THE IMPORTANCE OF DOSE AND SCHEDULE IN CHEMOTHERAPY FOR SMALL-CELL LUNG-CANCER

To improve the survival outlook for patients with small cell lung canc er a variety of chemotherapy strategies has been adopted. This review focuses on the evidence for schedule dependency, particularly with reg ard to etoposide, and reviews the use of alternating chemotherapy prot ocols and weekly regimens in small cell lung cancer treatment. Recent improvements in supportive care, with the use of haemopoietic growth f actors and peripheral blood progenitor cells, have led to renewed inte rest in the concept of dose intensity. Preliminary results of dose int ensification in small cell lung cancer are described and future prospe cts discussed.