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High‐dose carmustine and autologous bone marrow reinfusion in the treatment of refractory or relapsed small cell lung carcinoma
Author(s) -
Rushing Daniel A.,
Friedenberg William R.,
Baldauf Mary C.,
Broste Steven,
Gehlsen Jane A.,
Kriesel Dean H.,
Koontz Darlene P.,
Rodvold Keith A.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19910815)68:4<720::aid-cncr2820680409>3.0.co;2-r
Subject(s) - medicine , carmustine , etoposide , cyclophosphamide , refractory (planetary science) , chemotherapy , vincristine , bone marrow suppression , surgery , bone marrow , lung , gastroenterology , urology , physics , astrobiology
Fourteen patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung in relapse or with disease refractory to chemotherapy were treated with carmustine (BCNU) at doses of 600 to 1000 mg/m 2 intravenously followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation. All patients previously were treated with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and etoposide. Seven of the 14 patients responded to the high‐dose BCNU (50% response with 95% confidence limits ranging from 23% to 77%). Three patients had a complete response, and four had a partial response. Regrowth of tumor occurred within 60 days of treatment in the responding patients. Death occurred in six patients before the recovery of the platelet count to 50,000 cells/μl. Although the response rate was high, the toxicity was excessive. In the dosage range of 600 to 1000 mg/m 2 in heavily pretreated patients, BCNU is not recommended, but additional investigation may be warranted in patients with central nervous system metastases who previously were treated with radiation therapy.