Carboplatin and gemcitabine in first-line treatment of elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: data from a retrospective study

J Chemother. 2011 Aug;23(4):232-7. doi: 10.1179/joc.2011.23.4.232.

Abstract

We retrospectively evaluated elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with carboplatin (AUC 4-5) and gemcitabine (1,000-1,200 mg/m²). Thirty-six patients with performance Status (pS) 0-1 and median age 73 (range 70-78 years) were considered. Histology was squamous cell carcinoma (8 patients), adenocarcinoma (22) and NSCLC not otherwise specified (6). 149 cycles of chemotherapy were administered with a median of 3 per patient (range 3-6). Grade 3 non-hematologic toxicities were dyspnea (1 patient) and fever (1). Grade 3/4 hematologic toxicities were anemia (6), neutropenia (6) and thrombocytopenia (10), with dose reduction required in 13 patients. The overall disease control rate was 44.4%. We recorded no complete response, 8 partial response, 8 stable disease and 20 progressive disease. After a medium follow-up of 11 months, median progression- free survival and median survival were 5 and 11 months, respectively. Carboplatin and gemcitabine is a safe and active regimen in elderly advanced NSCLC patients with good PS.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / adverse effects*
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Carboplatin / administration & dosage
  • Carboplatin / adverse effects
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / drug therapy*
  • Deoxycytidine / administration & dosage
  • Deoxycytidine / adverse effects
  • Deoxycytidine / analogs & derivatives
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Gemcitabine
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Staging / methods
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Deoxycytidine
  • Carboplatin
  • Gemcitabine