Oral etoposide in oncology: an evolving role.

Etoposide has been in clinical trials for over 2 decades. From the inception of these investigations, both the oral and intravenous routes have been employed. The oral route has been shown to be convenient, safe, and effective in the trials of diseases such as small cell lung cancer and lymphomas. A recent resurgence of interest has surfaced with its oral application in the elderly and in protracted dosing schedules. Investigations are now under way assessing the relative value of the protracted oral dosing schema in a variety of diseases.