A randomized trial of amifostine as a cytoprotective agent in patients receiving chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer.

A randomized trial was conducted to determine whether administration of Amifostine with chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer could decrease the toxicity. 84 patients with small cell lung cancer of favourable prognosis (limited disease, performance status 0-1; limited disease with performance status 2 but normal sodium and alkaline phosphatase, or extensive disease with performance status 0-1, normal sodium and alkaline phosphatase) received treatment with Ifosfamide 3 g/m(2)intravenously, Carboplatin (Glomerular filtration rate + 25) x6 mg intravenously, Etoposide 50 mg orally, twice daily, for 7 days, every 3 weeks. Patients were randomized to receive amifostine 740 mg/m(2)immediately prior to the intravenous drugs (n = 42) or to receive chemotherapy alone (n = 42). The two groups were similar with respect to baseline prognostic factors. There was no significant difference in the occurrence of grade III or IV neutropenia or thrombocytopenia between the two groups, nor in the response rate or overall survival, for which the median was 11 months in the chemotherapy only group and 14 months in the group treated with amifostine. This study has not shown a protective effect from the use of amifostine with this regimen and there does not appear to be any effect upon the efficacy of treatment.

Modified ice study: a phase II study of an intensive, modified ICE regimen (ifosfamide, carboplatin and etoposide) in patients with better prognosis, small cell lung cancer.

A total of 30 with good prognosis small cell lung cancer were treated with a modified 'ICE' (ifosfamide, carboplatin and etoposide) chemotherapy regimen in an attempt to achieve a high response rate with less toxicity than is seen with the full 'ICE' regimen. This was given every 4 weeks for a maximum of six cycles. In total 25 patients (83%, 95% CI (70-97%)) experienced a partial or complete response at some stage of their treatment. Of these patients, 12 (40%, 95% CI (22-58%)) showed a complete response. A total of 19 patients (63%) had to have their dose reduced and/or delayed at some point due to toxicity. Nadir blood counts showed that 19 patients (63%, 95% CI (46-81%)) had WHO grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia, and 24 (86%, 95% CI (73-99%)) had grade 3 or 4 neutropenia. A total of 17 patients (53%) completed six cycles of chemotherapy. In total 3 patients died during treatment all due to treatment-related complications. Median survival was 12.6 months (95% CI (11.6, 14.7 months)). Nausea, vomiting, dysphagia, activity, mood and overall condition, as recorded using daily diary cards, were worse at the beginning of each chemotherapy cycle. Both response rates and survival were clinically acceptable. However, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, although reduced from rates reported with the full ICE regimen, were still high. A prospective randomised controlled trial is now needed to assess this regimen in more detail.