Gemcitabine and carboplatin in the treatment of locally advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to evaluate the response, survival advantage and toxicity profile of gemcitabine-carboplatin combination cytotoxic chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).


METHODS
Patients who received gemcitabine-carboplatin combination chemotherapy over a 2.5-years period were analyzed. Carboplatin at a dose of 5 mg/mL/min (area under the concentration-time curve) was given on day 1 and gemcitabine (1000 mg/m(2)) on days 1 and 8, every 3 weeks.


RESULTS
Of 49 chemotherapy-naive patients (median age, 62 years) who received this treatment, 57% were males, 12% had stage IIIa, 39% stage IIIb and 49% metastatic disease. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 70% of the patients was 1 at the time of commencement of chemotherapy and 2 for the remaining 30% of patients. The overall response rate, based on 33 evaluable patients, was 27.3%. The response rate was not affected by age, stage of disease or performance status. The median survival was 9 months. Median survival among patients with an ECOG performance status of 1 was 11 months, as compared with 4 months for patients with an ECOG performance status of 2 (P < 0.001). Toxicity was generally well tolerated and there were no treatment-related deaths.


CONCLUSIONS
Gemcitabine-carboplatin combination chemotherapy is an effective and well-tolerated cytotoxic regimen among Malaysian patients with advanced NSCLC. A performance status of 1 or less was associated with a better survival.
Leow
Chai-Hooi
CH
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. yoonghh@pd.jaring.my
Liam
Chong-Kin
CK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D003841:Deoxycytidine; D016190:Carboplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine