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S-1 plus irinotecan: promising alternative treatment in NSCLC
Combination S-1 and irinotecan showed a favorable toxicity profile and similar response and survival rates to standard treatment for non–small cell lung cancer, according to recent data.
Researchers from the West Japan Thoracic Oncology Group 3505 conducted a multicenter, phase-2 trial to determine the safety and efficacy of S-1 plus irinotecan (Camptosar, Pfizer Inc.) in 56 patients with advanced NSCLC.
Patients were assigned to intravenous irinotecan 150 mg/m2 on day one and oral S-1 80 mg/m2 on days one to 14 every three weeks.
Patients received a median of five treatment cycles. Researchers reported an overall disease control rate of 71.4%. They found no complete responses and 16 partial, yielding an overall response rate of 28.6% (95% CI, 17.3-42.2%). Best responses included stable disease in 42.9% of patients and progressive disease in 21.4%.
Median progression-free survival was 4.9 months, and median overall survival was 15 months.
The researchers observed febrile neutropenia in 7.1% of patients, neutropenia in 25%, thrombocytopenia in 3.6% and anemia in 3.6%. Anorexia (14.3%), fatigue (8.9%) and diarrhea (8.9%) were the most common grade 3 or 4 nonhematologic toxicities.
Clin Cancer Res. 2008;14:5250-5254.
Read perspective on S-1 and irinotecan for NSCLC from a HemOncToday.com blogger.