Plasma retinol levels and side effects following high-dose retinyl acetate in breast cancer patients.

Abstract

Plasma retinol levels and toxicity were evaluated in thirteen metastatic breast cancer patients treated orally with high-dose (300,000 I.U./day) retinyl acetate in combination with oral tamoxifen. Following the first dose of the drug, there was a drop of plasma retinol concentrations followed by a recovery to the pre-treatment levels and by a further increase to reach a plateau six to eight hours after drug administration. During the first two months of treatment cumulative increase of plasma retinol was seen, and long-term systemic concentrations in the +50-60% range level were maintained by the treatment. The toxicity observed was acceptable and included gastrointestinal symptoms, skin toxicity and headache. These toxicities could be related to the long-term increase of retinol systemic concentrations. We concluded that the daily dose of 300,000 I.U. retinyl acetate can be administered to cancer patients over a period of several months, is well tolerated and yields a substantial increase of systemic retinol.

• Authors: M Resasco, L Canobbio, F Trave, G Valenti, A Mazzoni, G Canti, F Boccardo, A Nicolin
• Journal: Anticancer research (Anticancer Res) 1988 Nov-Dec Vol. 8 Issue 6 Pg. 1319-23 ISSN: 0250-7005 [Print] Greece
• PMID: 3218964 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Diterpenes
• Retinyl Esters
• Tamoxifen
• Vitamin A
• retinol acetate

Topics

• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Breast Neoplasms (blood, drug therapy)
• Diterpenes
• Female
• Humans
• Retinyl Esters
• Tamoxifen (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Vitamin A (administration & dosage, adverse effects, analogs & derivatives, blood, therapeutic use)