title: Irinotecan plus cisplatin in small-cell lung cancer.
abstract: The DNA topoisomerase inhibitor irinotecan (CPT-11, Camptosar) is being evaluated as a novel chemotherapeutic agent for small-cell lung cancer that may complement other agents and treatment modalities. Combination chemotherapy is recognized as the most effective means of improving survival in patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer, but until recently, no one combination had emerged as superior. In a recent Japanese phase III study, irinotecan in combination with cisplatin significantly improved survival of previously untreated patients with extensive small-cell lung cancer compared with standard etoposide/cisplatin therapy (median progression-free survival: 6.9 vs 4.8 months, P < .001; median overall survival: 12.8 vs 9.4 months, P = .0021). Two additional phase III trials are planned to confirm these results in the United States, and to investigate how the irinotecan/cisplatin administration schedule may be modified to improve therapeutic index. This article will review the use of irinotecan in combination with cisplatin in patients with small-cell lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-5536, USA. alan.sandler@mcmail.vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sandler
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D000077146:Irinotecan; D002945:Cisplatin; D002166:Camptothecin