Yeungnam Univ J Med.  2014 Dec;31(2):82-88. 10.12701/yujm.2014.31.2.82.

Weekly irinotecan and carboplatin for patients with small cell lung cancer

• Lee HW
• Jeong EG
• Kim DH
• Lee H
• Kang BH
• Um SJ
• Roh M
• Son C

• KMID: 1909812
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12701/yujm.2014.31.2.82

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide and in Korea, and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is the most deadly tumor type in the different lung cancer histology. Chemotherapy is the main strategy of the treatment for SCLC, and etoposide and platinum regimen has been the only standard chemotherapy for about 30 years. To test feasibility of weekly divided dose irinotecan and carboplatin for Korean patients is the aim of this study.
METHODS
Patients with histologically or cytologically confirmed extensive stage SCLC were included. Patients with limited stage (LD), who could not tolerate concurrent chemoradiotherapy were also included. All the patients received irinotecan 60 mg/m2, carboplatin 2 area under the curve at day 1, 8, and 15 every 4 weeks. Study regimen was discontinued when the disease progressed or intolerable side effects occurred. No more than 6 cycles of chemotherapy were given.
RESULTS
Total 47 patients were enrolled, among them 9 patients were LD. Overall response rate was 74.5% (complete response, 14.9%; partial response, 59.6%). Side effects greater than grade 3 were neutropenia (25.5%), fatigue (12.8%), thrombocytopenia (8.5%), sepsis (4.3%), and pancytopenia (2.1%). There was no treatment related death.
CONCLUSION
Weekly divided irinotecan and carboplatin regimen is effective, and safe as a first line therapy for both stage of SCLC. Large scaled, controlled study is feasible.

Keyword

Cisplatin; Irinotecan; Small cell lung carcinoma

MeSH Terms

Carboplatin*
Chemoradiotherapy
Cisplatin
Drug Therapy
Etoposide
Fatigue
Humans
Korea
Lung Neoplasms
Neutropenia
Pancytopenia
Platinum
Sepsis
Small Cell Lung Carcinoma*
Thrombocytopenia
Carboplatin
Cisplatin
Etoposide
Platinum