title: New agents in the treatment of small cell lung cancer.
abstract: The treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has evolved significantly over the past 3 decades. Single-agent and combination chemotherapies given with radiotherapy have greatly improved response rates and median survival. Combination regimens such as cisplatin/etoposide, carboplatin/etoposide, ifosfamide/carboplatin/etoposide, cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin/vincristine, and etoposide/ifosfamide/cisplatin have all achieved good response rates. Improving long-term survival, however, has remained problematic. Treatment with biological response modifiers (interferons alpha and gamma) has not shown promise in this setting. New agents showing good preliminary single-agent activity in untreated SCLC include paclitaxel, vinorelbine, gemcitabine, topotecan, and teniposide. Results obtained with single-agent docetaxel and CPT-11 are thus far inconclusive. Studies evaluating response and survival rates of these new agents in combination with agents of known activity are underway.
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghaemmaghami
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Jett
mesh_terms: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077143:Docetaxel; D015507:Drugs, Investigational / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017290:Menogaril / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D043823:Taxoids; D013713:Teniposide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019772:Topotecan / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D015507:Drugs, Investigational; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D043823:Taxoids; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000077143:Docetaxel; D014747:Vinblastine; D000077146:Irinotecan; D019772:Topotecan; D017290:Menogaril; D013713:Teniposide; D017239:Paclitaxel; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D002166:Camptothecin; D000093542:Gemcitabine