title: Front-line paclitaxel and irinotecan combination chemotherapy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a phase I-II trial.
abstract: Our purpose was to determine the efficacy of irinotecan plus paclitaxel administered on day 1, repeated every 2 weeks, in untreated patients with advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In total, 56 patients with inoperable or metastatic stage III and IV NSCLC with a histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis were enrolled. None of the patients had undergone prior chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Treatment involved irinotecan 125 mg m(-2) and paclitaxel 135 mg m(-2) administered on day 1 and repeated every 2 weeks for a planned number of nine cycles. With a standard dose of paclitaxel at 135 mg m(-2), the dosage of irinotecan was escalated at four levels: 75, 100, 125 and 150 mg m(-2); 125 mg m(-2) was established as the maximum tolerated dose; this dosage was administered to 46 patients. A total of 52 patients (median age 65 years, range 38-77 years) were assessable for toxicity and survival and 46 for response rate. Out of 46 evaluable patients, 19 achieved partial response (41.3%), 17 had stable disease (37%) and 10 (21.7%) experienced disease progression. The median duration of response was 6 months (range 2-9+ months). The main adverse reactions were myelotoxicity (grades 3 and 4) in 10 (19.2%) patients and diarrhoea (grade 3) in four (7.7%) patients. Irinotecan combined with paclitaxel, administered every 2 weeks, appears to be an effective treatment for advanced-stage NSCLC.
authors.affiliation: First Oncology Deptartment, Errikos Dunant Hospital, Athens, Greece. dr-gps@ath.forthnet.gr
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Stathopoulos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dimitroulis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Antoniou
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Katis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tsavdaridis
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Armenaki
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marosis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Michalopoulou
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grigoratou
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stathopoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000077146:Irinotecan; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002166:Camptothecin