Phase II study of teniposide in small cell carcinoma of the lung.

Fifty-one patients with small cell bronchogenic carcinoma received 60 mg/m2 of teniposide iv on Days 1-5 every 3 weeks. All patients had received previous combination chemotherapy. Twenty patients with prior etoposide treatment and 20 without such prior treatment were evaluable. A partial response was observed in one of 20 and in five of 20 patients, respectively. The duration of responses was short (28-50 days). Sixty-one percent of patients experienced grade 3 or 4 toxicity on the World Health Organization scale. The activity in previously treated patients not exposed to etoposide was considerable, justifying further evaluation of teniposide in the treatment of small cell carcinoma of the lung.