Combination chemotherapy with cisplatin, etoposide and gallium chloride for lung cancer: individual adaptation of doses.

Abstract

Twelve inoperable lung cancer patients were treated with a combination chemotherapy of cisplatinum (CDDP) and etoposide (VP16), as a continuous infusion for 5 days, every 21 days, and with a daily oral administration of GaCl3. Dosages of CDDP and VP16 were adapted in order to obtain an area under the curve (AUC) of 80,000 micrograms l-1.h for plasma total platinum and of 200 mumol.l-1 h for plasma VP16 during each 120 h infusion. GaCl3 was given at the dosage of 400 mg/24h from the time of diagnosis at least until the evaluation after 3 courses of chemotherapy. An objective response was observed in 5 non small cell (NSCLC) lung cancer patients (group 1) and 3 small cell (SCLC) lung cancer patients (group 2). In the other 4 patients with a NSCLC no partial response was noted (group 3). No significant difference in area under the curve (AUC) was noted between the 3 groups, either for plasma total platinum (group 1 = 89,598 +/- 20,843 micrograms l-1.h; group 2 = 88,081 +/- 15,431 micrograms l-1.h; group 3 = 83,820 +/- 13,455 micrograms l-1.h), or for VP16 (group 1 = 227 +/- 41 mumol.l-1 h; group 2 = 217 +/- 29 mumol.l-1.h and group 3 = 211 +/- 30 mumol.l-1.h). The maximal plasma Ga concentrations were 244 +/- 34 micrograms/l in group 1, 112 +/- 57 micrograms/l in group 3 (p less than 0.005) and 243 +/- 132 micrograms/l in group 2. It was then decided to increase the dose of GaCl3 in the further non-responding patients. In 6 responders, 3 additional courses of this combination chemotherapy could have been given without major toxicity, allowing a much more important decrease in the tumor volume in 4 of them. This schedule of treatment should permit the chemotherapy to continue for longer than 6 courses, in order to improve the survival time.

• Authors: P Collery, M Morel, B Desoize, H Millart, D Perdu, A Prevost, H Vallerand, C Pechery, H Choisy, J C Etienne
• Journal: Anticancer research (Anticancer Res) 1991 Jul-Aug Vol. 11 Issue 4 Pg. 1529-32 ISSN: 0250-7005 [Print] Greece
• PMID: 1660690 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Gallium Radioisotopes
• gallium chloride
• Etoposide
• Gallium
• Cisplatin

Topics

• Adenocarcinoma (drug therapy, radiotherapy)
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (therapeutic use)
• Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung (drug therapy, radiotherapy)
• Carcinoma, Small Cell (drug therapy, radiotherapy)
• Carcinoma, Squamous Cell (drug therapy, radiotherapy)
• Cisplatin (administration & dosage)
• Drug Administration Schedule
• Etoposide (administration & dosage)
• Gallium (therapeutic use)
• Gallium Radioisotopes (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Lung Neoplasms (drug therapy, radiotherapy, therapy)
• Middle Aged