, 28 eligible patients who have histologically confirmed epithelial ovarian cancer, which was resistant or refractory to both platinum and taxanes, were consecutively treated at the National Cancer Center Hospital. Irinotecan (100 mg/m(2)) was administered intravenously over 90 min on days 1, 8, and 15. The chemotherapy was repeated every 4 weeks, up to 6 cycles.


RESULTS
A total of 107 treatment cycles of irinotecan were administered to 28 patients. The median number of prior chemotherapy regimen was 3. Among 28 patients, 8 (29%) responded to irinotecan (2 complete responses and 6 partial responses). The median time to progression was 17 weeks. Three patients experienced hematological toxicities of Grade 4. Five patients experienced non-hematological toxicities Grade 3 or 4. No treatment-related death occurred.


CONCLUSIONS
The weekly dosing schedule of irinotecan seems to be effective and safe salvage chemotherapy regimen for platinum- and taxanes-resistant or refractory epithelial ovarian cancer. Gastrointestinal toxicities, especially diarrhea, were moderate and manageable in an outpatient setting.
Matsumoto
Koji
K
Breast and Medical Oncology Division, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1, Tsukiji, Chu-o-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan. kojmatsu@ncc.go.jp
Katsumata
Noriyuki
N
Yamanaka
Yasuhiro
Y
Yonemori
Kan
K
Kohno
Tsutomu
T
Shimizu
Chikako
C
Andoh
Masashi
M
Fujiwara
Yasuhiro
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008875:Middle Aged; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D043823:Taxoids / Q000494:pharmacology
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D043823:Taxoids; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002166:Camptothecin