Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Randomized comparison of every-2-week darbepoetin alfa and weekly epoetin alfa for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anemia: the 20030125 Study Group Trial.
Chemotherapy-induced anemia is widely treated in the United States with darbepoetin alfa (DA) or epoetin alfa (EA). This noninferiority study systematically compares efficacy and safety of DA and EA using common doses and schedules used in clinical practice. ⋯ This large, phase III study demonstrates comparable efficacy of DA Q2W and EA QW. Less frequent dosing offers potential benefits for patients, caregivers and health care providers.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Randomized phase III trial comparing irinotecan/cisplatin with etoposide/cisplatin in patients with previously untreated extensive-stage disease small-cell lung cancer.
Etoposide and cisplatin (EP) has been a standard treatment for extensive-disease small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). An earlier phase III trial reported improved survival for patients receiving irinotecan plus cisplatin (IP) versus EP. Our trial was designed to determine if a modified weekly regimen of IP would provide superior survival with less toxicity than EP. ⋯ Treatment with this dose and schedule of IP did not result in improved survival when compared with EP. Fewer patients receiving IP had grade 3/4 anemia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, and febrile neutropenia compared with patients receiving EP, but more had grade 3/4 diarrhea and vomiting.