[Randomized systemic chemotherapy using two or three drug combination for small cell lung cancer (SCLC)].

Randomized trials were sequentially performed in SCLC patients using a two-drug combination (ACNU . VCR, ADM . VCR) and a three-drug combination (ACNU . CPA . VCR, ACNU . ADM . VCR). The response rate for the two-drug regimen was 36.4% (8/22 cases) and that for the three-drug combination was 60.0% (15/25 cases). The median survival time of the two groups was 7 and 9 months, respectively. The group with PS. 0-1 showed a better prognosis than that with PS. 2-3 (p = 0.03). No fatal side effects were experienced in this protocol. These data suggest that the three-drug combination (ACNU . VCR . CPA) represents an active regimen for SCLC.