XXXX before chemotherapy: improved tolerance profile of the subcutaneous over the intravenous route.

@entity1 @entity8503 @entity551 @entity391
INTRODUCTION: The i.v. administration of the cytoprotective agent @entity8503 is associated with reversible clinical @entity551 , protracted emesis, and malaise in a various percentage of @entity1 . We evaluated, prospectively, whether the s.c. route is a better tolerated alternative to the i.v. route in @entity1 receiving chemotherapy. @entity1 AND METHODS: Fifty-nine @entity1 treated with "once every 2 weeks" regimens received 1000 mg of @entity8503 i.v. before chemotherapy. @entity1 who developed protracted @entity391 and malaise and/or clinical @entity551 for two consecutive i.v. administrations received the same dose of @entity8503 s.c. for the subsequent cycles (i.v./s.c. study). In an additional cohort of 12 @entity1 (s.c. study), 1000 mg of @entity8503 were given s.c. since the first chemotherapy cycle. RESULTS: In the i.v./s.c. study, 8 (13.5%) @entity1 showed protracted emesis/malaise and/or clinical @entity551 during the first two cycles. An additional 4 (6.6%) @entity1 developed similar side effects during the subsequent cycles. Switching to the s.c. route, an improved tolerance was noted. In the s.c. study, a total of 76 injections was administered. Protracted @entity391 or clinical @entity551 was absent, and this tolerance profile was significantly better than the i.v. one (P = 0.001). There were no other systemic side effects related to the s.c. administration. CONCLUSIONS: @entity8503 , at a dose of 1000 mg, is better tolerated when administered s.c. Switching to the s.c. route in @entity1 with poor tolerance using the i.v. administration allows the continuation of cytoprotection with minor side effects. Although preliminary, 1000 mg of @entity8503 effectively protected against the lower, still more frequently administered doses of chemotherapy given once every 2 weeks.
