Phase I North Central Cancer Treatment Group Trial-N9923 of escalating doses of twice-daily thoracic radiation therapy with amifostine and with alternating chemotherapy in limited stage small-cell lung cancer.

Purpose: The primary goal was to identify the maximum tolerable dose (MTD) of thoracic radiation therapy (TRT) that can be given with chemotherapy and amifostine for patients with limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LSCLC).

Methods And Materials: Treatment began with two cycles of topotecan (1 mg/m(2)) Days 1 to 5 and paclitaxel (175 mg/m(2)) Day 5 (every 3 weeks) given before and after TRT. The TRT began at 6 weeks.