Streptozotocin
ZANOSAR(r)
alkylating agent-antitumour antibiotic, cytotoxic
Special pediatric considerations are noted when applicable, otherwise adult provisions apply.
Streptozocin is a naturally occurring methylnitrosurea originally produced by fermentation of Streptomyces achromogenes. It is a nitrosurea that demonstrates specificity for beta and exocrine cells of the pancreas due to an attached sugar moiety.1 Streptozocin undergoes spontaneous decomposition to produce reactive methylcarbonium ions that alkylate DNA and cause interstrand cross links.1 Streptozocin inhibits the progression of cells into mitosis; however, since its cytotoxic action affects all phases of the cell cycle, streptozocin is cell cycle phase-nonspecific.1,3
| Oral Absorption | poorly absorbed, not active orally 3 | |
| Distribution | in animal models concentrates in the liver, kidney, intestine, and pancreas 3 | |
| cross blood brain barrier? | no, metabolites: yes | |
| volume of distribution | 43.8 L, average in a limited number of patients | |
| plasma protein binding | no information found | |
| Metabolism | spontaneously degrades to methylcarbonium ions, extensively metabolized, likely in the liver and kidneys | |
| active metabolite(s) | methylcarbonium ions, nitrosurea metabolites | |
| inactive metabolite(s) | yes | |
| Excretion | primarily in the urine, drug and metabolites may be eliminated in expired air (<%5) | |
| urine | 60-70% within 24 h, 10% unchanged | |
| feces | <1% | |
| terminal half life | 35-40 minutes | |
| clearance | 478 mcg/min (range: 173-718 mcg/min) | |
Adapted from standard reference1 unless specified otherwise.
| Primary uses: | Other uses: |
| *Islet cell carcinoma of the pancreas | Carcinoid tumour 1 |
| Pancreatic adenoacarcinoma 1 | |
*Health Canada approved indication
history of hypersensitivity reaction to streptozocin pre-existing renal disease Caution: Renal toxicity may occur; renal function should be monitored regularly.3,4 Streptozocin should not be used with other potential nephrotoxins3; see paragraph following the Side Effects table. Carcinogenicity: Streptozocin is carcinogenic in mice, rats, and hamsters.3 In rats, benign tumours have developed at the site of topical exposure3; if contact with the skin or mucosa occurs, wash the affected areas immediately with soap and water.3
Streptozocin is mutagenic in bacteria, plants, and mammalian cells.
Fertility: Streptozocin adversely affects fertility in male and female rats.3 The effect of streptozocin on fertility in humans is not known.1 Pregnancy: FDA Pregnancy Category D.5 There is positive evidence of human fetal risk, but the benefits from use in pregnant women may be acceptable despite the risk (e.g., if the drug is needed in a life-threatening situation or for a serious disease for which safer drugs cannot be used or are ineffective).
is not recommended due to the potential secretion into breast milk.
The table includes adverse events that presented during drug treatment but may not necessarily have a causal relationship with the drug. Because clinical trials are conducted under very specific conditions, the adverse event rates observed may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice. Adverse events are generally included if they were reported in more than 1% of patients in the product monograph or pivotal trials, and/or determined to be clinically important.6 When placebo-controlled trials are available, adverse events are included if the incidence is
>
5% higher in the treatment group.
| ORGAN SITE | SIDE EFFECT |
| Clinically important side effects are in bold, italics | |
| blood/bone marrow/ febrile neutropenia | myelosuppression (10-20%); may be cumulative, typically mild to moderate, deaths have occurred |
| anemia | |
| eosinophilia; asymptomatic, resolves after treatment discontinuation | |
| leukopenia, neutropenia; onset typically day 7, nadir days 7-14, recovery 5 by day 21 | |
| thrombocytopenia (<1%) 5 ; onset typically day 7, nadir days 7-14, recovery 5 by day 21 | |
| constitutional symptoms | lethargy (<1%) 5 ; only associated with continuous 5-day infusion |
| fever (<1%) | |
| dermatology/skin | extravasation hazard: vesicant 7 |
| necrosis | |
| endocrine | glucose intolerance; typically mild to moderate and reversible |
| insulin shock (<1%); has occurred in patients with insulinomas, onset typically within 24 hours of therapy | |
| nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (<1%) | |
| gastrointestinal | emetogenic potential: high 8 |
| diarrhea (10%) 5 | |
| nausea and vomiting (~100%) 1 ; onset typically 1-4 h following administration and may persist for 24 h, occasionally may require discontinuation of therapy, incidence and severity may be reduced with continuous 5-day infusion | |
| ORGAN SITE | SIDE EFFECT |
| Clinically important side effects are in bold, italics | |
| hepatobiliary/pancreas | hepatotoxicity (<1%) 5 ; deaths have occurred |
| metabolic/laboratory | elevated bilirubin and serum creatinine, proteinuria (>10%), 5 renal tubular acidosis (>10%) 5 ; may be associated with a Fanconi-like syndrome (glycosuria, acetonuria, and aminoaciduria) |
| elevated BUN (>10%), 5 elevated serum transaminases (25%); transient | |
| hyperchloremia | |
| hypoalbuminemia (>10%) 5 | |
| hypocalcemia | |
| hypoglycemia 5 (6%) 5 | |
| hypokalemia | |
| hypophosphatemia (>10%), 5 | |
| neurology | confusion (<1%) 5 ; only associated with continuous 5-day infusion |
| depression (<1%) 5 ; only associated with continuous 5-day infusion | |
| pain | injection site pain (1-10%) 5 ; typically following IV push |
| renal/genitourinary | nephrotoxicity (25-75%); see paragraph following the Side Effects table |
Adapted from standard reference3 unless specified otherwise. Nephrotoxicity is dose-limiting, cumulative, and may be severe, irreversible, or fatal.3 Hypophosphatemia and mild proteinuria may be the earliest signs of nephrotoxicity; increased BUN and serum creatinine concentrations typically develop later with continued treatment.3 Anuria, hyperchloremia, and proximal renal tubular acidosis, which may be associated with a Fanconi-like syndrome (glycosuria, acetonuria, and aminoaciduria), have occurred.1,3 Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus has rarely occurred.3 Delayed nephrotoxicity and renal failure have been reported following discontinuation of streptozocin.1 The risk of nephrotoxicity may be increased if streptozocin is administered intra- arterially.3 Renal function should be monitored regularly.3 Reduce the dose or discontinue therapy if nephrotoxicity occurs.3,4 The role of hydration in decreasing streptozocin-induced nephrotoxicity has not been clearly established.1 Glucose intolerance and hypoglycemia: Streptozocin is rarely diabetogenic, and mild to moderate glucose tolerance abnormalities have been reported; these are usually reversible.1 However, a sudden release of insulin may occur initially, and hypoglycemia may result5; insulin shock with severe hypoglycemia has been reported.3
| AGENT | EFFECT | MECHANISM | MANAGEMENT |
| doxorubicin 1,3,4 | increased therapeutic and toxic effects of doxorubicin | increased elimination half- life of doxorubicin | monitor for toxicity; consider doxorubicin dose reduction |
| phenytoin 1,3 | decreased effect of streptozocin; single case report | unknown | avoid concomitant use |
: Pfizer Canada Inc. supplies streptozocin as single use 1 g vials. Store in the refrigerator and protect from light.
The following are compatible via Y-site injection: amifostine, filgrastim, gemcitabine, granisetron, melphalan, ondansetron, teniposide, thiotepa, vinorelbine.
The following are incompatible via Y-site injection: allopurinol, aztreonam, cefepime, piperacillin/tazobactam.
| BCCA administration guideline noted in bold , italics | |
| Subcutaneous | not used due to corrosive nature |
| Intramuscular | not used due to corrosive nature |
| Direct intravenous | into tubing of running IV 1 ; see Prevention and Management of Extravasation of Chemotherapy |
| Intermittent infusion | over 15 minutes to 6 hours 1 |
| Continuous infusion | has been used; 3 may be associated with increased CNS toxicity 3 |
| Intraperitoneal | investigational 10 |
| Intrapleural | no information found |
| Intrathecal | no information found |
| Intra-arterial | investigational 1,3 ; not recommended due to increased risk of nephrotoxicity 3 |
| Intravesical | no information found |
Refer to protocol by which patient is being treated. Numerous dosing schedules exist and depend on disease, response and concomitant therapy. Guidelines for dosing also include consideration of absolute neutrophil count (ANC). Dosage may be reduced, delayed or discontinued in patients with bone marrow depression due to cytotoxic/radiation therapy or with other toxicities.
Adults:
| BCCA usual dose noted in bold, italics | ||
| Cycle Length: | ||
| Intravenous: | 6 weeks 3,4 : | 500 mg/m 2 IV once daily for 5 consecutive days starting on day 1 (total dose per cycle 2500 mg/m 2 ) Parenteral Administration section |
continuous infusions have also been used, see
BCCA usual dose noted in bold, italics 1 week3: 1000 mg/m2 (range 1000-1500 mg/m2) IV for one dose on day 1 (total dose per cycle 1000 mg/m2 [range 1000-1500 mg/m2])
dose escalation above 1000 mg/m2 should not occur prior to cycle 3
Concurrent radiation:
no information found
Dosage in myelosuppression:
modify according to protocol by which patient is being treated; if no guidelines
available, refer to Appendix 6 "Dosage Modification for Myelosuppression"
Dosage in renal failure:
*
the effect of renal impairment on streptozocin pharmacokinetics has not
been evaluated1
* 3
dose reduce or discontinue therapy if significant renal toxicity occurs
* the following guidelines have been used1: | |
|---|---|
| Creatinine clearance (mL/min) | Dose |
| 10-50 | 75% |
| <10 | 50% |
Calculated creatinine clearance = N * x (140 - Age) x weight in kg * For males N=1.23; for females N=1.04 Dosage in hepatic failure: dose reduce or discontinue therapy if significant hepatic toxicity occurs3; no specific guidelines found
Dosage in dialysis:
no information found
Children:
no information found
McEvoy GK, editor. AHFS 2007 Drug Information. Bethesda, Maryland: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. p. 1180-4.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Preventing occupational exposures to antineoplastic and other hazardous drugs in healthcare settings. Cincinnati, Ohio: NIOSH - Publications Dissemination; September 2004. p. 31-40.
Pfizer Canada Inc. ZANOSAR(tm) product monograph. Kirkland, Quebec; 08 October 2003.
BC Cancer Agency Gastrointestinal Tumour Group. (GIENDO2) BCCA Protocol Summary for Palliative Therapy for Pancreatic Endocrine Tumours using Streptozocin and Doxorubicin. Vancouver, British Columbia: BC Cancer Agency; 1 July 2006.
Rose BD, editor. Streptozocin. Waltham, Massachusetts: UpToDate 15.2; 2007.
Sharlene Gill, MD. BC Cancer Agency Gastrointestinal Tumour Group. Personal communication. Vancouver, British Columbia; 1 August 2007.
BC Cancer Agency Provincial Systemic Therapy Program. Provincial Systemic Therapy Program Policy III-20: Prevention and management of extravasation of chemotherapy. Vancouver, British Columbia: BC Cancer Agency; 1 September 2006.
BC Cancer Agency. (SCNAUSEA) Guidelines for Prevention and Treatment of Chemotherapy-induced Nausea and Vomiting in Adults. Vancouver, British Columbia: BC Cancer Agency; 1 November 2005.
Trissel LA. Handbook on Injectable Drugs. 13 ed. Bethesda, Maryland: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc.; 2005. p. 1358-9.
Goel R, McClay EF, Kirmani S, et al. Pharmacokinetics study of intraperitoneal streptozotocin. Clinical & Investigative Medicine 1992; 15(5):420-6.