The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) trials of new agents for advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Overview

The Lung Cancer Cooperative Group of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) has recently completed the study of three new agents in phase II trials to determine their efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Elliptinium (an ellipticine alkaloid), ametantrone (an anthracenedione derivative), and mitozolomide (an antitumor imidazotetrazine) were evaluated. Elliptinium, ametantrone, and mitozolomide are not recommended for further trials in NSCLC. A pilot study performed within the group with teniposide (VM-26), a podophyllotoxin derivative, at doses ranging from 120 to 180 mg/m2 given on days 1, 3, and 5 every 3 weeks resulted in a 21% response rate in previously untreated patients. Based on these results, the EORTC has initiated a randomized study using teniposide (VM-26) with or without cisplatin.