TOPOTECAN (HYCAMTIN(R)) - POTENT CYTOSTATIC ACTION BY SELECTIVE TOPOISOMERASE-I INHIBITION

Topotecan, a potent inhibitor of DNA topoisomerase I, has shown cytost atic activity in preclinical and clinical studies with a great number of tumors, i.e., ovarian cancer, small-cell (SCLC) and non-small-cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC), brain tumors. leukemia and pediatric tumors, especially neuroblastomas, head and neck tumors. colorectal and pancre atic tumors, and breast cancer. Combination therapies, for example wit h topoisomerase II inhibitors and other cytostatic agents, have been e xamined recently. Beyond that, topotecan is effective as a radiosensit izer and may thus be interesting in combination with radiotherapy. Sev ere but manageable and reversible myelosuppression, particularly neutr openia, constitutes the most frequent side effect. Nonhematological gr ade III or IV toxicities are generally rare.