title: Safety profile of gefitinib in advanced non-small cell lung cancer elderly patients with chronic renal failure: two clinical cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Comorbidities often contraindicate any chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, even single-agent one. This is the case of chronic renal failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two elderly patients (age >70 years) affected by advanced non-small cell lung cancer and chronic renal failure were treated, as front-line treatment, with gefitinib (ZD1839--'Iressa') administered orally at the dose of 250 mg daily.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both patients renal function was not impaired by the treatment with gefitinib and no severe toxicity was recorded. One patient reported a stable disease, lasted 141 days, with symptoms relief. In the other patient a mixed response was reported with one large pulmonary site responding to gefitinib, but with appearance of new small lung metastases. He is still alive at 359 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gefitinib resulted safety when administered to advanced NSCLC elderly patients affected by chronic renal failure. Gefitinib should be further evaluated as front-line treatment in a larger sample of such patients, in order to establish a therapeutic option for a sort of patients unsuitable for any chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Unita Operativa di Oncologia Medica, Azienda Ospedaliera "S.G. Moscati", Via Circumvallazione 68, 83100 Avellino, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maione
authors.forename: Filomena
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Del Gaizo
authors.forename: Ciro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guerriero
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Castaldo
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gridelli
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015897:Comorbidity; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011799:Quinazolines; D000077156:Gefitinib