Carboplatin calculated with Chatelut's formula plus etoposide for elderly patients with small-cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE This dose escalation was conducted to evaluate the applicability of Chatelut's dosing, and to determine the efficacy and toxicity of carboplatin with etoposide in previously untreated elderly patients (>70 years) with small cell lung cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS Seventeen patients were treated with etoposide for 3 days and carboplatin calculated dose using Chatelut's formula on day 1 intravenously. The starting doses of etoposide on days 1 to 3, and carboplatin using the area under the concentration versus time curve (AUC) were 90 mg/m2 and 4 mg/ml x min, respectively. RESULTS The median age was 77 years (range 71 to 87). Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was seen at level 4 (AUC 5 mg/ml x min of carboplatin and etoposide 100 mg/m2). Hematologic toxicity was the primary DLT. Grade 4 thrombocytopenia and Grade 4 leukopenia were observed at level 4. Non-hematologic toxicity was insignificant. The overall response rate was 94%. CONCLUSION Etoposide at 100 mg/m2 and AUC of carboplatin of 4.5 mg/ml x min as calculated using Chatelut's formula every four weeks is the recommended dose for further phase II trials for elderly patients with small cell lung cancer.