title: Phase II study of amrubicin in previously untreated patients with extensive-disease small cell lung cancer: West Japan Thoracic Oncology Group (WJTOG) study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of amrubicin, (+)-(7S, 9S)-9-acetyl-9-amino-7-[(2-deoxy-beta-D-erythro-pentopyranosyl )oxy]-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-6,11-dihydroxy-5,12-naphthacenedione hydrochloride, in previously untreated patients with extensive-disease small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 35 previously untreated patients with extensive-disease SCLC were entered into the study. Amrubicin was given by daily intravenous infusion at 45 mg/m(2)/day for 3 consecutive days, every 3 weeks. Unless there was tumor regression of 25% or greater after the first cycle, or 50% or greater after the second cycle, treatment was switched to salvage chemotherapy in combination with etoposide (100 mg/m(2), days 1, 2, and 3) and cisplatin (80 mg/m(2), day 1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 35 patients entered, 33 were eligible and assessable for efficacy and toxicity. Of the 33 patients, 3 (9.1%) had a complete response (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.9-24.3%) and 22 had a partial response, for an overall response rate of 75.8% (95% CI, 57.7-88.9%). Median survival time was 11.7 months (95% CI, 9.9-15.3 months), and 1-year and 2-year survival rates were 48.5% and 20.2%, respectively. The most common toxicity was hematologic. Non-hematologic toxicity of grade 3 or 4 was only seen in 3 patients with anorexia (9.1%) and 1 patient with alopecia (3.0%). Salvage chemotherapy was administered to only 6 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Amrubicin was active for extensive-disease SCLC with acceptable toxicity. Further studies in combination with other agents for SCLC are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka Prefectural Habikino Hospital, Habikino, Osaka, Japan. t-yana@otemae.gr.jp
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yana
authors.forename: Shunichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Negoro
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takada
authors.forename: Soichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yokota
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takada
authors.forename: Takahiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugiura
authors.forename: Hidehiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sawa
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawahara
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Katakami
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ariyoshi
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukuoka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018943:Anthracyclines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005047:Etoposide; C055866:amrubicin; D002945:Cisplatin