An elderly case of small cell lung cancer showing a good partial response by chronic daily administration of oral etoposide
Ishikawa, S.; Shimizu, E.; Kawaji, K.; Mukai, J.; Tani, K.; Okubo, A.; Ogura, T.; Sano, T.; Yamashita, T.
Gan to Kagaku Ryoho. Cancer and ChemoTherapy 18(1): 111-114
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0385-0684 PMID: 1846280 Document Number: 370039
An 86-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with complaints of dyspnea and productive cough, and diagnosed as small cell lung cancer with sputum cytology. We concluded that he was unsuitable for standard aggressive intravenous chemotherapy because of an old age, a poor performance status and cardiac complication. He was treated with oral etoposide (100 mg/day x 16.5 days), and showed a good partial response and improvement of clinical symptoms. Toxicities were leukopenia, alopecia, and anorexia. Daily oral administration of etoposide is considered to be effective and useful for elderly patient with small cell lung cancer.