Biweekly administration of cisplatin/gemcitabine in advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer.

Introduction: In an attempt to increase the dose intensity of cisplatin and gemcitabine given to patients with stage IIIB or IV nonsmall cell lung cancer without increasing toxicity, we have studied a biweekly administration schedule. We analyze the safety and efficacy of this treatment.

Methods And Patients: In this study, cycles of 50 mg/m2 cisplatin with 2500 mg/m2 gemcitabine were given on days 1 and 15 every 28 days.

Amyloidosis and lung cancer.

Clinical systemic amyloidosis has been rarely described in patients with lung cancer. A new case of such an association is described with a review of the literature and a discussion about the possible biological mechanisms responsible for the development of systemic amyloidosis in patients with lung cancer. Circulating precursors of amyloid fibrils in patients with lung cancer might be implicated more than expected in the biology of tumoral disease.