ChemotherapyFDA-approvedSecond-line
Irinotecan
How it works
Irinotecan is a topoisomerase I inhibitor that works by interfering with DNA replication and causing cancer cells to die or stop dividing.
Cancer types
Pancreatic Cancer— All patients
Colorectal Cancer— All patients
Efficacy
In clinical trials, irinotecan in combination with fluorouracil and leucovorin improved response rates and overall survival in patients with pancreatic cancer.
Side effects
Moderate
Side effects can be significant and may require dose adjustments or supportive medication, but the treatment is usually continued.
Evidence from research
| Study | Cancer type | Stage | Efficacy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Testing Adagrasib in Combination with Cetuximab and Irinotecan for Colorectal Cancer | Colorectal Cancer | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| Testing a New Treatment for Small Cell Lung Cancer | Lung Cancer | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| Testing a New Treatment for Cancer Spreading in the Abdomen | Colorectal Cancer | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| New Cancer Treatment Combination Shows Promise in Lab and Early Human Studies | Lung Cancer | phase-1/2 | — | Source → |
| Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Trial Investigates New Treatment Approach | Pancreatic Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Testing Chemo-Immunotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer | Pancreatic Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| New Treatment Combination Shows Promise for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer | Colorectal Cancer | phase-2 | The objective response rate was 18.3%, and the disease control rate was 83.3%. | Source → |
| Testing M6620 and Irinotecan in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors | Lung Cancer | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| Cancer Cells' Fat Metabolism Linked to Chemotherapy Resistance | Colorectal Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
| New Cancer Treatment Evaluated in China | Pancreatic Cancer | phase-3 | Liposome irinotecan regimen provided an additional 0.08 QALYs compared to the placebo regimen. | Source → |
| Triptolide Enhances Cancer-Fighting Effects of Irinotecan in Lab Experiments | Colorectal Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Liposomal irinotecan shows promise in treating breast cancer with brain metastases | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | The intracranial objective response rate was 22.0% among patients with progressive brain metastases. | Source → |
| Combining Nanoparticles and Medication to Boost Pancreatic Cancer Treatment | Pancreatic Cancer | animal-study | — | Source → |
| Combining Cancer Drugs Improves Immune Response in Lab Experiments | Colorectal Cancer | lab-study | This neutrophil-based formulation resulted in a >4-fold increase in the ratios of the amount of both IRI and GAL accumulated in tumors to the dosage administration. | Source → |
| Engineered Nanocarriers Improve Irinotecan Delivery for Colon Cancer | Colorectal Cancer | lab-study | The P-DSPE-PEG-Ir LP exhibited significant tumor growth delay as compared to untreated and blank formulation-treated groups. | Source → |
| New Treatment Shows Promise for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer | Pancreatic Cancer | meta-analysis | The use of nal-IRI resulted in significantly improved progression-free survival (pooled mean difference=1.01 months, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.97-1.05, p<0.01) and overall survival (pooled mean difference=0.29 months, 95%CI=0.18-0.39, p<0.01), as well as significantly better overall response rate (pooled odds ratio=2.06, 95%CI=1.30-3.27, p=0.002) compared to other second-line regimens. | Source → |
| New Study Helps Optimize Chemotherapy for Colorectal Cancer Patients | Colorectal Cancer | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| Comparing Two Cancer Treatments in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer | Colorectal Cancer | phase-3 | There was no significant difference in median overall survival between treatment groups (9.1 months vs 10.1 months). | Source → |
| Liposomal Irinotecan in Biliary Tract Cancer: A Meta-Analysis | Pancreatic Cancer | meta-analysis | The combination therapy exhibited a statistically significant decrease in the risk of progression (hazard ratio 0.70; 95% confidence interval 0.50-0.97) | Source → |
| Older patients with pancreatic cancer may benefit from liposomal irinotecan treatment | Pancreatic Cancer | observational | The median overall survival and progression-free survival of the entire cohort were 8.5 and 3.6 months, respectively. | Source → |
| Combining Cancer Drugs May Improve Treatment for Colorectal Cancer | Colorectal Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Combining Cancer Drugs May Help or Hinder Treatment in Colorectal Cancer | Colorectal Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Liposomal Irinotecan May Still Help Pancreatic Cancer Patients Who Had Irinotecan Before | Pancreatic Cancer | observational | The unadjusted OS HR was 1.3 (95% CI: 1.1-1.6, p < 0.001) and unadjusted PFS HR was 1.4 (95% CI: 1.2-1.7, p < 0.001). | Source → |
| Pancreatic Cancer Study in Japan Examines Safety of New Treatment | Pancreatic Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Shows Promise with Nanoliposomal Irinotecan | Pancreatic Cancer | observational | The median overall survival was 6.6 months, and patients with a CA19-9 response lived 12.6 months compared to 5.6 months without a response. | Source → |
| Organoids Help Predict Cancer Treatment Response | Colorectal Cancer | lab-study | The irinotecan-sensitive groups had higher response rates compared with the insensitive groups (71.8% vs 24.4%, P < .0001; 81.8% vs 18.8%, P = .002). | Source → |
| Gemcitabine and Nab-Paclitaxel Not Cost-Effective for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer | Pancreatic Cancer | observational | Mean survival was lower for patients in the Gem-Nab than the FOLFIRINOX group (0.98 vs 1.26 life-years; incremental effectiveness = -0.28 life-years [95% confidence interval = -0.47 to -0.13]). | Source → |
| New Cancer Drug Shows Promise Against Colon Cancer Cells | Colorectal Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Gene Methylation May Predict Response to Cancer Treatment | Colorectal Cancer | lab-study | CHFR-promoter methylation significantly-positively correlated with inhibition of colon cancer by SN38 (p=0.002) and clinical response to irinotecan-based systemic chemotherapy (p=0.04 for disease control). | Source → |
| Understanding Drug Interactions in Cancer Treatment | Colorectal Cancer | animal-study | — | Source → |
| Rare Cancer Patient Shows Complete Response to Chemotherapy | Pancreatic Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Irinotecan Efficacy in Second-Line Lung Cancer Treatment | Lung Cancer | phase-2 | The patient's median progression-free survival was 3.8 (3.4-4.4) months, and median overall survival was 8.1 (6.5-10.9) months. | Source → |
| Combining Metformin and Irinotecan for Refractory Colorectal Cancer | Colorectal Cancer | phase-2 | The disease control rate was 41% at 12 weeks. | Source → |
| Irinotecan Monotherapy for Small Cell Lung Cancer | Lung Cancer | observational | The median progression-free survival duration was 2.7 (1.4-3.8) months, and the median overall survival duration was 10.0 (3.9-12.9) months. | Source → |
This information is provided for general education only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making treatment decisions.