Oral etoposide preceding cisplatin in advanced non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A phase II study

Forty male patients with locally advanced (LD; 11 patients) and extensive (ED; 29 patients) NSCLC were treated with oral etoposide (240 mg/m2 days 1-3) preceding intravenous cisplatin (100 mg/m2 day 4) at 4 weekly intervals. Eleven patients achieved major response (27.5%; 1 CR, 10 PR). Minor response (MR) occurred in seven patients (17.5%); stable disease (SD) in seven patients (17.5%) and progressive disease (PD) in 15 (37.5%). The median duration of response in major responders was 31 weeks. The median survival time (MST) in all patients was 42 weeks. Patients achieving response, and stable disease lived significantly longer than progressors (P less than 0.0001; 56 vs. 9 weeks respectively). The MST of non-progressors in both LD and ED was significantly increased as compared to progressors. Two patients with poor risk prognostic variables died from myelosuppression-related infection early during the first course of chemotherapy. The remainder of the courses were without severe hematological complications. Alopecia was the most common side-effect. Gastro-intestinal, neurological and renal complications were mild to moderate. Intravenous etoposide can be replaced by the oral formulation with preservation of antitumoral activity in NSCLC patients, offering the advantage of maximal treatment outside the hospital.