A PHASE-II STUDY OF 72-HOUR CONTINUOUS-INFUSION CONSISTING OF CISPLATIN AND 5-FLUOROURACIL FOR TREATMENT OF NONSMALL CELL LUNG-CANCER

A combination chemotherapy consisting of a 72-hour continuous infusion of cisplatin (CDDP; 100 mg/m(2)/72 h) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU; 3 g/m (2)/72 h) was conducted for inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSC LC). Sixty patients were accepted for this study between June 1988 and December 1990. Forty-seven patients were male (median age 68). Thirty -four patients had stage III and 26 had stage IV disease. The response rate was 25.0% (95% confidence interval, CI, 14.0-36.0%), median surv ival was 15.7 months. In squamous cell carcinoma, the response rate wa s 35.5% (95% CI, 18.7-52.3%) and median survival was 15.1 months. In n on-squamous cell carcinoma, the response rate was 13.8%(95% CI, 1.2-26 .4%) and median survival was 17.7 months. There was a significant diff erence in response rate (p < 0.01), but no significant difference in s urvival (p = 0.36). Grade 3 leukopenia was 11.7%, grade 3 and 4 thromb ocytopenia was 13.3%. Grade 3 nausea and vomiting were 8.3%. One patie nt had grade 4 renal toxicity. However, there was no treatment-related death. This regimen was well tolerated. In multivariate analysis, the significant parameters were CEA, performance status and response. In conclusion, 72-hour continuous infusion of CDDP and 5-FU for treatment of NSCLC provides similar response and toxicity as previously reporte d regimens using CDDP.