FDA Approves Oral Topotecan for Relapsed Small-Cell Lung Cancer

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved oral topotecan (Hycamtin) capsules for the treatment of relapsed small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Topotecan capsules are indicated for patients who had a complete or partial response to first-line chemotherapy and who are at least 45 days from the end of that treatment. Topotecan capsules are the only oral single-agent chemotherapy approved for the treatment of SCLC after failure of first-line therapy. The product will be available in 2008.