Alternating chemotherapy for small-cell lung cancer. A twelve-week schedule of six drugs

We have treated sixty-two patients (21 with limited disease, 41 with extensive disease), on an outpatient-basis schedule of six drugs administered weekly for twelve weeks. Cyclophosphamide, 400 mg/m2, adriamycin, 20 mg/m2 and vincristine, 2 mg, full dose, were administered during weeks 1, 5 and 9; cisplatin, 50 mg/m2 and etoposide, 100 mg/m2 during weeks 2, 6 and 10; adriamycin and vincristine at the same doses during weeks 3, 7 and 11; methotrexate 30 mg/m2, during weeks 4, 8 and 12. After the first 28 patients vincristine was replaced by teniposide (VM-26) due to neurotoxicity. The overall response rate was 64.5% (complete remission 13 p., partial remission 27 p.). Toxicity grade 3-4, mainly nausea and vomiting or neutropenia, was recorded in 17 patients. Alopecia grade 1-2 was universal. One toxic death occurred from sepsis. The overall survival was 8 months (range 1-40), (95% CL: 53-77%); 8 months in limited disease (range 1-40), and 7 months in extensive disease (range 1-23). Time to treatment failure was 6 months (7 limited disease, 5 extensive disease). In conclusion, the results of this alternating schedule are poorer than those attained with standard, high-dose treatments, mainly in limited disease, but could be a less toxic option for patients with extensive disease.