A phase-ii study testing a combination chemotherapy with epirubicin and vindesine as 2nd line treatment for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung-cancer.

The European Lung Cancer Working Party conducted a phase II trial to determine the activity of a salvage regimen with high dose epirubicin (120 mg/m(2) on day 1) and vindesine (3 mg/m(2) on day 1) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer failing to respond to first-line chemotherapy containing cisplatin and/or carboplatin. Courses were repeated every 3 weeks and evaluation of antitumoral response was performed after the 2 first courses. A total of 53 patients were registered, 4 were not eligible and 42 were evaluable for response. Two (5%) objective responses were documented. Although the regimen was very well tolerated, based oh the results it has to be considered inactive.