Achieving full-dose, on-schedule administration of ACE chemotherapy every 14 days for the treatment of patients with extensive small-cell lung cancer.
Extensive small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is commonly treated with multiple cycles of chemotherapy. Reducing the time interval between cycles of chemotherapy (dose-dense chemotherapy) may improve outcomes in the treatment of extensive SCLC, as it has in other chemosensitive malignancies. To evaluate the feasibility of dose-dense chemotherapy in patients with extensive SCLC, this study evaluates a dose-dense doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide/etoposide (ACE) regimen, supported by the once-per-cycle administration of the hematopoietic growth factor pegfilgrastim. Patients received up to six 14-day cycles of ACE chemotherapy (doxorubicin 40 mg/m,(2) cyclophosphamide 1000 mg/m(2), etoposide 120 mg/m(2) on day 1 IV, plus oral etoposide 240 mg/m(2) daily on days 2-3). On day 4 of each cycle, patients received pegfilgrastim 6 mg by subcutaneous injection. Of 30 patients enrolled, 27 started chemotherapy and received pegfilgrastim. Full-dose, on-schedule chemotherapy was given to all 22 patients starting cycle 2, and in 107 (88%) of 121 cycles. Eighteen of the 27 patients (67%) received full-dose, on-schedule chemotherapy for all 6 cycles. The overall response rate was 17/27 (63%). Nine patients (33%) experienced hematologic toxicities that investigators considered severe or life-threatening. Four patients (15%) had febrile neutropenia. Full-dose, on-schedule dose-dense ACE chemotherapy is feasible with once-per-cycle pegfilgrastim support in extensive SCLC.
Pirker
R
R
Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090, Vienna, Austria. robert.pirker@meduniwien.ac.at
Ulsperger
E
E
Messner
J
J
Aigner
K
K
Forstner
B
B
Bacon
P
P
Easton
V
V
Skacel
T
T
D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D005047:Etoposide; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide