Phosphatidyl serine-dependent antiprothrombin antibody is exclusive to patients with lupus anticoagulant

In attempt to develop a new chemotherapeutic regimen including carboplatin (CBDCA), epirubicin (EPI), and VP-16 in extensive small cell lung cancer, with a higher dose intensity compared with previous experience of our group, we determined the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of VP-16 when administered in association with CBDCA (300 mg/ m2, i.v., day 1) and EPI (75 mg/m2, i.v., day 1), recycling chemotherapy every 3 weeks, with the support of granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). A total of 15 patients received three dose levels of VP-16 (mg/m2, i.v., daily on days 1-3): 100 (three patients), 120 (six), and 140 (six). G-CSF was administered subcutaneously at the dose of 5 micrograms/kg/day on days 6-15 of each chemotherapy course. The MTD was established at 140 mg/m2 and myelotoxicity, grade 4 neutropenia with death for sepsis in one case and grade 3 thrombocytopenia in three cases, was dose limiting. The recommended dose of VP-16 for a phase II study is 140 mg/m2.