Abstract

PURPOSE
Despite recent advances in chemotherapy, the treatment outcome of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains poor and NSCLC is still the predominant source of cancer-related mortality in worldwide. Thus, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of a combination chemotherapy with vinorelbine, carboplatin, and ifosfamide (NCI) in advanced NSCLC patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A total of 26 patients was enrolled in this study between December 1997 and June 1998. All entered patients were treated with NCI combination chemotherapy (vinorelbine 25 mg/m2/day i.v. days 1 and 8; carboplatin 300 mg/m2/day i.v. day 1; ifosfamide 3 g/m2/day i.v. day I; and mesna 2.4 g/m2/day i.v. day 1 after completion of ifosfamide infusion, treatment repeated every 4 weeks).
RESULTS
Among 26 patients, 23 patients were evaluable. Nine out of 23 evaluable patients had a partial response (response rate 39%; 95% confidence interval 19~59%). The median survival of the total 23 evaluable patients was 7.4 (range; 3~9.3+) months. The median progression-free survival was 2.8 (range; 0~7.7+) months. Among total 70 cycles of chemotherapy, leukopenia of grade II or more was observed in 6%, and tbrombo- cytopenia of grade II or more in 1%. There was no treatment-related death. Main non-hematologic toxicities were nausea/vomiting, stomatitis and peripheral phlebitis, almost of which were tolerable.
CONCLUSION
NCI chemotherapy seemed to be moderately active and well tolerated in patients with advanced NSCLC.

• Keywords: Non-small cell lung cancer;NCI (vinorelbine, carboplatin, ifosfamide) combination chemotherapy