Published in:
Open Access 01-12-2015 | Protocol
Pei regimen: a therapeutic option in small cell lung cancer? A retrospective monoinstitutional analysis of 46 consecutive cases
Published in: Journal of Translational Medicine | Issue 1/2015
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Objectives
Combination chemotherapy is very active in small cell lung cancer (SCLC), although no improvement in overall survival (OS) has been done in the last 25 years, with Cisplatin-Etoposide (PE) still considered the world-wide standard, with an average median survival of about 7–8 months in patients with extended disease (ED).
In 1995, a randomized trial of the Hoosier Group in 171 ED patients showed a significant advantage in overall survival in patients treated with PEI (Cisplatin, Etoposide and Ifosfamide), compared to PE. Despite that, PEI regimen has not become a commonly used regimen in SCLC.
Materials and methods
Here we present a retrospective analysis of 46 consecutive patients (30 males and 16 females) with SCLC that were treated at our Institution with PEI regimen: Cisplatin 20 mg/m2, Etoposide 75 mg/m2 and Ifosfamide 1200 mg/m2, day 1 to 4, every 3 weeks.
Patients received a total of 219 cycles of chemotherapy, with a mean of 4,7 cycles per patient. Median age was 63 (range 59–70); performance status (PS) was 0 in 29 patients (63%), 1 in 13 patients (28%) and 2 in 4 patients (9%).
Results
In 19 limited disease (LD) patients partial response (PR) rate was 74%, and complete response (CR) was 16%. In 27 ED patients we observed 63% of PR and 26% of CR.
Median time to progression (TTP) was 15.2 months in LD and 7.1 months in ED with median overall survival (OS) of 28.2 and 11.8 months, respectively.
Toxicity was manageable, with a high dose intensity.
Conclusions
PEI regimen, in our opinion, may be a possible therapeutic option, with high activity and an acceptable toxicity profile.
Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02324296.
Institutional review board that approved the study
Institutional review board of Reggio Emilia, Azienda Ospedaliera S.Maria Nuova/IRCCS.