title: Phase II study of a 3-week schedule of irinotecan combined with cisplatin in previously untreated extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Irinotecan has been introduced to improve the treatment of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). We conducted a trial involving a 3-week schedule of irinotecan combined with cisplatin (IP) to validate the efficacy and toxicity of this regimen in patients with previously untreated extensive-stage SCLC (ES-SCLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight patients with previously untreated ES-SCLC were enrolled in the study between January 2003 and December 2005. Irinotecan 60 mg/m(2) was administered intravenously on days 1 and 8 in combination with cisplatin 60 mg/m(2) on day 1 every 21 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-eight patients were followed until July 2007. The median follow-up time was 15.6 months. The actual dose intensities (DIs) of cisplatin and irinotecan were 97.7 and 92.2%, respectively. Among the 28 ES-SCLC patients, the objective response rate was 89.3% (25 patients). The major grade 3/4 hematological toxicity was neutropenia (26.9% of cycles). Grade 3/4 non-hematological toxicities were rare. The median progression-free and overall survival times were 8.7 and 16.5 months, with a 1-year survival rate of 66.6% and 2-year survival rate of 22.2%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 3-week schedule of IP was feasible and showed a high DI of irinotecan and decreased toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital and Cancer Research Institute, Daejeon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hee Sun
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sung Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Ju Ock
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sun Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002945:Cisplatin; D002166:Camptothecin