Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicities of erlotinib as first-line treatment for Asian elderly patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Patients and methods: Untreated patients with advanced NSCLC were included in this study; erlotinib was orally administered at a dose of 150 mg daily until disease progression or intolerable toxicity or for other reasons.
Results: A total of 35 patients were enrolled. Patient characteristics were as follows: mean age 75.6 years (ranged 70-81 years), 24 (68.6%) male, 16 (45.7%) former or current smokers, 13 (37.1%) adenocarcinoma, 18 (51.4%) squamous cell carcinoma and 4 (11.4%) bronchioloalveolar carcinoma. Out of 35 patients, 1 CR, 16 PR and 10 SD, resulting in an overall response rate (CR + PR) of 48.6% and disease control rate (DCR = CR + PR + SD) of 77.1%. The median TTP was 6.4 months, and the median OS was 12.7 months. The CBR was 80%, and the 1-year survival rate was 48.6%. The most common adverse event (AE) was mild skin rash and diarrhea (CTC AE 1/2). Among them, the female never smokers with a non-squamous cell carcinoma histology was superior to the male smokers with a squamous cell carcinoma in disease control rate, with significant differences (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: The results suggest that erlotinib monotherapy is an effective and well-tolerated treatment option for Asian elderly patients with advanced NSCLC.