Topotecan stabilizes the
topoisomerase I (
Topo I) cleavable complex. We measured
Topo I levels in white blood cells of patients with
ovarian cancer treated with
topotecan.
Topotecan was given i.v. daily x 5 q 3 weeks in combination with
paclitaxel (1 day before
topotecan) and
cisplatin (just prior
topotecan). Our aim was to correlate
Topo I levels to pharmacokinetics and toxicity.
Topo I levels were determined using Western blotting and were expressed relative to the
Topo I level present in 10 microg cell lysate of the human IGROV1
ovarian cancer cell line. We found no correlation between
Topo I levels and (non-)hematological toxicity.
Topo I levels after the fifth
topotecan infusion were significantly negatively correlated with the AUC of
topotecan (R = -0.64, p = 0.026), in contrast with
Topo I levels prior to (R = -0.25, p = 0.4) and after (R = -0.30, p = 0.3) the first
topotecan infusion.
Topo I levels after the fifth
topotecan infusion (48 +/- 27%, mean +/- SD) were higher than
Topo I levels prior to and after the first
topotecan infusion (3.0 +/- 4.7 and 2.7 +/- 3.6%, respectively) (p = 0.001). In conclusion, we detected a significant inverse correlation between
Topo I level and
topotecan AUC at day 5, and we found increasing
Topo I levels during a daily x 5 schedule of treatment with
topotecan.