Treatment of performance status 2 patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: what we know and what we don't know

Future Oncol. 2009 Aug;5(6):837-41. doi: 10.2217/fon.09.61.

Abstract

Performance status (PS)2 patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer have been historically excluded from clinical trials, and scant data are available to guide clinical practice. As in other types of cancer, PS represents a recognized prognostic factor, and the life expectancy for PS2 patients is nearly half that of the PS0/1 patients. Even if single-agent chemotherapy still remains the reference treatment, recent data suggest a role for new agents or combination chemotherapy in these patients. A large Phase III randomized trial comparing single-agent versus combination chemotherapy is strongly needed.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Karnofsky Performance Status*
  • Lung Neoplasms / therapy*