[Myelotoxity of the nuclear enzyme inhibitors irinotecan and etoposide].

Irinotecan (campto) and etoposide cause the loss cells due to apoptosis, the early development of hypoplasia in bone marrow and lymphoid organs, and pancytopenia in peripheral blood upon single intravenous injection in maximum tolerated doses to white outbred rats. Etoposide causes more severe apoptosis and myelotoxicity than irinotecan. The changes are reversible within one to three months.