Paclitaxel and carboplatin in combination in the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC): a preliminary study.

This study was aimed to determine the activity and toxicity of combination paclitaxel and carboplatin in stage III B and IV NSCLC. Eligibililty required performance status. Paclitaxel was administered at a dose of 200 mg/m2, 3-hour infusion, followed by carboplatin at a tartgeted area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of 6. Treatment was repeated at 3-week intervals for 6 courses. G-CSF 5 micrograms/kg was subcutaneously injected during subsequent courses if there was grade 3-4 leukopenia or granulocytopenia in the previous course. From August 1996 through June 1997, 15 patients were enrolled. The median age was 47 years (range 20-68 years), 60 per cent were female. 73.3 per cent had adenocarcinoma, and 66.7 per cent had stage III B disease. Eighty three courses were administered; 13 patients (86.7%) completed all six cycles. The objective response rate was 53.3 per cent, with 1 (6.7%) complete response and 7 (46.7%) partial responses. Pleural effusion, lung lesion and lymph node were the three most common sites that responded to chemotherapy. The major toxicity was myelosuppression. Grade 3 or 4 granulocytopenia, anemia and thrombocytopenia were observed in 18 per cent, 7.2 per cent and 1.2 per cent, respectively, of 83 courses administered. Four episodes of febrile neutropenia (4.8%) occurred in 3 patients. There was one episode of anaphylaxis during Paclitaxel infusion. Other common toxicities were mild myalgia, paresthesias, alopecia and fatigue. Most of the toxicities showed cumulative effect. Paclitaxel plus carboplatin is a moderately active regimen in advanced NSCLC. Toxicities of this regimen are well tolerated.

Efficacy of spiramycin as an alternative to amoxicillin in the treatment of acute upper respiratory tract infections.

This study compared the efficacy of spiramycin with that of amoxicillin in treating patients with acute community-acquired upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). The study was an open, randomised, comparative parallel design and patients received either spiramycin 3 MIU (2 tablets, 500mg or 1.5 MIU per tablet) twice daily after meals, i.e. 6 MIU/day for 7 days or amoxicillin (500 mg/capsule) 1 capsule three times daily after meals, i.e. 1500 mg/day for 7 days. Patients attending the ENT outpatient clinic at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok for treatment of acute URTIs were included in the study after giving their informed consent. Eligible patients comprised those aged 18 years and over, of either gender, who had at least two of the following symptoms: fever (>/=38 degrees C oral), nasal discharge/obstruction, sore throat, cough and/or hoarseness of voice that did not require parenteral drug therapy or hospitalisation. A total of 99 patients were included in this study, 49 patients received spiramycin and 50 received amoxicillin. Of the 45 assessed patients treated with spiramycin, 40 were judged by the investigators as a 'success' (89%), and five were judged a 'non-success' (11%), compared with 48 assessed patients in the amoxicillin group where 40 patients were classified as a 'success' (83.3%) and 8 were judged a 'non-success' (16.7%). No statistically significant differences between treatments were demonstrated regarding the overall efficacy of treatment. This study demonstrated that the prescribed regimens of spiramycin and amoxicillin were similarly effective in the treatment of adult acute URTIs. The tolerability of both drugs was also similar. Furthermore, it was noted that the convenient twice-daily dosage regimen of spiramycin may allow better patient compliance.