[Period of time patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer could remain at home during CIC--therapy (cisplatin + ifosfamide + CPT-11)].

Two phase I studies (CIC-therapy) were conducted in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to determine the maximum tolerable dose (MTD) of CPT-11 combined with cisplatin and ifosfamide, and MTD of cisplatin combined with CPT-11 and ifosfamide with G-CSF support, respectively. Both regimens were repeated every 4 weeks. G-CSF was administered on days 5 to 18. Eighty-eight patients were registered in both studies. The overall response rate was 59.1%, and the median survival time was 393 days. In all patients enrolled, we examined retrospectively the period of time they could remain at home during chemotherapy. We examined this period divided into day 1-18 and day 18-28 until the third course. Although myelotoxicity occurring during the third course was the most severe, the mean time was 7.1 days (day 1-18 2.2, day 18-28 4.9) for the first course, 10.1 days (day 1-18 4.0, day 18-28 6.0) for the second course, and 11.0 days (day 1-18 4.7, day 18-28 6.3) for the third course. Only two patients came to the hospital because of acute upper respiratory tract infection. Although CIC-therapy was an aggressive chemotherapy with G-CSF support, most of the patients were able to stay at home during chemotherapy.