The similar survival benefits of stable disease and partial response to pemetrexed in previously treated non-small cell carcinoma patients.
OBJECTIVE
Pemetrexed is a recognized active agent for the second-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical benefits of pemetrexed and to identify patient characteristics that predict response to pemetrexed.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with histologically proven stage IIIB or IV NSCLC who were treated with pemetrexed after the failure of prior chemotherapy.


RESULTS
The objective response rate for the 99 enrolled patients was 13.1% and 22 patients achieved stable disease (SD)-a disease control rate of 35.4%. Progression-free survival and overall survival (OS) were 1.8 months (95% CI, 1.32-2.28) and 7.6 months (95% CI, 6.23-8.97), respectively. The patients who achieved SD and pemetrexed-responders showed similar OSs (14.6 vs. 14.8 months, P = 0.55). However, a squamous cell carcinoma histology showed no significant OS difference between those that achieved disease control or progression (8.1 vs. 5.6 months, P = 0.07). Subgroup analysis of OS revealed that histology and response to first-line therapy predicted response to pemetrexed.


CONCLUSIONS
Pemetrexed has comparable survival benefits in NSCLC patients that show objective response or stable disease.
Department of Internal Medicine, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, 215-4, Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 139-706, Korea.
Hye-Ryoun
HR
Kim
Min Soo
MS
Kang
Im Il
II
Na
Sung Hyeon
SH
Yang
Yoon Hee
YH
Choi
Hye Jin
HJ
Kang
Cheol Hyeon
CH
Kim
Jae Cheol
JC
Lee
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005971:Glutamates / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006147:Guanine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D005971:Glutamates; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D006147:Guanine