[Combination of carboplatin and gemcitabine is a safe and feasible regimen in adjuvant therapy for stage II and IIIA NSCLC].
BACKGROUND
Recently, several randomized trials have shown that postoperative adjuvant treatment improves survival among patients with completely resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Platinum-based chemotherapy has been reported to be effective for patients with postoperative stage II to IIIA.


METHODS
In the present study, 5 patients with completely resected stage IIB and IIIA received carboplatin AUC 4 on day 1 and gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks for six cycles as adjuvant chemotherapy.


RESULTS
No early or toxic deaths were observed. All patients were administered 6 cycles completely and safely. Three patients had grade 3 neutropenia and three had grade 2 thrombocytopenia. One patient had grade 3 neutropenia on day 8 in the 2nd and 3rd cycle, and the medications were postponed for a week. Non-hematological toxicity including alopecia and neuropathy were not found.


CONCLUSIONS
In the present study, the combination of carboplatin and gemcitabine has been a safe and feasible regimen in adjuvant therapy for stage II and IIIA NSCLC.
Miyahara
Eiji
E
Dept. of Pulmonary Surgery, Saiseikai Hiroshima Hospital, Japan.
Tsutani
Yasuhiro
Y
Suzuki
Takahisa
T
Minami
Kazuhito
K
Kameda
Akira
A
Noso
Yoshihiro
Y
D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D003841:Deoxycytidine; D016190:Carboplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine