Carboplatin/etoposide in small cell lung cancer

Carboplatin/etoposide is an active combination in small cell lung cancer. In phase II studies, it produces results that appear equivalent to cisplatin/etoposide, but it has not been compared in a randomized study. It has a better toxicity profile than cisplatin/etoposide when compared in non-small cell lung cancer. The combination of carboplatin/etoposide is very well tolerated by elderly patients. Carboplatin/etoposide lacks important nonhematologic side effects, which has led to its assessment in dose escalation studies with colony-stimulating factors and autologous bone marrow transplantation.