Chemotherapy with cisplatin and teniposide for cerebral metastases in non-small cell lung cancer

• Published in: Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands) Vol. 20; no. 2; pp. 93 - 98
• Main Authors: Minotti, V, Crino′, L, Meacci, M.L, Corgna, E, Darwish, S, Palladino, M.A, Betti, M, Tonato, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01-05-1998; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Aged; Antineoplastic agents; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Brain metastases; Brain Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Brain Neoplasms - drug therapy; Brain Neoplasms - secondary; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - pathology; Chemotherapy; Cisplatin - administration & dosage; Humans; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Non-small cell lung cancer; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Survival Rate; Teniposide - administration & dosage; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Treatment Outcome; Chemotherapy; Brain metastases; Non-small cell lung cancer; Antineoplastic agent; Human; Lung disease; Nervous system diseases; Drug combination; Respiratory disease; Toxicity; Treatment efficiency; Malignant tumor; Metastasis; Bronchopulmonary; Cisplatin; Cerebral disorder; Treatment; Central nervous system disease; Bronchus disease; Teniposide; Non small cell carcinoma; Brain (vertebrata)
• ISSN: 0169-5002; 1872-8332
• DOI: 10.1016/S0169-5002(98)00021-X

Twenty-three patients with brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (median age 62 years, Karnofsky PS 50-100) were treated with cisplatin (100 mg/m
2, day 1) and teniposide (80 mg/m
2, days 1, 3 and 5) every 3 weeks. Response was evaluated by contrast-enhanced brain CT every two to three cycles of treatment. The objective response rate of brain metastases was 35% (8/23); three patients achieved complete response (CR) and five partial response (PR). The median response duration was 24 weeks for CR patients and 32 weeks for PR patients. The median survival was 21 weeks overall and 45 weeks for responding patients. Grade 3/4 leukocytopenia and thrombocytopenia were seen in 28 and 9%, respectively. Two patients died from infections while in neutropenia. Cisplatin and teniposide seems an active regimen against brain metastases in NSCLC. These data may indicate the need for reconsideration of the role of chemotherapy for brain metastases of NSCLC.