Cisplatin plus epirubicin and etoposide followed by irradiation plus lonidamine in stage III nonsmall cell lung cancer

Forty-seven patients with stage III nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were treated with the sequential administration of combination chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin, epirubicin and etoposide and of irradiation plus lonidamine. The response rate was 49% after chemotherapy with an improvement of 14% after radiation therapy and lonidamine. The median survival was around 15 months for responders and 9 months for nonresponders. Toxicity was moderate and acceptable. It is concluded that this schedule is active in the treatment of NSCLC.

Six-Drug Sequential Chemotherapy in Non Small Cell Lung Cancer. A North Milan Group Study

Forty-five patients with inoperable non small cell lung carcinoma were treated according to a sequential polychemotherapeutic regimen with cisplatin-vinblastine (A), cyclophosphamide-etoposide (B), and adriamycin-vincristine (C). Patients were evaluated every two cycles. Ten patients (22.2 %) showed a partial response with a mean duration of 20 weeks, and mean survival of 50.8 weeks. It is remarkable that, among them, 6 patients (13.3 %) lived over 12 months and three (6.6 %) over 18 months. The mean survival for all patients was 35.7 weeks. Toxicity was acceptable and reversible.