New directions for chemotherapy in non-small-cell lung cancer.
Currently, only a few chemotherapeutic agents (ifosfamide, mitomycin, vinblastine, and vindesine) have consistently produced single-agent response rates greater than 15% in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). While combination chemotherapy with these and other agents may prolong survival in some patients with advanced disease, complete responses and long-term disease control are achieved only infrequently. In recent years, several new drugs have produced single-agent response rates above 20% in phase I/II trials. These results have brightened the prospects for chemotherapy against NSCLC. This article reviews available data for several of these agents: navelbine, which is an analogue of vinblastine, the camptothecins CTP-11 and topotecan, and taxol, the first of a novel class of antimicrotubule drugs.
Green
M R
MR
Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019772:Topotecan; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077235:Vinorelbine
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D014747:Vinblastine; D000077146:Irinotecan; D019772:Topotecan; D017239:Paclitaxel; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D002166:Camptothecin