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What is Etoposide
EtoposideThe Generic name of this drug
Treatment SummaryEtoposide is a drug that stops the growth of cancer cells. It works by targeting topoisomerase II, an enzyme that helps with the process of DNA replication. When Etoposide binds to the enzyme and DNA, it prevents the repair of breaks in the DNA strands, which prevents the cancer cells from entering the cell division phase. Etoposide is most effective in the G2 and S phases of the cell cycle.
VePesidis the brand name
Etoposide Overview & Background
Brand Name
Generic Name
First FDA Approval
How many FDA approvals?
VePesid
Etoposide
1983
31
Approved as Treatment by the FDA
Etoposide, also known as VePesid, is approved by the FDA for 2 uses which include Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma .Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Used to treat Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (NSCLC) in combination with null
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Used to treat Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) in combination with null
Effectiveness
How Etoposide Affects PatientsEtoposide is a medicine used to treat cancer. It works by stopping the growth and replication of cancer cells, especially cells in the S and G2 stages of the cellular cycle. At higher doses, it can destroy cells entering mitosis. At lower doses, it inhibits cells from entering prophase. It does not mess with the assembly of microtubules. Etoposide interacts with DNA topoisomerase II or forms free radicals which breaks the DNA strands of cancer cells.
How Etoposide works in the bodyEtoposide stops DNA from forming properly in cancer cells. This causes errors during cell division and leads these cells to die. Etoposide works specifically on the S and G2 phases of cell division, and targets a certain enzyme (topoisomerase II alpha isoform) to cause this disruption. It can also affect another enzyme (topoisomerase II beta isoform), but this is not associated with anti-tumor activity and instead can cause cancer cells to form instead.
When to interrupt dosage
The measure of Etoposide is contingent upon the diagnosed state, including Gestational Trophoblastic Disease, recalcitrant Testicular cancer and Retinoblastoma. The volume of dosage deviates as per the method of delivery (e.g. Capsule - Oral or Capsule, liquid filled - Oral) featured in the table below.Condition
Dosage
Administration
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
metastatic Thymic Cancer
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
Advance Directives
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
Merkel cell cancer
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
refractory Testicular cancer
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
Sarcoma
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
Ovarian Cancer
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
Gestational Trophoblastic Disease
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
Prostate Cancer
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
Multiple Myeloma
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
Acute Myeloid Leukemia
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
Sarcoma
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
Neuroblastoma (NB)
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
Advanced Hodgkin's Lymphoma
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
Retinoblastoma
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
Sarcoma
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
Neoplasms
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
Small Cell Lung Cancer
, 20.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 50.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 150.0 mg/mL
, Intravenous, Injection, solution, concentrate, Injection, solution, concentrate - Intravenous, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Liquid - Intravenous, Liquid, Oral, Capsule, Capsule - Oral, Solution - Intravenous, Solution, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution, Injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral
Warnings
There are 20 known major drug interactions with Etoposide.Common Etoposide Drug Interactions
Drug Name
Risk Level
Description
2-Methoxyethanol
Major
The risk or severity of adverse effects can be increased when Etoposide is combined with 2-Methoxyethanol.
9-(N-methyl-L-isoleucine)-cyclosporin A
Major
The risk or severity of adverse effects can be increased when Etoposide is combined with 9-(N-methyl-L-isoleucine)-cyclosporin A.
Abetimus
Major
The risk or severity of adverse effects can be increased when Etoposide is combined with Abetimus.
Acteoside
Major
The risk or severity of adverse effects can be increased when Etoposide is combined with Acteoside.
Aldosterone
Major
The risk or severity of adverse effects can be increased when Etoposide is combined with Aldosterone.
Etoposide Toxicity & Overdose RiskTaking too much of this drug can cause hair loss, constipation, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, and an increased risk of developing cancer such as leukemia.
Etoposide Novel Uses: Which Conditions Have a Clinical Trial Featuring Etoposide?
1617 active studies are examining the potential of Etoposide to combat Neuroblastoma (NB), Merkel cell cancer and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.Condition
Clinical Trials
Trial Phases
Neuroblastoma (NB)
1 Actively Recruiting
Early Phase 1
Small Cell Lung Cancer
59 Actively Recruiting
Phase 2, Phase 3, Phase 1, Not Applicable, Early Phase 1
Advance Directives
0 Actively Recruiting
Sarcoma
1 Actively Recruiting
Phase 2
Prostate Cancer
537 Actively Recruiting
Not Applicable, Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, Phase 4, Early Phase 1
Ovarian Cancer
225 Actively Recruiting
Phase 2, Phase 1, Not Applicable, Phase 3, Early Phase 1
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
159 Actively Recruiting
Phase 2, Not Applicable, Phase 1, Phase 3, Early Phase 1
Sarcoma
0 Actively Recruiting
Retinoblastoma
12 Actively Recruiting
Phase 2, Phase 3, Not Applicable, Phase 1
Gestational Trophoblastic Disease
2 Actively Recruiting
Phase 2, Not Applicable
Merkel cell cancer
0 Actively Recruiting
Sarcoma
0 Actively Recruiting
Neoplasms
0 Actively Recruiting
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
351 Actively Recruiting
Phase 1, Phase 2, Not Applicable, Phase 3, Phase 4, Early Phase 1
Acute Myeloid Leukemia
318 Actively Recruiting
Phase 2, Phase 1, Phase 3, Not Applicable, Early Phase 1, Phase 4
metastatic Thymic Cancer
0 Actively Recruiting
Multiple Myeloma
12 Actively Recruiting
Phase 2, Phase 1
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
146 Actively Recruiting
Phase 2, Phase 3, Phase 1, Not Applicable, Early Phase 1, Phase 4
Advanced Hodgkin's Lymphoma
0 Actively Recruiting
refractory Testicular cancer
0 Actively Recruiting
Etoposide Reviews: What are patients saying about Etoposide?
3.7Patient Review
2/2/2010 After just one series, my CA-125 (a marker for ovarian cancer) went down 1000 points. I'm now on my second series and feeling more hopeful every day.
Patient Q&A Section about etoposide
These questions and answers are submitted by anonymous patients, and have not been verified by our internal team.What class of chemo is etoposide?
"Etoposide is a medication that belongs to a class of drugs known as podophyllotoxin derivatives. These drugs work by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells in the body."
Answered by AI
What cancers is etoposide used for?
"Etoposide is used to treat testicular, bladder, prostate, lung, stomach, and uterine cancers, Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, mycosis fungoides, Kaposi's sarcoma, Wilm's tumor, rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, neuroblastoma, and brain tumors."
Answered by AI
What is the mechanism of action of etoposide?
"Etoposide prevents DNA synthesis by creating a bond between topoisomerase II and DNA. This bond interferes with the ability of topoisomerase II to bind to DNA, which prevents DNA from being repaired. Over time, this accumulates breaks in DNA, which eventually prevents cells from entering the mitotic phase of cell division, causing the cells to die."
Answered by AI
What are the side effects of the drug etoposide?
"If you experience any of the following side effects, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical help:
Possible side effects include feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting), diarrhoea, feeling dizzy or tired, weakness, changes in your sense of taste, loss of appetite, and pain or redness around the site of the injection. These side effects can sometimes be severe. If you have any of these side effects, do not delay seeking medical attention."
Answered by AI