Second-line chemotherapy with weekly cisplatin and irinotecan in patients with refractory lung cancer.
Cisplatin and irinotecan are reported to act synergistically. The authors have conducted a phase II trial combining cisplatin and irinotecan in patients with refractory lung cancer to evaluate the activity and safety of the regimen. Twenty-one patients, who had not responded to prior platinum-based chemotherapy, were entered into the study. Both cisplatin (30 mg/m2) and irinotecan (60 mg/m2) were administrated on days 1, 8, and 15, and the regimen was repeated every 28 days. There were six partial responses, and the response rate was 29% (95% confidence interval, 11.3%-52.2%). The median survival time of all patients was 32 weeks, and 1-year and 2-year survival rates were 43% and 11%, respectively. Major toxicities were hematologic; leukopenia of grades 3 and 4 developed in 43% patients, anemia developed in 38%, and thrombocytopenia developed in 19%. One notable nonhematologic toxicity was diarrhea; which was grade 3 in 38%. The weekly chemotherapy combining cisplatin and irinotecan was active against lung cancer, which is refractory to platinum-based chemotherapy. However, skips of drug administration or dose reduction were necessary in 76% patients during two courses of planned administration, though the ratio of actual dose to scheduled dose was 81%. Dose modification would be necessary to yield better results by this weekly chemotherapy.
Nakanishi
Y
Y
Research Institute for Diseases of the Chest, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Takayama
K
K
Takano
K
K
Inoue
K
K
Osaki
S
S
Wataya
H
H
Takaki
Y
Y
Minami
T
T
Kawasaki
M
M
Hara
N
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016019:Survival Analysis
D000077146:Irinotecan; D002945:Cisplatin; D002166:Camptothecin