[Gefitinib in the treatment of male patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the antitumor efficacy, time to tumor progression (TTP) and toxicity of gefitinib (Iressa, ZD1839)--a selective epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor in the treatment of male patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods Fifty-nine male patients with stage IV NSCLC orally took Iressa 250 mg once daily until disease progression or intolerable toxicity ocurred. They were required to conduct tumor-evaluation before the treatment, one month after Iressa administration and then every other month.


RESULTS
Of these 59 patients, no complete regression was observed, 23.7% had partial response (PR), and 16.9% stable disease (SD) with a disease control (PR + SD) rate of 40.7%, while 59.3% had progress of disease (PD). The median time to tumor progression (TTP) was 1.8 months, and the median survival was 8.5 months. Fifty-nine patients were followed up over one year, 35 over two year and 15 over three year, and the 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates were 42.4%, 17.1% and 13.3%. The most common adverse effects were grade 1 or 2 skin reaction and diarrhea.


CONCLUSIONS
Iressa is effective in antitumor for the male patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer, and can improve the survival for those responsing to gefitinib. The adverse effects are usually tolerable.
Wang
Bin
B
Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital (Institute), Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Peking Union Medical Collage, Beijing 100021, China.
Zhang
Xiang-ru
XR
Chu
Da-tong
DT
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* / Q000473:pathology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced; D018450:Disease Progression; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005076:Exanthema / Q000139:chemically induced; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012074:Remission Induction; D015996:Survival Rate
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011799:Quinazolines; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D000077156:Gefitinib