[Efficacy of gefitinib on advanced non-small cell lung cancer of bilateral diffuse or unilateral giant mass type].
OBJECTIVE
No more survival improvement could be obtained in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) today with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Clinical trails showed the antitumor effect of gefitinib on NSCLC with individual differences. This study was to select NSCLC patients of suitable type by comparing the efficacy of gefitinib on advanced NSCLC of bilateral diffuse type and unilateral giant mass type.


METHODS
Fifty advanced NSCLC patients of bilateral diffuse type (20 cases) and unilateral mass type (30 cases) received treatment of gefitinib. The efficacy of gefitinib on advanced NSCLC between the 2 groups was compared.


RESULTS
The median time to symptom improvement was significantly shorter in bilateral diffuse group than in unilateral mass group (4 days vs. 7 days, P<0.01). The disease control rate was significantly higher in bilateral diffuse group than in unilateral mass group (75% vs. 20%, P<0.01). The median progression-free time was significantly longer in bilateral diffuse group than in unilateral mass group (9.5 months vs. 3.6 months, P<0.01). Drug-related adverse events were similar in the 2 groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Gefitinib is more effective to bilateral diffuse type NSCLC than to unilateral giant mass type NSCLC. It can be considered as the second-line medicine for bilateral diffuse type NSCLC.
Wen
Zhe-Sheng
ZS
State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, P. R. China. zheshengwen@yahoo.com.cn
Chen
Xiao-Qin
XQ
Wu
Hai-Ying
HY
Wei
Wei-Dong
WD
Rong
Tie-Hua
TH
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005076:Exanthema / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011537:Pruritus / Q000139:chemically induced; D011788:Quality of Life; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012074:Remission Induction
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011799:Quinazolines; D000077156:Gefitinib