title: Biweekly regimen of cisplatin, gemcitabine and vinorelbine for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Improving chemotherapeutic efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) will require the development of new strategies to better use currently available agents. To assess the efficacy and safety of a biweekly regimen of cisplatin, gemcitabine and vinorelbine for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with selected stage IIIb (pleural effusion)/stage IV NSCLC, performance status of 0-2 and normal organ function were eligible. Treatment consisted of cisplatin 100 mg/m(2) on day 1 plus gemcitabine, 1,000 mg/m(2) and vinorelbine 25 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 15 every 28 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 40 patients enrolled and assessable for response, there were five (12.5%) with confirmed complete response and 14 (35%) with a confirmed partial response for an overall response rate of 47.5%. Nine patients had stable disease while 12 (30%) progressed. Median progression-free survival and overall survival for all patients were 6.3 and 11.1 months, respectively. Toxicity was principally hematologic, with grade 3-4 neutropenia in 30%, and grade 3-4 nausea/vomiting in 22.5%. There were no treatment-related deaths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The biweekly regimen of cisplatin, gemcitabine and vinorelbine is associated with a high rate of response, lesser toxicity than other three-drug regimens and no benefit of survival. Therefore, the regimen under study may be an appealing alternative when considering other treatment modalities for advanced lung cancer, such as neoadjuvant therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, La Paz, Paseo de la Castellana 261, 28046 Madrid, Spain. jcastro.hulp@salud.madrid.org
authors.forename: Javier Castro
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: de Carpeño
authors.forename: M González
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Barón
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aguiar
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Chacón
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feliu
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Madroñal
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colmenarejo
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ordóñez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D018450:Disease Progression; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D003841:Deoxycytidine; D014747:Vinblastine; D002945:Cisplatin; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D000093542:Gemcitabine