LACK OF EFFICACY OF HIGH-DOSE METHOTREXATE BY 30-HOUR INFUSION IN PATIENTS WITH PROGRESSIVE SMALL CELL-CARCINOMA OF THE LUNG

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 66  (5) , 1223-1225
Abstract
Seventeen patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung (SCCL) refractory to at least 1 combination chemotherapy regimen were treated with a high-dose methotrexate (HDMTX) program consisting of 1500 mg/m2 of MTX by i.v. infusion at a constant rate over 30 h following a priming dose of 50 mg/m2 of MTX i.v. Administration of calcium leucovorin was begun at the end of the infusion. Treatment was repeated every 2 wk. No complete or partial responses were observed; the median time to tumor progression was 4 wk. Hematologic toxicity was much more severe than anticipated, with five patients having thrombocytopenic bleeding requiring platelet transfusions. This HDMTX regimen was ineffective and unexpectedly toxic in these heavily pretreated patients with SCCL. Literature review discloses little evidence that HDMTX programs have superior activity to standard doses of MTX in this disease.

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