CARBOPLATIN PLUS ORAL ETOPOSIDE IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH NONSMALL-CELL LUNG-CANCER - A STUDY OF THE GROUPE-FRANCAIS-DE-PNEUMOCANCEROLOGIE (GFPC)

Between February 1992 and May 1993, 22 patients older than 75 years, with non small cell lung cancer, were treated with carboplatin and oral etoposide. There were 18 men and four women with a median age of 79 years. Fourteen patients had an epidermoid carcinoma: four had an adenocarcinoma and four had an undifferentiated carcinoma. Carboplatin was administered intravenously on day I at a dose of 300 mg/m(2); oral etoposide was administered at a dose of 600 mg/m(2) (two capsules daily)for 9, 10, 11, or 12 days according to body surface. Courses were repeated every 28 days for a total of three courses. Toxicity: 15 patients (68%) had received previous chemotherapy. Myelosuppression was the main problem with one grade IV and five grade III hematologic toxicities. We observed one mild neurologic toxicity. Results: 19 patients were evaluable for response. We observed one complete response (5%), five disease stabilizations (26%) and 13 disease progressions. Median survival was 5 months. These results led to discontinue this study.