Phase I study of high-dose cisplatin, ifosfamide, and etoposide.

To test the feasibility of a regimen of high-dose cisplatin, ifosfamide, and etoposide (VP-16; VIPP regimen), we registered 15 patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer in a phase I trial of the Northern California Oncology Group. One cycle of treatment consisted of high-dose cisplatin given at 100 mg/m2 i.v. on days 1 and 8, VP-16 given at 60-75 mg/m2 i.v. on days 1-3, plus ifosfamide given at 1.0-1.2 g/m2 i.v. on days 1-3; cycles were repeated every 28 days. There were 13 men and 2 women; the median age was 59 years (range, 47-72 years). The median Karnofsky performance status (KPS) was 90 (range, 70-100). All patients were assessable for toxicity and response. The median number of cycles delivered per patient was two (range, one to four). Hematologic toxicity was dose-limiting and required de-escalation of the ifosfamide and VP-16 doses. Ten patients developed a white blood count of < 1000/mm3 and seven patients developed a platelet count of < 50,000/mm3. The duration of cytopenia increased progressively with each subsequent cycle of therapy. Two patients required antibiotics for neutropenic fever with documented infections (pneumonia, bacteremia). Seven patients received red blood cell transfusions for a hemoglobin level of < 8 gm/dl. Grade III or IV non-hematologic toxicities were uncommon and involved one patient each with grade 3 ototoxicity and grade 3 neurotoxicity. Five patients developed laboratory evidence of renal salt wasting. The overall response rate was 33% (5/15) with a complete response being achieved by two patients (13%) and a partial response being attained by three (20%). The overall median survival was 44 weeks. We conclude that although this regimen demonstrated activity, hematologic toxicity limited its use in the palliative treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer. Using hemopoietic growth-factor support to permit dose escalation, this schedule of VIPP may be of interest in a number of different chemotherapy-sensitive tumor types.

Chemotherapy of disseminated Merkel-cell carcinoma.

Six patients developed metastatic merkel-cell carcinoma and were treated with a combination chemotherapy frequently used for small-cell lung cancer. Five of six patients had a complete response for a median of 3.5 months. Overall survival from initiation of chemotherapy was a median of 6.5 months. Two patients died from major complications of therapy.