Irinotecan plus cisplatin in small-cell lung cancer

The DNA topoisomerase inhibitor irinotecan (CPT-11, Camptosar) is being evaluated as a novel chemotherapeutic agent for small-cell lung cancer that may complement other agents and treatment modalities. Combination chemotherapy is recognized as the most effective means of improving survival in patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer, but until recently, no one combination had emerged as superior. In a recent Japanese phase III study, irinotecan in combination with cisplatin significantly improved survival of previously untreated patients with extensive small-cell lung cancer compared with standard etoposide/cisplatin therapy (median progression-free survival: 6.9 vs 4.8 months, P < .001; median overall survival: 12.8 vs 9.4 months, P = .0021). Two additional phase III trials are planned to confirm these results in the United States, and to investigate how the irinotecan/cisplatin administration schedule may be modified to improve therapeutic index. This article will review the use of irinotecan in combination with cisplatin in patients with small-cell lung cancer.