A phase II study of carboplatin and prolonged administration of oral etoposide in patients with small-cell lung cancer.
Prolonged oral administration of etoposide may have a theoretical advantage over intravenous infusion, and carboplatin has a more favorable toxicity profile than cisplatin. A combination of carboplatin 300 mg/m2 and oral etoposide 40 mg/m2/day for 21 days was assessed in 74 (42 limited, 32 extensive disease) previously untreated patients with small-cell lung cancer. Response rate was 69% (CR 19%, PR 50%,) for limited disease and 72% (CR 9%, PR 63%) for extensive disease. Median response duration and overall survival was 6.6 and 10.1 months for limited disease, and 5.3 and 9.1 months for extensive disease, respectively. One-year and two-year survival was 36 and 10% for limited disease and 31 and 2% for extensive disease, respectively. The major toxicity was hematological with grade 4 or greater neutropenia in 36% and grade 4 thrombocytopenia in 16%, and one patient died of neutropenic fever. Non-hematologic toxicities were mild and grade 3 emesis was observed in 5% of patients. Carboplatin combined with 21-day oral etoposide showed only modest activity against small-cell lung cancer with high toxicity and did not merit further evaluation.
Minami
H
H
Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
Saka
H
H
Sakai
S
S
Yamamoto
M
M
Shimokata
K
K
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D015996:Survival Rate; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced
D005047:Etoposide; D016190:Carboplatin