Etoposide may be at least as, or even more, effective and less myelotoxic when given in low doses over prolonged periods of time.
Patients receive low-dose oral etoposide on days 1 through 7 of every 2-week cycle. Patients who achieve a complete or partial response after two cycles and have no toxicity greater than grade 2 may have their dose escalated for subsequent cycles. If there are no responses to therapy among the first 14 evaluable patients, the study will close; if there is at least one objective response to therapy among the first 14 evaluable patients, enrollment will continue until all 41 patients are enrolled. Patients continue therapy until maximal tumor response (either stable disease or complete response) is achieved or disease progression occurs.
