Combination Chemotherapy with Cyclophosphamide,Doxorubicin and Vincristine in the Treatment of Stage III-IV Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Summary

Twenty patients with histologically confirmed small-cell lung cancer were treated with cyclophosphamide 1000 mg/m² i.v. on day 1, vincristine 1.4 mg/m² i.v. day 1, and adriamycin 50 mg/m² i.v. on day 1. This protocol was repeated every 21 days. Out of 17 evaluable patients 2 obtained a complete response (12%) with a mean duration of 11 months, 4 patients achieved a partial response with a mean duration of 6.3 + months, and 1 had a minimal response of 7.2 months. Two patients had a stabilization which lasted a mean of 4 + months, while 8 patients progressed. Although the mean survival was higher in responders than in non-responders, the difference in survival time was not statistically significant. The treatment was quite well tolerated with hematological toxicity in 78% of cases, oral and gastrointestinal toxicity in 83%, alopecia in 78%, and neurotoxicity in 16% of cases.