title: Role of topoisomerase I inhibitors in small-cell lung cancer.
abstract: Combination chemotherapy is the cornerstone of treatment that confers a meaningful survival benefit for patients with small-cell lung cancer. However, because there have been no major therapeutic advances for small-cell lung cancer during the last decade, more effective new treatments are necessary to improve the outcome of therapy. Irinotecan (CPT-11, Camptosar), a topoisomerase I inhibitor, is one of the new active agents that provide hope for more effective therapies. In single-agent phase II studies, irinotecan yielded response rates between 16% and 47% in patients with previously treated small-cell lung cancer. A phase II study of irinotecan in combination with cisplatin (Platinol) resulted in a response rate of 86% and a median survival of 13.0 months in patients with extensive-disease small-cell lung cancer. A phase III trial that was conducted by the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) clearly demonstrated a survival advantage for the combination of irinotecan and cisplatin vs the standard regimen of etoposide (VP-16, VePesid) and cisplatin. Based on these results, the irinotecan and cisplatin combination is a new standard regimen in the treatment of extensive-disease small-cell lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan. mfukuoka@med.kimdai.ac.jp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukuoka
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005047:Etoposide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D059004:Topoisomerase I Inhibitors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D059004:Topoisomerase I Inhibitors; D005047:Etoposide; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002945:Cisplatin; D002166:Camptothecin