Etoposide pharmacology.

Etoposide, a podophyllotoxin derivative, has demonstrated antitumor efficacy in a number of human malignancies, including lymphomas, germinal tumors, and lung cancer (especially small cell). Etoposide's antineoplastic activity is achieved through DNA strand breakage, which likely results from the formation of a complex involving drug, DNA, and the DNA unwinding enzyme, topoisomerase II. The drug's steady state volume of distribution ranges from 5 to 17 L/m2, and it is highly bound to plasma protein with an average free plasma fraction of 6%. A number of etoposide metabolites have been confirmed or postulated. Several cell lines have been shown to acquire resistance to etoposide through membrane transport changes. Considerable intrapatient variability exists in pharmacokinetic parameters following intravenous (IV) and oral dosing. Approximately 30% to 40% of unchanged IV drug is excreted in the urine, whereas biliary excretion appears a minor route of drug elimination. The bioavailability of oral etoposide averages 50%, although wide variability exists both among and within different patients. Bioavailability decreases as the dose of oral etoposide is increased. Several recent studies have attempted to correlate etoposide plasma concentrations with toxicity (primarily myelosuppression) in hopes of using this information to optimize drug dosing.