Therapy of small cell lung cancer with emphasis on oral topotecan.
Systemic chemotherapy plays the major role in the management of patients with small cell lung cancer. Cisplatin plus etoposide is the most widely used regimen and is considered as standard in patients with limited disease. Cisplatin plus irinotecan improved survival compared to cisplatin plus etoposide in a Japanese trial but failed to do so in two trials in Caucasians. Cisplatin plus topotecan had similar efficacy compared to cisplatin plus etoposide in patients with extensive disease. In the second-line setting, topotecan showed similar efficacy but better tolerability compared to cyclophosphamide, doxorubin plus vincristine. Oral topotecan was as efficacious as its intravenous formulation and was shown to improve survival compared to best supportive care alone in patients previously treated with chemotherapy. Thus topotecan is considered as the standard second-line chemotherapy in patients with small cell lung cancer.
Pirker
Robert
R
Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. robert.pirker@meduniwien.ac.at
Berzinec
Peter
P
Brincat
Stephen
S
Kasan
Peter
P
Ostoros
Gyula
G
Pesek
Milos
M
Plāte
Signe
S
Purkalne
Gunta
G
Rooneem
Regina
R
Skricková
Jana
J
Stanculeanu
Dana
D
Timcheva
Constanta
C
Tzekova
Valentina
V
Zakotnik
Branko
B
Zielinski
Christoph C
CC
Zwitter
Matjaz
M
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D059004:Topoisomerase I Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019772:Topotecan / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D059004:Topoisomerase I Inhibitors; D019772:Topotecan