Oral etoposide for small cell lung cancer – pro
A recent literaure review is established that oral and intravenous schedules of etoposide in SCLC patients do not result in significant differences in treatment outcome, while results of toxicity are inconclusive. It is not proven that this regimen in limited stage lung cancer, where a cure is theretically still possible is sufficient to obtain cures. For more advanced patientts, a 1996 study showed that oral etoposide 50 mg twice daily for 10 days every 3 weeks for four cycles is inferior to standard intravenous multidrug chemotherapy in the palliative treatment of patients with SCLC and poor performance status. Oral etoposide alone should no longer be used in the treatment of such patients.
Dr David J Girling et alComparison of oral etoposide and standard intravenous multidrug chemotherapy for small-cell lung cancer: a stopped multicentre randomised trial, Lancet Volume 348, No. 9027, p563566, 31 August 1996
NCCN, Small Cell Lung cancer SCI-E, 1 2017
Renata Rezonja et al, Oral treatment with etoposide in small cell lung cancer dilemmas and solutions. Radiol Oncol. 2013 Mar; 47(1): 113.