Comparative activity of oral and parenteral topotecan in murine tumor models: efficacy of oral topotecan.

Studies were performed using several tumor models to determine the oral efficacy of topotecan. These studies were direct comparisons of oral administration with parenteral treatment by the intravenous, intraperitoneal, or subcutaneous routes. Treatment schedules included bolus treatments at 4- or 7-day intervals and a split-dose regimen (q3hx4) repeated at 4- or 7-day intervals. On the various schedules, the maximally tolerated dose of topotecan was either equivalent to or at most 1.7-fold that of parenteral administration, indicative of excellent oral bioavailability in the mouse. Orally administered topotecan was comparable in efficacy to parenteral treatment in four of five tumor models tested (i.v. L1210 leukemia, i.v. B16 melanoma, i.v. and s.c. Lewis lung carcinoma). The M5076 reticulum cell sarcoma implanted i.p. responded to i.p. and s.c. but not to orally administered topotecan. These studies provide convincing support for the clinical evaluation of orally administered topotecan.