A feasibility study of testing new drugs for small-cell lung cancer in patients with a poor performance status

Testing of new drugs in small-cell lung cancer is definitely necessary for the development of agents that might be effective against this tumor. However, testing such drugs in previously untreated patients with a good performance status (PS) may give rise to ethical problems. When previously treated...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cancer chemotherapy and pharmacology 1991-01, Vol.27 (6), p.490-491
Main Authors: POSTMUS, P. E, SMIT, E. F, BERENDSEN, H. H, SLEYFER, D. T
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Antineoplastic agents
Biological and medical sciences
Carcinoma, Small Cell - drug therapy
Chemotherapy
Drug Evaluation
Etoposide - therapeutic use
Feasibility Studies
Humans
Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
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Summary:Testing of new drugs in small-cell lung cancer is definitely necessary for the development of agents that might be effective against this tumor. However, testing such drugs in previously untreated patients with a good performance status (PS) may give rise to ethical problems. When previously treated patients are used in testing, potentially effective agents could well elude discovery. Patients who are not eligible for "standard" combination chemotherapy, e.g. untreated patients with a poor PS, may be suitable for testing of new drugs. To evaluate the potential usefulness of such patients in the testing of new agents, we evaluated an effective drug (etoposide) at a relatively nontoxic dose in a group of 14 patients with a PS of 4 (WHO). Oral etoposide resulted in a response in only 3 cases, whereas 5 subjects died of therapy-related toxicity. We conclude that previously untreated patients with a poor PS are not suitable candidates for the testing of new drugs.
ISSN:0344-5704
1432-0843
DOI:10.1007/BF00685167