title: Intensive cytosine arabinoside therapy in small cell carcinoma of the lung.
abstract: Cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) 100 mg/m2/d was given by continuous infusion to patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung in two simultaneous studies. In a first study, 10 patients who had failed prior therapy were treated with Ara-C alone. No responses were seen in these heavily pretreated patients and toxicity was severe. In a second study, Ara-C was added to the known active combination of cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, and vincristine (CAV) in 25 patients with extensive-stage small cell carcinoma with no prior treatment. Despite a clinical response rate of 52% (28% complete remissions, 24% partial remissions), the median survival was 169 days. This aggressive therapy approach produced substantial toxicity and no therapeutic benefit over previous regimens. Continuous infusion Ara-C (100 mg/m2/d X 3 days) used alone, or combined with CAV is not a useful agent for cell carcinoma of the lung.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000505:Alopecia / Q000139:chemically induced; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide