The benefit of cisplatin-based polychemotherapy for adenocarcinoma of the lung

Abstract

We studied the efficacy of cisplatin-based polychemotherapy for adenocarcinoma of the lung. A total of 136 patients were randomized for treatment with either cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin, cisplatin and mitomycin C (CAPM) or mitomycin C, cytosine arabinoside and tegafur (MCT). Radiation was given to the chests of patients at stage III. The differences in the response rate (35% in the CAPM arm and 13% in the MCT arm) were statistically significant (P less than 0.01). However, the significant difference was observed in stage-IV patients (CAPM, 33%; MCT, 4%; P less than 0.001) and not in stage-III patients (CAPM, 40%; MCT, 40%). The median period of survival was 9.5 months for the CAPM arm and 5.5 months for the MCT arm (P less than 0.035, Wilcoxon-Gehan test; P less than 0.1, log-rank test). Improved median survival for the CAPM regimen was demonstrated only by stage-IV patients (CAPM, 10 months; MCT, 5.5 months; P less than 0.025, Wilcoxon-Gehan test; P less than 0.05, log-rank test). The duration of the response, including PRs and NCs, was significantly different depending on the treatment, showing 5 months for the CAPM arm and 3 months for the MCT arm (P less than 0.05). The significant difference was also only observed in stage-IV patients. Myelosuppression was more severe with CAPM than with the MCT regimen. Nausea and vomiting were significantly increased in patients receiving the CAPM regimen. However, all toxicities were acceptable and there were no treatment-related deaths. We concluded that cisplatin-based chemotherapy, CAPM therapy, was of more benefit to patients with adenocarcinoma of the lung than MCT therapy.