Gender difference in hematological toxicity among lung cancer patients receiving amrubicin monotherapy.
BACKGROUND
Severe hematological toxicity has been frequently observed during amrubicin monotherapy for patients with lung cancer despite the favorable anti-tumor response. The purpose of this retrospective study was to identify pretreatment factors associated with severe hematological toxicity.


METHODS
The medical records of lung cancer patients treated with amrubicin monotherapy were reviewed, and univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted.


RESULTS
From January 2003 to December 2006, the medical records of 103 patients were extracted. Grade 4 neutropenia was frequently observed in females (male, 66% and female, 90%, P = 0.036 in a univariate analysis). In a multivariate analysis, female gender (P = 0.019), body weight loss (P = 0.021) and amrubicin dose (P = 0.028) were significantly correlated with Grade 4 neutropenia.


CONCLUSIONS
Gender could be considered as one of the important predictive factors associated with Grade 4 neutropenia in patients receiving amrubicin monotherapy.
Division of Pharmacy, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan. reando@ncc.go.jp
Reiko Ando
RA
Makihara
Yoshinori
Y
Makino
Noboru
N
Yamamoto
Nobuaki
N
Yokote
Hiroshi
H
Nokihara
Ikuo
I
Sekine
Yuichiro
Y
Ohe
Tomohide
T
Tamura
Hiroshi
H
Yamamoto
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015431:Weight Loss
D018943:Anthracyclines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C055866:amrubicin