Cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum (II) and VP 16-213 combination chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer.

Twenty-three patients with non-small cell lung cancer were treated with a combination of cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum (II) 100 mg/m2 IV on day 1 and VP 16-213 80 mg/m2 IV on days 1-3. Eighteen patients are evaluable for response. Seven partial remissions with a median duration of 3 months (range, 1-13+) have been observed. Three patients exhibit stable disease, and eight patients show tumor progression. Overall survival was 5+ months (range, 1-13+); 7.5 months (range, 3-13+) for responders and 3+ months (range, 1-9+) for non-responders. Hematologic toxicity was acceptable, but poor subjective tolerance (nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite) was the main factor limiting treatment duration.