Chemotherapy combination with cyclophosphamide (CTX) adriamycin (ADM), vincristine (VCR), and VP16-213 in small cell carcinoma of the lung (SCCL).

Twenty-four evaluable patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung were treated with an escalating chemotherapy regimen including Cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin, Vincristine and VP16-213. The initial doses were CTX 800 mg/m2 i.v. day 1; ADR 50 mg/m2 i.v. day 1; VCR 1.4 mg/m2 day 1 weekly; and VP16-213 100 mg/m1 i.v. days 14-18 every 4 weeks, CTX and ADR were escalated by 100 and 10 mg/m2 respectively in each subsequent cycle according to blood count. Hematologic toxicity was minimal and the treatment was well tolerated. Partial responses and complete responses were 9 of 19 and 5 of 19 respectively for patients with limited disease, and 4 of 5 respectively for patients with extensive disease. The overall response rate for the whole group was 79% These results must be considered preliminary.