Lung Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Lung Cancer, including details on symptoms, smoking, genetics, treatment, causes.

Amrubicin for non-small-cell lung cancer and small-cell lung cancer.

Kurata T, Okamoto I, Tamura K, Fukuoka M

Department of Medical Oncology, Kinki University School of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka 589-8511, Japan. ctc002@poh.osaka-med.ac.jp

Amrubicin is a totally synthetic anthracycline anticancer drug and a potent topoisomerase II inhibitor. Recently, amrubicin was approved in Japan for the treatment of small- and non-small-cell lung cancers (SCLC and NSCLC). Here, we review the efficacy and toxicities of amrubicin monotherapy and amrubicin in combination with cisplatin for extensive-disease SCLC (ED-SCLC), and of amrubicin monotherapy for advanced NSCLC, as observed in the clinical trials. Recommended dosage for previously untreated advanced NCSLC was 45 mg/m2/day by intravenous administration for 3 days. Dose-limiting toxicities were leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, and gastrointestinal disturbance. Response rate was 27.9% for advanced NSCLC, and 75.8% for ED-SCLC with a median survival time (MST) of 11.7 months. Recommended dosage of amrubicin was 40 mg/m2/day in combination with cisplatin at 60 mg/m2/day, with MST of 13.6 months and 1-year survival rate of 56.1%. In sensitive or refractory relapsed SCLC, response rate was 52 and 50%, progression-free survival was 4.2 and 2.6 months, overall survival was 11.6 and 10.3 months, and 1-year survival rate was 46 and 40%, respectively. These results are promising for the treatment of both NSCLC and SCLC. Further clinical trials will clarify the status of amrubicin in the treatment of lung cancer.

Published 7 August 2007 in Invest New Drugs, 25(5): 499-504.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Lung Cancer Research Today. All Rights Reserved.