Background: The outcomes of single-agent regimens as second-line chemotherapy for metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are poor. Pemetrexed combined with oxaliplatin has been reportedly well-tolerated and active in chemotherapy-naïve NSCLC. The current study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect and toxicity of the regimen of pemetrexed plus oxaliplatin for pretreated advanced NSCLC.
Patients and methods: The clinical records of consecutive patients with metastatic NSCLC who received pemetrexed after failed first-line chemotherapy were reviewed.
Results: The medical records of 79 eligible patients were examined. Thirty-four of them were treated with a regimen of pemetrexed plus oxaliplatin (PEMOX). Another 45 patients were administered pemetrexed alone (PEM). Both regimens were well-tolerated and there was no therapy-related death. Comparable response rates (15.2% vs. 11.1%) and tumor control rates (63.6% vs. 47.5%) were observed between the two groups. Median time to progression and overall survival of the PEMOX and PEM groups were 18 weeks (95% confidence interval (CI): 13.72-22.28 weeks) versus 13 weeks (95%CI: 12.28-13.72 weeks; P= 0.002), and 31 weeks (95%CI: 15.56-46.44 weeks) versus 21 weeks (95%CI: 18.37-23.63 weeks; P= 0.006), respectively.
Conclusions: The current retrospective study suggests that pemetrexed combined with oxaliplatin as second-line treatment for advanced NSCLC has comparable safety and response with a pemetrexed alone regimen, but better survival.
Keywords: NSCLC; oxaliplatin; pemetrexed; second line.
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