Carboplatin in the Treatment of Small Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) will account for approximately 20%‐25% of the 171,500 estimated new lung cancer cases in 1998. Combination cytotoxic therapies have yielded the best response rates in SCLC patients. Cisplatin in combination with etoposide is used routinely in the treatment of SCLC. Because of cisplatin's nonhematologic toxicities, carboplatin was developed and has far fewer nonhematologic toxicities. Carboplatin in combination with etoposide has been shown to be as effective as, but less toxic than, cisplatin/etoposide. Moreover, carboplatin/etoposide is a viable combination in the treatment of the elderly with SCLC, who can readily tolerate this combination. Concurrent radiation therapy with carboplatin and etoposide in patients with limited SCLC disease can be given safely and effectively. Carboplatin has been combined with several different chemotherapeutic agents, including ifosfamide, and, more recently, paclitaxel in hopes of improving the response rates and overall survival. In order to try to dose intensify carboplatin‐based regimens, peripheral blood stem cells have been used to decrease the hematologic toxicities. Further studies are warranted to investigate these therapies as well as newer carboplatin combinations.

Phase Ib/II study of the pan-cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor roniciclib in combination with chemotherapy in patients with extensive-disease small-cell lung cancer

“…Serious adverse events were reported in 21 patients, most of which correspond to those typically reported in an SCLC population treated with chemotherapy, including hepatotoxicity, infections, and respiratory failure [12,13]. Three deaths (lung infection, respiratory failure, and unknown cause) were reported during this study.…”

A Phase I Dose-Escalation Study of Veliparib Combined with Carboplatin and Etoposide in Patients with Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer and Other Solid Tumors

“…Thus, the RP2D of 240 mg veliparib for 14 days added to the known doublet chemotherapy has the potential to improve treatment outcome. However, historical data with platinum-based doublet chemotherapy showed a mPFS ranging between 4.6 and 12 months (32). Considering relatively high response rate of the doublet chemotherapy, superiority of addition of veliparib to established regimen can only be investigated in a larger 2-arm phase II trial.…”

Carboplatin-induced hematotoxicity among patients with non-small cell lung cancer: Analysis on clinical adverse events and drug-gene interactions

“…As a platinum coordination compound, carboplatin is broadly used as a chemotherapeutic agent to treat various types of cancer, such as non-small cell lung cancer [ 1 ]. Carboplatin interferes with DNA repair, so as to suppress and eventually kill cancer cells [ 2 ].…”