title: Etoposide combination therapy for small cell carcinoma of the lung.
abstract: Sixty-three consecutive patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung were treated by six cycles at 3-week intervals of etoposide 120 mg/m2 i.v. on day 1 and orally on days 2-5, adriamycin 40 mg/m2 i.v. on day 1 and vincristine 1.4 mg/m2 i.v. on day 1. Tumour bed irradiation was administered to patients with limited disease after chemotherapy. In limited-disease and extensive-disease patients the median survival was 12 and 6 months respectively. The 2-year survival rate (life table) in limited-disease patients was 26%. Treatment morbidity was low. A prospective randomised trial is being undertaken to further evaluate the role of oral etoposide in combination chemotherapy.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005047:Etoposide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014750:Vincristine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014750:Vincristine; D005047:Etoposide; D004317:Doxorubicin