Unresectable non-small cell lung cancer chemotherapy with high-dose cisplatin and etoposide

69 patients with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer, previously untreated, received cisplatin 100 mg/m2 on day 1 and etoposide 120 mg/m2 on days 4, 6, 8 at 4-week intervals. 66 patients were evaluable for tumor response and toxicity. Overall objective response was 25.7% (3 complete responses and 14 partial responses). Response rate in limited disease was 41% and in patients with performance score 0 it was 40%. Squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma responded in 31 and 24% of evaluable patients. Complete response was associated with a long duration of remission. Median survival time of responding patients was significantly superior to the median of nonresponding patients (p less than 0.001) but compared to stable disease no statistical significance was demonstrable (p greater than 0.05). Hematological and renal toxicity of proposed regimen was generally mild. Nausea and vomiting were the most noxious side effects.