Non-cross-resistant chemotherapy and consolidation radiotherapy for small cell carcinoma of the lung.

Fifty-six patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung were treated with a two-cyclic induction course of hexamethylmelamine, vincristine, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide. Patients with limited disease (LD) who responded and patients with extensive disease (ED) who had a complete response received prophylactic whole-brain radiotherapy, as well as radiotherapy to thoracic and abdominal sites of disease. Concurrently with radiotherapy, consolidation chemotherapy was given with doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and etoposide. The complete response rate was 35% for ED patients and 68% for LD patients. The median survival time for complete responders was 54 weeks for ED patients and 65 weeks for LD patients. The toxicity of the program was moderate, and the effectiveness was comparable to that of other reported combined-modality treatment programs.