[A phase II study of etoposide (VP-16) injection in primary lung cancer by cooperative study group]

A Phase II Study of VP-16 was performed in 58 patients with primary lung cancer. VP-16 was administered via infusion at a dosage of 60-100 mg/m2 daily for 5 days, and repeated every 3 to 4 weeks. Of the 58 patients who entered into the study, 38 were evaluable. Partial response was observed in 6 patients who had been diagnosed as having small cell carcinoma of the lung. Response rates were 15.8% for all evaluated patients and 33.3% for the patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung. As for dose-limiting toxicity, leukopenia (less than 3,000/mm3) was observed in 53.1% of cases. Other major adverse reactions were hematologic toxicities such as anemia and thrombocytopenia, gastrointestinal toxicities and alopecia, but these were all well tolerated.