Evaluation of cisplatin, carboplatin, and etoposide in metastatic nonsmall cell lung carcinoma. A phase II study of the Southwest Oncology Group.

BACKGROUND

The combined use of cisplatin and carboplatin chemotherapy offers a unique means of platinum dose intensification. Response rates using either of these agents in combination with etoposide are comparable. In a Phase II trial, the authors investigated the combination of cisplatin and carboplatin with etoposide for the treatment of patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung carcinoma.

METHODS

Eligible patients were chemotherapy naive and had histologically confirmed, evaluable, or measurable selected Stage IIIB and Stage IV nonsmall cell lung carcinoma. Based upon the results of an earlier Phase I and II pilot study, patients received carboplatin, 225 mg/m2, on Day 1; cisplatin, 50 mg/m2, on Days 2 and 3; and etoposide, 75 mg/m2, on Days 1, 2, and 3 every-4-weeks.

RESULTS

Eighty-three patients (75 eligible patients) received chemotherapy with cisplatin, carboplatin, and etoposide. Two patients refused therapy after registration and were not analyzable. Thirty-six of the remaining 75 patients had Grade 4 toxicities, mostly hematologic, and 6 patients died of toxicity. The confirmed response rate was 24% (95% confidence interval, 15-35%). Median progression-free survival was 4 months and the median survival was 8 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Combination cisplatin, carboplatin, and etoposide chemotherapy appears to be no better than cisplatin/etoposide or carboplatin/etoposide for the treatment of patients with nonsmall cell lung carcinoma. The toxicity of this regimen may be higher, and therefore it cannot be recommended for general use.