title: Pharmacokinetics and its relation to toxicity of pegylated-liposomal doxorubicin in Chinese patients with breast tumours.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) is a formulation of doxorubicin encapsulated with polyethylene glycol-coated liposomes, which has prolonged circulation time and unique toxicity profile. This study deals with the pharmacokinetics and its relation to toxicity in Chinese patients with breast tumours.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two Chinese female patients with breast tumours were received two PLD products in single dose of 50 mg/m2 with a randomized, two-period and cross-over design. Blood was sampled immediately before and at 15, 30, 60 min, 1·17, 2, 5, 13, 25, 49, 73, 97, 121, 145 and 241 h after the PLD infusion. The plasma level of doxorubicin was determined with LC-MS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pharmacokinetics of PLD was best described by a one-compartment linear structural model with a long elimination T(1/2) (64 h), a slow clearance (0·025 L/h/m2) and a small volume of distribution (2·310 L/m2). The main toxicities were neutropenia (22/44), nausea (22/44), vomiting (8/44) and pigmentation (4/44). The nausea and neutropenia were positively correlated with AUC while negatively correlated with Cl (P<0·05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study confirms the different pharmacokinetic and toxicity profiles of PLD compared with non-liposomal doxorubicin. The pharmacokinetic profiles in Chinese patients with breast tumours is different from those reported for European patients with metastatic breast cancer. The correlation between toxicities, neutropenia grade and nausea and two of the pharmacokinetic parameters, AUC and Cl, may be useful for guiding the dosing of the agent.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacometrics, Center for Drug Clinical Research, Shanghai University of Chinese Traditional Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Q S
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019540:Area Under Curve; D044466:Asian People; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008081:Liposomes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020714:Maximum Tolerated Dose; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D004337:Drug Carriers; D008081:Liposomes; C506643:liposomal doxorubicin; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D004317:Doxorubicin