High-dose etoposide therapy for extensive small cell lung cancer: a Cancer and Leukemia Group B Study

Twenty-one previously untreated patients with extensive small cell lung cancer were treated with etoposide, 400 mg/m2/day for 3 consecutive days. Myelosuppression was severe, with a treatment-related death rate of 28%. Five partial responses were achieved. High-dose etoposide as given in this study produced unacceptable toxicity and no complete responses.