Vindesine in the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma of the lung.

The antineoplastic activity of vindesine was evaluated in a phase II trial in patients with squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma of the lung. Sixty-three patients participated in the trial: 22 with squamous cell carcinoma, 25 with adenocarcinoma, and 16 with large cell carcinoma. Most of the patients had not received prior treatment; six had received single-agent chemotherapy. The dose of vindesine was 4 mg/m2 every 2 weeks, reduced or increased according to hematologic and neurologic side effects. Fifty-four patients were evaluable. Objective response was observed in two of 19 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (11%), in six of 22 patients with adenocarcinoma (27%), and in one of 13 patients with large cell carcinoma (8%). In patients with adenocarcinoma the median duration of response was 196 days (range, 71-450+). Twenty-five percent of the evaluable patients received greater than or equal to 100% of the scheduled dose. In 39% of the patients, dose reductions were necessary because of leukopenia, and in 63%, dose modifications were necessary because of neurotoxic effects. It is concluded that vindesine as a single-agent chemotherapy is active against adenocarcinoma of the lung. Activity in squamous cell carcinoma and large cell carcinoma appears to be less, but not totally absent.