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 Ovarian cancer is the 7th most common cancer among women and the most common cause of death among women with gynecologic malignancies. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2006 there will be 21,180 new cases of ovarian cancer in the United States with 15,310 deaths. [22] Unfortunately, early stage ovarian cancer is generally asymptomatic and most patients therefore present with advanced-stage disease [2,6]. And though standard therapy leads to high initial response rates (70% to 80%), the majority of patients will eventually relapse and die from their disease. [2] There are 3 main types of ovarian tumors:
Epithelial carcinoma is the most common type of ovarian cancer accounting for about 85% to 90% of ovarian cancers. [22] As such, this Web site primarily focuses on epithelial ovarian cancer. For more detailed information on germ cell and stromal ovarian cancer, please visit the National Cancer Society Web site. DisclaimerThese sites are not part of Hycamtin.com, a GlaxoSmithKline Web site. The content and materials in these third-party Web sites are not produced or endorsed by GlaxoSmithKline.Some of these third-party Web sites may refer to uses of our products that are not recommended by GlaxoSmithKline. You should always consult with your physician or health care professional before using any GlaxoSmithKline prescription product. Important Safety InformationContraindicationsHycamtin is contraindicated in patients who have a history of hypersensitivity reactions to topotecan or to any of its ingredients. Hycamtin should not be used in patients who are pregnant or breast-feeding, or those with severe bone marrow depression.WarningsHycamtin should be used only in patients with adequate bone marrow reserves, including baseline neutrophil counts of at least 1,500 cells/mm3 and platelet counts of at least 100,000/mm3. Frequent monitoring of blood counts should be instituted during treatment with Hycamtin.Patients should not be treated with subsequent courses of Hycamtin until neutrophils recover to >1,000 cells/mm3, platelets recover to >100,000 cells/mm3, and hemoglobin levels recover to 9.0 g/dL (with transfusion if necessary). Hycamtin may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Women of childbearing potential should be advised to avoid becoming pregnant during therapy with Hycamtin. Drug InteractionsConcomitant administration of G-CSF can prolong the duration of neutropenia, so if G-CSF is to be used, it should not be initiated until day 6 of the course of therapy, 24 hours after completion of treatment with Hycamtin.Myelosuppression was more severe when Hycamtin was given in combination with cisplatin in phase I studies. In a reported study on concomitant administration of cisplatin 50 mg/m² and Hycamtin at a dose of 1.25 mg/m²/day x 5 days, 1 of 3 patients had severe neutropenia for 12 days, and a second patient died with neutropenic sepsis. There are no adequate data to define a safe and effective regimen for Hycamtin and cisplatin in combination. Adverse EventsFrequently reported nonhematologic adverse events associated with use of Hycamtin included nausea (64%), vomiting (45%), diarrhea (32%), alopecia (49%), fatigue (29%), and dyspnea (22%). Most nonhematologic toxicities were grade 1 or 2. |
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