Volume 2, Number 1, Supplement 1 (January/February 2005)

Contents

3

Innovations in anthracycline therapy: overview

J. Tate Thigpen, MD

Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS

Conventional anthracyclines have played a key role in the treatment of breast and ovarian cancer; however, their clinical utility has been somewhat limited by their toxicity. Although the anthracycline analog epirubicin is effective in these cancers, studies have shown no significant improvement in the risk of cardiotoxicity associated with epirubicin compared with conventional doxorubicin. Multiple studies demonstrate the efficacy and safety of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in the treatment of breast and ovarian cancer. Moreover, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin has shown an improved toxicity profile compared with conventional doxorubicin, coupled with a significantly reduced risk of cardiotoxicity.

abstract

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8

Novel anthracyclines for breast cancer: efficacy and safety update

Susana Campos, MD, MPH

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center, Boston, MA

In an effort to improve the safety and tolerability profile of conventional anthracyclines, research has focused on developing anthracycline analogs, such as epirubicin, as well as liposomal formulations. Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin has shown comparable efficacy and a significantly reduced risk of cardiac toxicity, when compared with the efficacy and cardiotoxicity of conventional doxorubicin, in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin is also effective and well tolerated as combination therapy with taxanes (paclitaxel and docetaxel), cyclophosphamide, and gemcitabine.

abstract

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17

Novel anthracyclines for ovarian cancer: survival, tumor response, and tolerability

Alan N. Gordon, MD

The University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ

Concerns regarding the toxicity of conventional doxorubicin have limited its use in the treatment of ovarian cancer. Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin has a superior toxicity profile compared with conventional doxorubicin, with significantly less cardiotoxicity. Phase II and III clinical studies support the use of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin as the first-choice non-platinum agent for patients with relapsed ovarian cancer, particularly following a recently reported overall survival advantage for such patients who were treated initially with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin instead of topotecan. This survival advantage is pronounced in patients with platinum-sensitive disease and is similar to that observed with platinum-based therapy, suggesting a possible role for combination therapy with carboplatin and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin.

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Supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Tibotec Therapeutics, Division of Ortho Biotech Products, L.P.

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