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The Importance of Drug Scheduling in Cancer Chemotherapy: Etoposide as an Example

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville VA Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Correspondence: Kenneth R. Hande, M.D., Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Medical Oncology, 1956 The Vanderbilt Clinic, Nashville, TN 37232, USA. Telephone: 615-322-4967; Fax: 615-343-7602.

Etoposide is a drug whose antineoplastic activity is dependent on the schedule of drug administration. This article reviews the rationale for a prolonged schedule of etoposide administration and the therapeutic results of use of such a schedule in the treatment of cancer. The pharmacology of etoposide is also reviewed, with particular attention paid to the pharmacokinetics of oral etoposide and etoposide plasma concentrations associated with cytotoxicity.

Key Words. Etoposide • Administration schedule • Cancer pharmacology • Bioavailability • Pharmacodynamics • Pharmacokinetics