Amrubicin for the treatment of small cell lung cancer: does effectiveness cross the Pacific?

Abstract

Amrubicin is a synthetic 9-aminoanthracycline that has significant antitumor activity in Japanese patients with extensive stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Clinical trials ongoing in the United States and Europe will determine whether amrubicin will be effective in other ethnic groups (whites) or whether this will be an example of geographic and/or genetic variation. Genetic polymorphisms in the UGT1A1 gene have been identified as one of the causes of the increased diarrhea seen in white patients treated with irinotecan when compared with Japanese patients. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, reduced form-quinone oxidoreductase (NQ01) is an enzyme that participates in the metabolism of amrubicin and polymorphisms of the enzyme, known to occur in the Asian population, might explain the effectiveness of the drug in Japanese patients with small cell lung cancer. Studies to evaluate the drug in US and European patients with extensive stage small cell lung cancer are ongoing. Levels of NQ01 will also be determined in these studies.

• Authors: David S Ettinger
• Journal: Journal of thoracic oncology : official publication of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (J Thorac Oncol) Vol. 2 Issue 2 Pg. 160-5 (Feb 2007) ISSN: 1556-1380 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 17410034 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)

Chemical References

• Anthracyclines
• Antineoplastic Agents
• Topotecan
• amrubicin
• Cisplatin

Topics

• Anthracyclines (therapeutic use)
• Antineoplastic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Carcinoma, Small Cell (drug therapy)
• Cisplatin (therapeutic use)
• Europe
• Humans
• Japan
• Lung Neoplasms (drug therapy)
• Topotecan (therapeutic use)
• United States