Topotecan
Definition
Topotecan is a drug used to treat certain types of cancer. Topotecan is available under the trade name Hycamtin, and may also be referred to as topotecan hydrochloride or topotecan HCl.
Purpose
Topotecan is an antineoplastic agent used to treat small cell lung cancer, and certain cancers of the ovary.
Description
Topotecan is a synthetic derivative of the naturally occurring compound camptothecin. Camptothecin belongs to a group of chemicals called alkaloids, and is extracted from plants such as Camptotheca acuminata. Captothecin was initially investigated as a chemotherapeutic agent due to its anti-cancer activity in laboratory studies. The chemical structure and biological action of topotecan is similar to that of camptothecin and irinotecan.
Topotecan inhibits the normal functioning of the enzyme topoisomerase I. The normal role of topoisomerase I is to aid in the replication, recombination and repair of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Higher levels of
Topotecan is used in patients whose cancer of the ovary has recurred or progressed after platinum-based treatment such as cisplatin. Topotecan is also used to treat relapse of small cell lung cancer that initially responded to other drugs. Increases in survival times have been observed in patients treated with topotecan compared to control populations treated with paclitaxel.
Recommended dosage
Patients should be carefully monitored before and during topotecan treatment for bone marrow function.
Topotecan is administered intravenously over 30 minutes once per day for five consecutive days followed by 16 days of rest. This schedule may be repeated every 21 days. The initial dose of topotecan may be adjusted downward depending on patient tolerance to the toxic side effects of topotecan.
The dose of topotecan may be reduced in patients with kidney dysfunction.
No dose modification is necessary for patients with liver impairment.
No dose modification is necessary for elderly patients.
