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. 2020 Nov 16;124(4):713–720. doi: 10.1038/s41416-020-01055-5

Table 3.

Adverse events in patients in the safety data set.

Grade 1–4 Grade 3/4
Topotecan (n = 81) Belotecan (n = 80) Topotecan (n = 81) Belotecan (n = 80)
Summary, n (% of subgroup population)
 AEs
  RDI: ≥85% 37 (100%) 40 (100%) 30 (81%) 33 (83%)
  RDI: <85% 43 (98%) 39 (98%) 40 (91%) 34 (85%)
 Serious AEsa
  RDI: ≥85% 17 (46%) 18 (45%) 16 (43%) 15 (38%)
  RDI: <85% 26 (59%) 15 (38%) 25 (57%) 14 (35%)
p = 0.048b p = 0.045b
SOCc, n (% of group population)
 Investigations
  Neutropenia 67 (83%) 61 (76%) 59 (73%) 54 (68%)
  Thrombocytopenia 43 (53%) 33 (41%) 36 (44%) 29 (36%)
  Leukocytopenia 20 (25%) 18 (23%) 18 (22%) 16 (20%)
 Blood and lymphatic system
  Anaemia 44 (54%) 37 (46%) 20 (25%) 22 (28%)
  Febrile neutropeniad 1 (1%) 4 (5%) 1 (1%) 4 (5%)
 Metabolism and nutrition
  Anorexia 36 (44%) 32 (40%) 3 (4%) 0 (0%)
 Gastrointestinal system
  Nausea 30 (37%) 35 (44%) 1 (1%) 2 (2%)
  Constipation 16 (20%) 18 (23%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
  Vomiting 10 (12%) 14 (18%) 1 (1%) 1 (1%)
  Diarrhoea 9 (11%) 12 (15%) 2 (3%) 1 (1%)
  Abdominal pain 7 (9%) 10 (13%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
  Mucositis oral 7 (9%) 10 (13%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
 Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal system
  Dyspnoea 20 (25%) 14 (18%) 3 (4%) 4 (5%)
  Cough 9 (11%) 16 (20%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
  Productive cough 9 (11%) 8 (10%) 1 (1%) 0 (0%)
 General and administration site conditions
  Fatigue 20 (25%) 18 (23%) 3 (4%) 1 (1%)
  Pain 10 (12%) 11 (14%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
  Fever 8 (10%) 11 (14%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
 Nervous system
  Dizziness 13 (16%) 14 (18%) 1 (1%) 1 (1%)
  Headache 10 (12%) 8 (10%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
 Skin and subcutaneous tissue
  Alopecia 12 (15%) 8 (10%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

AE adverse event, RDI relative dose intensity, SOC system organ class.

aSerious AEs: when the patient outcome is death, life-threatening, hospitalisation (initial or prolonged), or disability or permanent damage, in accordance with FDA guidelines.

bp value was obtained using Chi-square test, p < 0.05 indicates that in patients with RDI < 85%, belotecan resulted in significantly fewer serious AEs than topotecan.

cOnly common (≥10%) AEs are presented.

dFebrile neutropenia: absolute neutrophil count <1000 per mm3 and fever ≥38.5 °C. Grade 3/4 febrile neutropenia-associated hospitalisation/prolonged hospitalisation occurred in 1 and 3 patients in the topotecan and belotecan groups, respectively.