Combined chemotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the lung

One hundred sixty-seven patients with extensive well-differentiated and 120 patients with extensive poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the lung received chemotherapy as part of a randomized study by the Veterans Administration Lung Group. Chemotherapy was administration at random using one of the following four regimens: (1) cyclophosphamide alone; (2) cyclophosphamide plus 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea (CCNU); (3) doxorubicin (adriamycin) plus cyclophosphamide; and (4) doxorubicin plus CCNU. With data on survival as the criteria for evaluation, it has been shown that combined chemotherapy using doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide achieves greater median survival for patients with squamous cell cancer of the lung than single-drug chemotherapy using cyclophosphamide, under the conditions of this study; however, prolongation of life is still minimal, and better treatment is required. About 20 percent of the patients receiving any of the four regimens developed serious toxic effects from therapy with the drugs.