Background: Etoposide plus cisplatin (EP) is a standard combination chemotherapy regimen for small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The objective of this randomized trial is to compare the efficacy and toxicity of combined chemotherapy regimen of irinotecan plus cisplatin (IP) with the EP regimen in the treatment of SCLC.
Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted in which the IP regimen was compared with EP regimen in the treatment of patients with SCLC. A total of 61 patients were randomly divided into IP group (n=30) and EP group (n=31). All patients were given more than two chemotherapy cycles.
Results: (1)The overall response rate was 66.7% in IP group and 61.3% in EP group respectively. The complete response was 23.3% in IP group and 16.1% in EP group. There was no significant difference in the response rate between the two groups (P > 0.05). (2)Severe or life-threatening myelosuppressions such as leucopenia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were more frequent in EP group than those in IP group (P < 0.01), and severe diarrhea was more frequent in IP group than that in EP group, and there was significant statistical difference (P=0.008).
Conclusions: IP regimen is an effective regimen for SCLC. Compared with EP regimen, IP regimen has less hematological toxicities but higher diarrhea incidence. The diarrhea of irinotecan can be controlled by appropriate treatment.