title: [Gefitinib as a first-line therapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of gefitinib as a first-line therapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 19 patients with advanced NSCLC retrospectively, who were treated with gefitinib as a first-line therapy. These patients were not considered for systemic chemotherapy secondary to co-morbid conditions, poor performance status (PS) or refusal of chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median age 68 years, male/female 10/9, stage III/IV 7/12, smoker/non-smoker 12/7, adenocarcinoma/non-adeno 13/6, PS 0/1/2/3/4 0/4/7/5/3. Four patients had a partial response and the overall response rate was 21.0%. The median survival time was 6.8 months and 1-year survival was 27%. Overall toxicities were mild. Grade (G) 3 diarrhea was observed in one patient and G1 interstitial pneumonia in one.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrate that gefitinib is active as a first-line therapy in patients with advanced NSCLC.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Thoracic Diseases, Kanagawa Cardiovascular and Respiratory Center.
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hashizume
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogura
authors.forename: Satoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kozawa
authors.forename: Nobuaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tagawa
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miyazawa
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanuki
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011799:Quinazolines; D000077156:Gefitinib