Current role of oral etoposide in the management of small cell lung cancer

Etoposide is part of first-line chemotherapy for patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and is one of the few cytotoxic drugs available in an oral formulation. There have been 3 major avenues of investigation of the role of oral etoposide in SCLC: the optimal schedule of administration, its potential as single agent therapy, and its incorporation into combination chemotherapy. Current evidence suggests that, in SCLC, the optimal schedule of administration is over 3 to 5 days. Its use as a single agent for palliation cannot be supported, but it has a continued use within combination chemotherapy for most patients. In addition, it is likely to be incorporated into regimens with new agents that may offer significant advantages over current combinations.