Integration of irinotecan and cisplatin with early concurrent conventional radiotherapy for limited-disease SCLC (LD-SCLC).

Background: This study was conducted using irinotecan and cisplatin (IP) concurrently with thoracic radiation therapy to evaluate the response and toxicity of this protocol in the treatment of patients with limited-disease small cell lung cancer (LD-SCLC).

Methods: Twenty-seven chemotherapy-naive patients with LD-SCLC received two cycles of weekly irinotecan 60 mg/m(2) and cisplatin 60 mg/m(2) before the initiation of the thoracic radiation therapy.

Results: Of the 29 patients with LD-SCLC enrolled in the study, 27 were eligible for evaluation of response and toxicity.

Assessment of Survival and Clinical Benefit in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) Patients Treated with Gemcitabine and Carboplatin.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and clinical benefit of combined gemcitabine and carboplatin in patients with previously untreated malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM).

Patients And Methods: This prospective phase II study was performed on 42 eligible patients with histologically or cytologically proven MPM presenting to Ain Shams University hospitals and Sohag Cancer Center between January 2002 and April 2006. They were assigned to receive combined gemcitabine (1250mg/m2) on days, 1 and 8 and carboplatin (AUC 6) on day 1.