Multiple-drug weekly chemotherapy versus standard combination regimen in small-cell lung cancer: a phase III randomized study conducted by the European Lung Cancer Working Party.

Abstract

Weekly MDC failed to improve survival rates in patients with SCLC.

Practice guideline for the role of combination chemotherapy in the initial management of limited-stage small-cell lung cancer

“…There were 21 randomized trials, three published in abstract form, which compared at least two chemotherapy regimens for SCLC ; seven randomized trials involving at least one alternating chemotherapy regimen (i.e., trials in which two different chemotherapy combinations were delivered in an alternating sequence) [22,24,[28][29][30][31][32]; four randomized trials which compared schedules or routes of administration of etoposide or formulations of etoposide [33][34][35][36]; 14 trials comparing a standard regimen to a dose-intensive one [37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50]; and six trials of duration of chemotherapy [51][52][53][54][55][56]. Note that two trials [22,24] appear in two sets of comparisons.…”

Small Cell Lung Cancer

“…82,83 Nevertheless, no survival benefits were documented in randomized trials, and excessive treatment-related mortality was noted with multidrug cyclic weekly regimens. [84][85][86][87] The role of higher-dose therapy for patients with SCLC remains controversial. 88 Higher complete and partial response rates, and modestly longer median survival times, have been observed in patients receiving high doses when compared with those given conventional doses of the same agents.…”

Small Cell Lung Cancer Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology

“…77,78 Nevertheless, no survival benefits were documented in randomized trials, and excessive treatment-related mortality was noted with multidrug cyclic weekly regimens. [79][80][81][82] The role of higher-dose therapy for patients with SCLC remains controversial. 83 Higher complete and partial response rates, and modestly longer median survival times, have been observed in patients receiving high doses compared with those given conventional doses of the same agents.…”