title: Phase II randomized study comparing the toxicity profile of gemcitabine plus cisplatin with gemcitabine plus oral etoposide in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This is a randomized phase II study designed to compare the toxicity profile of a non-platinum-based with a platinum-based regimen in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-nine chemotherapy-naïve patients were randomized either to gemcitabine (1,000 mg/m2, 30-min infusion on days 1, 8 and 15) and oral etoposide (50 mg, days 1-14; GE group) or gemcitabine at the same schedule and cisplatin (75 mg/m2 on day 15; GP group). The primary endpoint is toxicity, and secondary endpoints include response rate, survival outcome and quality of life (QOL).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of WHO grade 3 or 4 anemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia was 29, 44 and 22% (GE group), and 28, 49 and 23% (GP group), respectively (p = 0.75, 0.95 and 0.87, respectively). The rate of grade 2 or above nausea was numerically higher in the GP arm, but the difference was not statistically significant (GE 15.5%, GP 27.7%, p = 0.20). The rate of vomiting in the GE and GP arms was 20.0 and 20.5%, respectively (p = 0.96). However, subjective changes in QOL scores on nausea and vomiting were significantly higher in the GP arm (p = 0.001). Other symptoms including sore mouth and hair loss were significantly higher in the GE arm (p = 0.003 and 0.007, respectively). There were also significant differences observed in emotional (p = 0.014), cognitive (p = 0.028) and social functioning (p = 0.034) in favor of GP. The differences in tumor response (35.5 and 46.5% for GE and GP, respectively) were not significantly different. Median time to disease progression (33.8 and 40.7 weeks, respectively) and overall survival (41.4 and 57.3 weeks, respectively) were of borderline significance in favor of the GP arm (p = 0.055).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This toxicity profile of GE is similar to GP, but the apparent inferior efficacy may discourage further investigation.
authors: Department of Clinical Oncology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. mok206551@cuhk.edu.hk
authors: Tony S K
authors: TS
authors: Mok
authors: Kwok Chi
authors: KC
authors: Lam
authors: Conrad
authors: C
authors: Lee
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Zhang
authors: Herman
authors: H
authors: Wong
authors: Anthony T C
authors: AT
authors: Chan
authors: Winnie
authors: W
authors: Yeo
authors: Anthony P C
authors: AP
authors: Yim
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Chak
authors: Benny
authors: B
authors: Zee
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011788:Quality of Life; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D003841:Deoxycytidine; D005047:Etoposide; D002945:Cisplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine