Abstract
Etoposide is one of the most active agents for the therapy of lymphomas. Oral etoposide has proven to be active in and clearly beneficial for patients with previously treated lymphomas. The optimal dose and schedule of oral etoposide for use in combination chemotherapy are still uncertain, but low daily doses (50 to 100mg) for 10 to 14 days may be near optimal. Studies in previously untreated patients using combination chemotherapy that includes oral etoposide are needed, since preliminary data suggest that this agent has excellent activity and tolerability when combined or alternated with methotrexate, calcium folinate (calcium leucovorin), cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone in the elderly and medically unfit patient. Combination therapy approaches may also be helpful in HIV-related lymphomas. Additional studies are warranted.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Young RC. Etoposide in the treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Semin Oncol 1992; 19 Suppl. 13: 19–25
Hainsworth JD, Johnson DH, Frazier SR, et al. Chronic daily administration of oral etoposide in refractory lymphoma. Eur J Cancer 1990; 26: 818–21
Hainsworth JD, Johnson DH, Greco FA. Chronic etoposide schedules in the treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Semin Oncol 1992; 19 Suppl. 14: 13–8
Young WA, Greco FA, Greer JP, et al. Aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the elderly: an effective, well-tolerated treatment regimen containing extended-schedule etoposide. J Natl Cancer Inst 1994; 86: 1346–7
Hainsworth JD, Johnson DH, Frazier SR, et al. Chronic daily administration of oral etoposide —a phase I trial. J Clin Oncol 1989; 7: 396–401
Johnson DH, Greco FA, Strupp J, et al. Prolonged administration of oral etoposide in patients with relapsed or refractory small-cell lung cancer: a phase II trial. J Clin Oncol 1990; 8: 1613–7
Bender RA, Anderson T, Fisher RI, et al. Activity of the epipodophyllotoxin VP-16 in the treatment of combination chemotherapy-resistant non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Am J Hematol 1978; 5: 203–9
Schmoll H. Review of etoposide single-agent activity. Cancer Treat Rev 1982; 9 Suppl. A: 21–30
Niitsu N, Umeda M. Evaluation of long-term daily administration of oral low-dose etoposide in elderly patients with relapsing or refractory non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Am J Clin Oncol 1997; 20: 311–4
Kuga T, Kohda K, Matsumoto S, et al. Utility of daily oral administration of etoposide in 25 cases of refractory hematological malignancies. Gan To Kagaku Ryoho 1997; 24: 315–21
Shaklia S, Bairey O, Blickstein D, et al. Severe myelotoxicity of oral etoposide in heavily pretreated patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma or chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Cancer 1996; 77: 2313–7
Tirelli U, Errante D, Van Glabbeke MV, et al. CHOP is the standard regimen in patients ≥70 years of age with intermediate-grade and high-grade non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: results of a randomized study of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Lymphoma Cooperative Study Group. J Clin Oncol 1998; 16: 27–34
Begg CB, Carbone PP. Clinical trials and drug toxicity in the elderly. The experience of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. Cancer 1983; 52: 1986–92
Remick SC, Sedransk N, Haase R, et al. Oral combination chemotherapy in the management of AIDS-related lymphoproliferative malignancies. Drugs 1999; 58 Suppl. 3: 99–107
Hande KR, Krozely MG, Greco FA, et al. Bioavailability of low-dose oral etoposide. J Clin Oncol 1993; 11: 374–7
Thompson DS, Hainsworth JD, Hande KR, et al. Prolonged administration of low-dose, infusional etoposide in patients with etoposide-sensitive neoplasms: a phase I/II study. J Clin Oncol 1993; 11: 1322–8
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Greco, F.A. Oral Etoposide in Lymphoma. Drugs 58 (Suppl 3), 35–41 (1999). https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-199958003-00006
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-199958003-00006