A phase II trial of carboplatin in untreated patients with extensive stage small cell lung cancer

Abstract

Twenty‐five untreated patients with extensive stage small cell lung cancer (ESSCLC) were treated with carboplatin (CBDCA) (500 mg/m2) given as a 24‐hour infusion every 21 days. Thirteen patients responded for an overall response rate of 52% (95% confidence limits, 32% to 72%) with 3 complete responses (CR) (12%; 95% confidence limits, 0% to 25%). The median duration of response was 4.5 months. The median survival time was 8 months with three long‐term survivors (12%) at 27, 33, and 43 months from the start of CBDCA treatment. Ninety‐two courses of CBDCA were administered and one treatment‐related death occurred. The main toxicity was myelosuppression. Grade 3 or 4 hematologic toxicity (hemoglobin level, < 8 g/dl; granulocyte count, < 1900/μl; and platelet count, < 49,000/μl) was observed as follows: neutropenia in 7 courses (8%) and in 7 patients (28%), decreased hemoglobin level in 13 courses (15%) and in 7 patients (28%), and decreased platelet count in 10 courses (11%) all Grade 3 and in 8 patients (32%). This study demonstrates that at this dose and schedule CBDCA is a highly active drug in ESSCLC and it has tolerable toxicity. Copyright © 1991 American Cancer Society