Cisplatin and Vindesine Combination Chemotherapy for Advanced Carcinoma of the Lung: A Randomized Trial Investigating Two Dosage Schedules

Eighty-five patients with advanced squamous carcinoma or adenocarcinoma of the lung were randomly assigned to receive vindesine with either high dose (120 mg/m2 of body surface area) or low dose (60 mg/m2) cisplatin. All patients had measurable disease and had not previously received chemotherapy. The response rate was similar with both treatments (43% complete and partial remission rate), but the high dose cisplatin regimen was superior to the low dose in median duration of response (12 versus 5.5 months; p = 0.05) and in median survival for responding patients (21.7 versus 10 months; p = 0.02). Myelosuppression was generally not a treatment problem; peripheral neuropathy and moderate azotemia were the major dose-limiting toxicities. With improved survival and response rates over those reported for conventional regimens, this combination of new agents supports the approach of new drug investigation in patients with lung cancer and the importance of the incorporation of active new agents into initial chemotherapy regimens.