Docetaxel and irinotecan as first-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to evaluate the activity and toxicity of the combination docetaxel and irinotecan as first-line therapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).


METHODS
Twenty-two chemotherapy-naive patients with stage IIIB with pleural effusion or stage IV NSCLC received irinotecan 50 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15, and docetaxel 50 mg/m2 on day 2, every 28 days until disease progression.


RESULTS
Median follow-up was 10 months (range: 2-28 months). The overall response rate was 36.4% (8/22 patients; 95% confidence interval: 16.8-56.0), with no complete responses. Median time to disease progression was 5 months (range: 1-24 months) and median overall survival was 10 months (range: 2-28). Grade 3-4 diarrhea was observed in 2 patients (9.1%). Grade 3-4 neutropenia occurred in 2 patients (9.1%): 1 episode of febrile neutropenia in one patient, and 1 death due to neutropenic sepsis in another patient. One patient received transfusion for grade 4 anemia.


CONCLUSIONS
Irinotecan showed a moderate response rate and overall survival of clinical interest. Diarrhea was the main toxicity. This regimen may be suitable for patients unable to tolerate cisplatin-based therapy, for elderly and/or for patients with poor performance status, and should be investigated in a larger trial.
Abou-Mourad
Yasser
Y
The American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
Otrock
Zaher K
ZK
Makarem
Jawad A
JA
Kattan
Joseph G
JG
Farhat
Fadi S
FS
Jalloul
Rahif
R
Mokaddem
Walid T
WT
Ghosen
Marwan G
MG
Taher
Ali T
AT
Chehal
Aref A
AA
Shamseddine
Ali I
AI
D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000633:toxicity; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity
D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002166:Camptothecin