[Gefitinib as a first-line therapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer].
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.
Hashizume
Toshihiko
T
Dept. of Thoracic Diseases, Kanagawa Cardiovascular and Respiratory Center.
Ogura
Takashi
T
Kozawa
Satoko
S
Kobayashi
Nobuaki
N
Tagawa
Akihiro
A
Miyazawa
Naoki
N
Watanuki
Yuji
Y
Takahashi
Hiroshi
H
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
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011799:Quinazolines; D000077156:Gefitinib