Teniposide (VM-26) and carboplatin as initial therapy for small cell lung cancer

Forty-four patients with previously untreated histologically proven small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were treated with a combination of teniposide 60 mg/m2 intravenously (IV) on days 1 through 5 and carboplatin 400 mg/m2 IV on day 1 every 28 days for six courses. Patients with limited disease (LD) subsequently received prophylactic cranial and thoracic radiotherapy. Of the 44 patients, 40 were evaluable for response: 31 (78%) achieved an objective response; 9 of 18 patients (50%) with LD had a complete response (CR), with a partial response (PR) plus CR rate of 78%. Two of 22 patients (9%) with extensive disease achieved a CR, with a combined PR and CR rate of 77%. Median duration of response for all evaluable patients was 253 days (36 weeks). Median duration of survival for LD patients was 368 days (52 weeks). Survival of LD patients was 86% at 6 months, 52% at 12 months, and 26% at 18 months. Median duration of survival for all patients in the study was 275 days, with a survival of 79% at 6 months, 36% at 1 year, and 12% at 18 months. Myelosuppression was the main toxicity, with World Health Organization (WHO) grade 3 or 4 infection occurring in 38% of patients. However, no patient died of sepsis or hemorrhage. Treatment was otherwise well tolerated, with no neurotoxicity or nephrotoxicity documented. The high activity of this drug combination justifies its use as first-line treatment of previously untreated SCLC.