title: [Randomized clinical trial of IEP and EP regimens in the treatment of patients with small cell lung cancer].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To observe and compare the efficacy and safety of IEP and EP regimens for small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four patients with SCLC pathologically proved were randomly divided into IEP group ( n =32) and EP group ( n =32).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the 64 patients were evaluable for response and toxicity. In IEP group, the total responsive rate, responsive rates of limited-stage patients and extensive-stage patients were 84.4%(27/32), 100.0%(15/15) and 70.6%(12/17) respectively; while in EP group, those were 75.0%(24/32), 85.7%(12/14) and 66.7% (12/18) respectively. The median duration of remission was 6 months and 1-year survival rate was 62.5% in IEP group, and 5 months and 56.2% in EP group. There was no significant difference in response rate, median duration of remission and 1-year survival between the two groups ( P > 0.05). The main toxicity was myelosuppression. Incidences of leukopenia at grade III-IV, nausea, vomiting and alopecia were significantly higher in the IEP arm than those in the EP arm ( P < 0.01 ).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High response rates and tolerable toxicities are attainable for small cell lung cancer treated with IEP and EP. IEP regimen shows a similar response rate compared with EP regimen. They might be considered as relevant regimens in initial patients with small cell lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Hunan Cancer Hospital, Changsha, Hunan 410006, P.R.China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Anlan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhihua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Wenwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou