Single agent oral etoposide in recurrent or advanced solid tumors

Abstract

Prolonged oral etoposide has antitumor activity in a variety of solid tumors including small cell and non-small-cell lung cancer. A total of 53 patients have been treated with prolonged oral etoposide at a dosage of 50-100 mg/day for 5, 7,10 or 14 days in a 21 days interval. The results of these patients were retrospectively evaluated. Twelve patients had small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC), 11 patients had non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and 30 patients had different solid tumors including gastric, breast, ovarian and prostate carcinoma. Fifty-two patients were evaluated for response analysis. Objective response rate was found to be 19,2% (1,9% complete response (CR), 17,3% partial response (PR)). Stable disease was achieved in 30,8% of the patients. Grade 3 and 4 neutropenia occurred in 9,3% of the patients. We demonstrated a modest activity of single agent oral etoposide in our heterogenous group of patients with advanced and refractory disease. Oral etoposide may be a treatment choice for patients with refractory disease which there was no other alternative without supportive care.