Abstract
The topoisomerase-1 inhibitor, topotecan, was tested in 48 eligible patients with advanced colorectal cancer. The patients had no prior chemotherapy and a Southwest Oncology Group performance status of 0–2. Topotecan was administered intravenously at 1.5 mg/m2/day for five days and repeated every 21 days. The major toxicity was hematologic with 19 out of 48 (40%) patients having grade IV granulocytopenia and 4 out of 48 (8%) patients demonstrating grade IV thrombocytopenia. Two patients (4%) demonstrated partial response. Thirty patients have died and the Kaplan-Meier estimate of median survival is 9 months (95% confidence interval; 7–16 months). Topotecan in this dose and schedule does not appear active in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Parker SL, Tong T, Bolden S, Wingo PA: Cancer statistics, 1997. CA Cancer J Clin 47:5–27, 1997
Leichman CG, Fleming TR, Muggia FM, Tangen CM, Ardalan B, Doroshow JH, Meyers FJ, Holcombe RF, WEiss GR, Magalik A, Macdonald JS: Phase II study of fluorouracil and its modulation in advanced colorectal cancer: a Southwest Oncology Group study. J Clin Oncol 13(6):1303–1311, 1995
Potmesil M: Camptothecins: from bench research to hospital wards. Cancer Res 54:1431, 1994
Ogawa M: New systemic drugs in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancer. Curr Opin Oncol 8:317–320, 1996
Rowinsky EK, Grochow LB, Hendricks CB, Ettinger DS, Forastiere AA, Hurowitz LA, McGuire WP, Sartorius SE, Lubejko BG, Kaufman SH, Donehower RC: Phase I and pharmacologic study of topotecan: a novel topoisomerase I inhibitor. J Clin Oncol 10(4):647–656, 1992
Burris H, Fields S: Clinical update on the topoisomerase I inhibitors. American Society of Clinical Oncology Education Books, 31st Annual Meeting (May 20–23, 1995), pp 104–111
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Macdonald, J.S., Benedetti, J.K., Modiano, M. et al. Phase II evaluation of topotecan in patients with advanced colorectal cancer. A Southwest Oncology Group trial (SWOG 9241). Invest New Drugs 15, 357–359 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005941603420
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005941603420