Continuous infusion of low-dose doxorubicin, epirubicin and mitoxantrone in cancer chemotherapy: a review.

With the recent development of reliable portable pumps and safe venous access systems, continuous infusion of chemotherapeutic agents on an out-patient basis has become feasible. Advantages of continuous infusion are the long-term exposure of tumour cells to the drug and the fact that most toxic effects are reduced for doxorubicin, epirubicin and mitoxantrone due to elimination of the high peak plasma levels. Preliminary data for doxorubicin suggest that its antitumour activity is maintained. Pharmacokinetic studies with epirubicin and mitoxantrone showed a linear relationship between drug dose infused and the steady-state plasma level for these drugs. The area under the curve for leukocytes drug level was higher during continuous infusion than after an equitoxic bolus injection of epirubicin and mitoxantrone. Well-randomized clinical trials will be necessary to investigate the role of continuous infusion of antracyclines and mitoxantrone in cancer chemotherapy in the future.