Phase II study of paclitaxel and irinotecan chemotherapy in patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
We conducted a phase II study of combination chemotherapy with paclitaxel (Pac) and irinotrecan (CPT) to determine the qualitative and quantitative toxicities and efficacy of the combination against advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC).


METHODS
Patients with stage IIIB or IV NSCLC were treated with CPT at 60 mg/m and Pac at 160 mg/m2 every 2 weeks.


RESULTS
Between May 2002 and July 2004, 39 of registered 46 patients received 4 to 6 cycles of chemotherapy, and 7 patients discontinued treatment because of disease progression in 5 patients and grade 2 pneumonitis in 2 patients. Grade 3 anemia, leukopenia, neutropenia, and elevation of bilirubin occurred in 4.0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 0.5%, respectively. Twenty-one patients responded, and the overall response rate was 45.6%. The median survival time was 355 days and the 1-year survival rate was 47.8%.


CONCLUSIONS
Pac plus CPT was efficacious and safe in NSCLC.
Oshita
Fumihiro
F
Department of Thoracic Oncology, Kanagawa Cancer Center, Yokohama, Japan. foshita@kcch.jp
Saito
Haruhiro
H
Yamada
Kouzo
K
Noda
Kazumasa
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D020714:Maximum Tolerated Dose; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000077146:Irinotecan; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002166:Camptothecin