Resumen de Etoposide plus cisplatin with concurrent radiotherapy in the treatment of small-cell lung cancer
Maite Martínez Aguillo, Elena Pruja Arteaga, Enrique Martínez López, Francisco Javier Domínguez del Valle, M. Tejedor Gutiérrez, Juan José Valerdi Álvarez, Juan José Albistur Tomé
Introduction. Since the decade of the 80's, the etoposide plus cisplatinum regimen has been the standard treatment in patients with localised small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Randomised trials have demonstrated the benefit of chemotherapy in combination with hyper-fractionated radiotherapy in this subset of patients.
Material and methods. Between January 1993 and June 1999, a total of 59 patients with localised SCLC were recruited into the study. All patients received 4 cycles of chemotherapy every 21 days. The first cycle was administered concurrently with hyper-fractionated radiotherapy. Prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) was administered subsequently when complete response was obtained.
Results. The proposed treatment schedule was successfully accomplished in 54 patients. The more important toxicities noted were oesophagitis and myelotoxicity, febrile neutropenia in 6 patients (10%), and oesophagitis grade IV in 9 patients (15%). Complete response was achieved in 39 cases (72%) and partial response in 11 (20%). Median survival was 20 months.
Conclusions. We conclude that the schedule combining etoposide + cisplatin with concurrent hyper-fractionated radiotherapy is the best therapeutic scheme currently on offer in the management of patients with localised SCLC.
