Fractionated administration of carboplatin/paclitaxel reduces neurotoxicity in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

The combination of carboplatin/paclitaxel is commonly used as chemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer. However, the relatively high incidence of neurotoxicity remains a problem. This study was undertaken to determine whether the fractionated administration regimen can reduce the neurotoxicity. Patients with stage III or IV non-small cell lung cancer were randomized to the nonfractionated (NF) dose group, which received paclitaxel (200 mg/m(2)) and carboplatin (area under the concentration-time curve=6) on day 1, or the fractionated dose (F) group, which received paclitaxel (100 mg/m(2)) and carboplatin (area under the concentration-time curve=3) on days 1 and 8. The cycle was repeated every 3 weeks. Peripheral neuropathy was objectively evaluated by measuring the current perception threshold (CPT) in the median nerve using a neurometer. Fourteen and 13 patients were assigned to the NF and F groups, respectively. The incidence of subjective numbness was significantly lower in the F group (15.4%) than in the NF group (57.1%). The CPT value determined at 2000 Hz showed significant increases in the NF group compared with the pretreatment baseline, but no significant changes were observed in the F group. The response rate was comparable in both groups. The fractionated administration of carboplatin/paclitaxel combination therapy showed a significant reduction in neurotoxicity. Measurement of CPT by a neurometer is a useful tool to evaluate the neurotoxicity of anticancer drugs objectively.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes