Chemotherapy of advanced non-small cell lung cancer with the use of cis-platinum and VP 16-213.

Twenty eight patients (22 males, 6 females), with mean age of 55 years (range 34-71 years) were given combination chemotherapy consisting of Cis-platinum and VP 16-213 (Etoposide). The schedule was Cis-platinum, 20 mg/m2 and VP 16-213, 60 mg/m2, each given for 5 consecutive days and repeated every 4 weeks. Histological subgroups were adenocarcinoma 15, squamous cell carcinoma 9 and large cell carcinoma 4. Prior therapy was radiotherapy in 2 and no treatment in 15 patients. The ECOG performance status was 0-1 in 9 patients and 2-3 in 9 patients. Eight patients had limited disease and 20 had extensive disease. Nine of 28 patients responded, 1 CR and 8 PR's, with an overall response rate of 32%. The median duration of response was 23 weeks. Response rates according to histologic types were similar. Important prognostic factors for response were performance status, stage of the diseases and age below 55 years. Median survival was significantly longer for patients with limited disease vs extensive disease (41 vs 22.5 weeks) and in responders vs non-responders (42 vs 22 weeks). Toxicity was tolerable. This regimen is recommended for subsets of patients with the above prognostic factors.