Phase II trial of therapy with etoposide, 5-fluorouracil by continuous infusion, cisplatin, and simultaneous split-course radiation in stage III non-small cell bronchogenic carcinoma.

Survival of patients who have clinical stage IIIM0 non-small cell bronchogenic carcinoma remains relatively short despite treatment with either surgery or radiation. Results from a phase II study of simultaneous continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil, cisplatin, and split-course radiation with or without surgery indicate that median survival duration in patients treated with this combined modality approach may be better than the median survival for patients treated with radiation alone. Etoposide has been added to this regimen, and 32 stage IIIM0 non-small cell lung cancer patients have been treated with the 3-drug regimen resulting in a 73% clinical partial remission rate. No residual tumor was found in 6 of 12 patients who had pulmonary resection after 4 courses of chemotherapy and radiation. The sites of failure in 8 patients with recurrent disease are as follows: local only, 3; distant only, 4; and local and distant, 1. The major toxicities have been leukopenia, nausea, and vomiting. The median leukocyte nadir was 2,400/mm3. A leukocyte count less than 1,000/mm3 was observed in 2 patients (7%), 1 of whom died of progressive pneumonia. All patients experienced nausea, vomiting, and anorexia. Severe esophagitis, dermatitis, and pneumonitis were not observed. Survival analysis has not been done because median follow-up time (326 days) is relatively short.