Phase II trial of etoposide and cisplatin for refractory small cell lung cancer: A cancer and leukemia group B study

A phase II trial of etoposide and cisplatin for patients with previously treated small cell lung cancer was carried out by CALGB from June 1983 to May 1984. Thirty‐five evaluable patients who had failed one prior chemotherapy regimen were treated with etoposide 80 mg/m² and cisplatin 20 mg/m² days 1–5 every 3 weeks. Objective responses were seen in 7 patients (20%) with 1 complete response and 6 partial responses. The median duration of response was 5.1 months. Fifteen patients (43%) had stable disease. Overall survival was 49% at 6 months and 14% at 1 year. The median survival was 6 months. Toxicity was mainly hematologic with severe and life‐threatening leukopenia and thrombocytopenia seen in 71% and 66% of patients, respectively. Two treatment‐related deaths caused by infection were seen. This cooperative group study fails to confirm the high response rates previously reported in institutional pilot studies.