[Immediate versus delayed topotecan after first-line therapy in small cell lung cancer].
OBJECTIVE
How to prolong progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has been one of the hottest issues. We retrospectively reviewed our data to compare the survival of immediate with delayed topotecan after first-line therapy in SCLC.


METHODS
In our retrospective study, 53 patients with SCLC were divided into two groups as follow: patients receiving topotecan-containing regimen as maintenance/consolidation (maintenance/consolidation chemotherapy group) and salvage chemotherapy (salvage chemotherapy group). The Log-rank test was used to assess the difference in OS between two groups. Cox regression model was used for the multivariable analysis of independent prognostic factors.


RESULTS
Twenty-nine patients received topotecan as maintenance/consolidation treatment, whereas 24 patients salvage chemotherapy. The response rates were 51.7% and 41.7%, respectively. The median survival time were 20 months and 27 months respectively (P = 0.89). Multivariate Cox regression analyses identified sex and stage as independent prognostic factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Efficacy of first-line therapy was improved by topotecan maintenance/ consolidation treatment, which did not result in any significant survival benefits in SCLC.
Jiang
Wei
W
State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China.
Zhang
Yang
Y
Zhao
Hongyun
H
Xu
Guangchuan
G
Lin
Liping
L
Zhao
Yuanyuan
Y
Xue
Cong
C
Zhang
Li
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D019772:Topotecan / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019772:Topotecan