Belotecan, new camptothecin analogue, is active in patients with small-cell lung cancer: results of a multicenter early phase II study.
BACKGROUND
Belotecan (Camtobell, Chong Keun Dang Corp, Seoul, Korea; CKD602) is a new camptothecin analogue. This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of single-agent belotecan for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC).


METHODS
Twenty-seven patients with chemotherapy-naive or chemosensitive SCLC were treated with belotecan 0.5 mg/m(2)/day on days 1-5 of a 3-week cycle. All 27 patients were assessable for toxicity, and 21 patients assessable for response.


RESULTS
Nine patients (42.9%) showed objective tumor responses including one complete response; seven (63.6%) in 11 chemotherapy-naive patients; and two (20.0%) in 10 chemosensitive patients. With a median follow-up of 5 years, median progression-free and survival time for chemotherapy-naive patients were 4.8 months and 11.9 months, respectively, while the corresponding values for chemosensitive patients were 3.3 months and 10.5 months, respectively. The most common toxicity was neutropenia.


CONCLUSIONS
Belotecan was active in SCLC patients as a single agent, warranting further investigations of belotecan in combination with platinum or other active agents.
Lee
D H
DH
Division of Oncology, Department of Internal medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
S-W
SW
Suh
C
C
Lee
J-S
JS
Lee
J H
JH
Lee
S-J
SJ
Ryoo
B Y
BY
Park
K
K
Kim
J S
JS
Heo
D S
DS
Kim
N K
NK
D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D059004:Topoisomerase I Inhibitors; D016896:Treatment Outcome