Seminars in radiation oncology
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Review
Protection of normal tissues from the cytotoxic effects of radiation therapy: focus on amifostine.
Evidence for the use of amifostine (Ethyol, ALZA Pharmaceuticals, Palo Alto, CA/US Bioscience, West Conshohocken, PA) as a radioprotectant has been gathered in a number of clinical trials conducted over the past decade. This report briefly reviews those trials, as well as highlights results of a recent phase II trial conducted to evaluate the efficacy of daily amifostine administration in reducing the incidence of radiation-induced esophagitis in patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer. ⋯ There was a 60% objective response rate and 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were 55%, 23%, and 23%, respectively. Thus, amifostine administration reduced radiation-induced toxicities without reducing antitumor efficacy.