title: [The toxicity/efficacy relationship in polychemotherapy of lung neoplasms].
abstract: Although it is generally accepted that anti-cancer chemotherapy should be administered at the maximum tolerable dose, it is not clearly established that the therapeutic results at dosage levels involving maximum tolerable toxicity are really superior to those with lower, better tolerated doses. 392 patients with advanced primary lung cancer were treated with 5 chemotherapy regimens including cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, vincristine, procarbazine, hydroxyurea, adriamycin and CCNU, in combinations of 3 to 7 agents. Response rates of 50% and over were registered after 8 weeks of treatment. During the same time the intensity of leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, vomiting, other digestive toxicity, neurologic disorders and alopecia was graded according to the worst observation from 0 to 4. The results show that there is no correlation between the grade of toxicity and the rate of response either for the whole group or for subgroups of patients as defined by cell type, degree of dissemination, age, or performance status. They demonstrate that the search for maximum tolerable toxicity is not a sine qua non for the best possible response to chemotherapy in primary lung cancer.
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
vernacular_title: Etude de la relation toxicité/efficacité dans la polychimiothérapie des cancers pulmonaires.