PHASE-I STUDY OF HIGH-DOSE EPIRUBICIN AND VINORELBINE IN PREVIOUSLY UNTREATED NON-SMALL-CELL LUNG-CANCER STAGE IIIB-IV

The aim of the study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) for the combination of high-dose epirubicin and vinorelbine in chemotherapy-naive patients with inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Twenty-one patients with stage IIIB and IV NSCLC were treated in a single-centre study with escalating doses of epirubicin and vinorelbine given on an outpatient basis. The first dose level comprised epirubicin 100 mg m(-2) on day 1 and vinorelbine 20 mg m(-2) (days 1 and 8) given intravenously every 3 weeks. Escalating doses for epirubicin and vinorelbine were respectively 120 (day 1) and 20 (days 1 and 8), 120 (day 1) and 25 (days 1 and 8) and 135 (day 1) and 25 (days 1 and 8) mg m(-2). Inclusion criteria were age less than or equal to 75 years, ECOG performance score less than or equal to 2 and normal renal, hepatic and bone marrow functions. Dose-limiting toxicities were thrombocytopenia grade II and neutropenia grade III on day 8, febrile neutropenia, and neutropenia lasting >7 days. No dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was observed at the first dose level; at the 135/25 mg m(-2) dose level three out of six patients had a DLT which was considered as unacceptable. The only non-haematological toxicity reaching grade III was nausea/vomiting. One patient showed cardiac toxicity. No neurotoxicity and no treatment-related deaths were seen. The maximum tolerated dose of epirubicin and vinorelbine is 135 mg m(-2) (day 1) and 25 mg m(-2) (days 1 and 8) respectively, causing mainly haematological toxicity. The recommended dose of epirubicin and vinorelbine for phase II studies is found to be 120 mg m and 20 mg m(-2) respectively.