Second-line chemotherapy with weekly paclitaxel and gemcitabine in patients with small-cell lung cancer pretreated with platinum and etoposide: a single institution phase II trial.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

The safety and efficacy of a combined regimen of weekly paclitaxel and gemcitabine was tested in patients with refractory and sensitive small-cell lung cancer (SCLC).

METHODS:

Treatment consisted of paclitaxel 80 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8, 15 and gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks. Of the 31 patients enrolled, 10 had refractory and 21 had sensitive disease. Objective responses occurred in 8 patients (26%), including 2 out of 10 patients with refractory- and 6 out of 21 patients with sensitive SCLC. Median time to progression and median survival were 9.4 and 32 weeks, respectively.

RESULTS:

The schedule was very well tolerated, with grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia in 26% of the patients, grade 3 neutropenia in 26%, grade 3-4 asthenia in 13% and grade 1-2 sensory neuropathy in 32%.

CONCLUSION:

To conclude, this weekly schedule of paclitaxel and gemcitabine was found to have moderate activity in platinum-etoposide pretreated SCLC patients and a favorable toxicity profile.

• Authors: Vincenzo Dongiovanni, Lucio Buffoni, Alfredo Berruti, Diego Dongiovanni, Raffaella Grillo, Carla Barone, Alfredo Addeo, Camilla Fissore, Oscar Bertetto
• Journal: Cancer chemotherapy and pharmacology (Cancer Chemother Pharmacol) Vol. 58 Issue 2 Pg. 203-9 (Aug 2006) ISSN: 0344-5704 [Print] Germany
• PMID: 16331497 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Phase II, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Deoxycytidine
• Etoposide
• Carboplatin
• Paclitaxel
• Cisplatin
• Gemcitabine

Topics

• Aged
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Carboplatin (administration & dosage)
• Carcinoma, Small Cell (drug therapy)
• Cisplatin (administration & dosage)
• Deoxycytidine (administration & dosage, analogs & derivatives)
• Etoposide (administration & dosage)
• Female
• Humans
• Lung Neoplasms (drug therapy)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Paclitaxel (administration & dosage)
• Gemcitabine