title: Salvage chemotherapy with CCNU and methotrexate for small cell lung cancer resistant to CAV/PE alternating chemotherapy.
abstract: CCNU and methotrexate were employed as salvage treatment in 34 small cell lung cancer patients resistant to CAV/PE alternating induction chemotherapy. In the 33 evaluable patients we observed an objective response rate of 21.2% and 3% complete response; median survival was 4 months with 2 patients alive 18 months from starting salvages chemotherapy. The treatment was well tolerated. CCNU and methotrexate has shown to be a moderately active and tolerable salvage treatment for small cell lung cancer after CAV/PE alternating first-line chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Oncologia Medica, II Facoltà di Medicina, Università di Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gridelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Contegiacomo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lauria
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Airoma
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Placido
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Perrone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferrante
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bianco
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D008130:Lomustine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D014750:Vincristine; D005047:Etoposide; D008130:Lomustine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D002945:Cisplatin; D008727:Methotrexate