Gefitinib as first-line, compassionate use therapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of single-agent gefitinib (Iressa, ZD1839), an oral, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor, as first-line compassionate use therapy for advanced non-small-cell Lung cancer (NSCLC).


METHODS
Twenty-five patients who were unfit or refused chemotherapy received oral gefitinib 250mg daily as first-line therapy for the treatment of recurrent or metastatic NSCLC in a compassionate use program at a single institution.


RESULTS
Four of 22 evaluable patients (18%), two with adenocarcinomas and two with bronchioloalveolar carcinomas, had an objective response and five patients (23%) had stable disease. Duration of response or stable disease was 3.5-22+ months. Median time to progression was 2.2 months, median survival was 12.6 months and 1-year survival 52%. The partial response plus stable disease rate by Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) was 4/5 for PS 0 patients; 3/6 for PS 1-2 patients; and 2/14 for PS 3-4 patients. The two patients with PS > 2 who derived benefit from gefitinib had PS 3 due to co-morbidities. Two patients discontinued therapy due to severe toxicities: one patient had severe liver dysfunction and hemorrhagic cystitis, and another patient developed diarrhea with hypotension. A correlation between rash and antitumor activity was noted. Of seven patients who received chemotherapy subsequent to gefitinib, one had a partial response, three had stable disease, two progressed, and one was non-evaluable for response.


CONCLUSIONS
We report encouraging response and survival results with gefitinib as first-line treatment in unselected patients with advanced NSCLC. Gefitinib monotherapy should undergo further evaluation as first-line therapy in advanced NSCLC.
Argiris
Athanassios
A
Division of Hematology-Oncology, The Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 676 N. St. Clair, Suite 850, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. a-argiris@northwestern.edu
Mittal
Namrata
N
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002282:Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015996:Survival Rate
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D011799:Quinazolines; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D000077156:Gefitinib