# Platinum + etoposide (EP / CE)

Source: https://onco.cc/drugs/platinum-etoposide/  
OnCo record `platinum-etoposide` (Treatment). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Platinum plus etoposide has been the chemotherapy backbone of small-cell lung cancer for over 40 years, and is now given with immunotherapy.

## Summary

Cisplatin or carboplatin with etoposide for 4 (extensive-stage) to 4-6 (limited-stage, with concurrent radiotherapy) cycles. Response rates 60-80% but relapse is near-universal in extensive-stage disease. Carboplatin is preferred with immunotherapy and in frailer patients; cisplatin with concurrent thoracic radiotherapy in fit limited-stage patients.

## Fields

- Kind: Treatment
- Status: standard-of-care
- Last checked: 2026-09-07
- Modality: Cytotoxic regimen
- Mechanism: Platinum DNA crosslinks plus topoisomerase-II inhibition by etoposide.
- Approvals: US 1983: Etoposide approved for SCLC; platinum-etoposide became standard in the 1980s
- Dosing: Intravenous; Carboplatin AUC 5 day 1 (or cisplatin 75 mg/m² day 1) + etoposide 100 mg/m² days 1-3, every 21 days, 4 cycles
- Toxicity (grade 3+): Neutropenia (grade 3+) 40%

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etoposide
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etoposide

## Connected records

- cancers: [Cancer of unknown primary, favourable subsets](https://onco.cc/cancers/cup-favourable-subsets/), [EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/egfr-mutant-nsclc/), [Esthesioneuroblastoma (olfactory neuroblastoma)](https://onco.cc/cancers/esthesioneuroblastoma/), [Extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/extensive-stage-sclc/), [Extrapulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/extrapulmonary-nec/), [Grade 3 well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumour](https://onco.cc/cancers/grade-3-net/), [Limited-stage small-cell lung cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/limited-stage-sclc/), [Lung cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/lung-cancer/), [Merkel cell carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/merkel-cell-carcinoma/), [Nasal cavity and paranasal sinus cancers (including esthesioneuroblastoma)](https://onco.cc/cancers/sinonasal/), [Neuroendocrine and small-cell prostate cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/prostate-nepc/), [Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) and SWI/SNF-deficient sinonasal carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/sinonasal-undifferentiated-carcinoma/), [Small-cell lung cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/sclc/)
- technologies: [Cytotoxic chemotherapy](https://onco.cc/technologies/cytotoxic-chemotherapy/), [Platinum agents](https://onco.cc/technologies/platinum/), [Topoisomerase-I inhibitors (and ADC payloads)](https://onco.cc/technologies/topoisomerase-inhibitors/)
- terms: [Limited-stage vs extensive-stage (small-cell lung cancer)](https://onco.cc/terms/limited-extensive-stage/)
- trials: [ASTRUM-005](https://onco.cc/trials/astrum-005/), [CASPIAN](https://onco.cc/trials/caspian/), [IMpower133](https://onco.cc/trials/impower133/), [Intergroup 0096 (Turrisi): twice-daily versus once-daily thoracic radiotherapy](https://onco.cc/trials/turrisi-intergroup-0096/)
- pairings: [Chemo-immunotherapy induction → maintenance intensification (SCLC)](https://onco.cc/pairings/chemo-io-then-maintenance-sclc/)
- key papers: [Induction chemotherapy response as a guide to treatment optimisation in sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-amit-induction-chemotherapy-response-snuc-jco-2019/)
- pathways: [Lineage plasticity & neuroendocrine transformation](https://onco.cc/pathways/lineage-plasticity-neuroendocrine/)

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