Treatment after the failure of gefitinib in patients with advanced or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer.
BACKGROUND
The optimal treatment for patients with progressive non-small cell lung cancer who initially show a good response to gefitinib is unclear.


METHODS
This study retrospectively analyzed 60 consecutive patients who experienced treatment failure after achieving disease control with gefitinib and thereafter underwent post initial gefitinib treatment either with or without continuing gefitinib.


RESULTS
Continuing gefitinib was independently associated with a good survival based on multivariate analyses (hazard ratio (HR)=0.51; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.26-0.98; p=0.0426), and performance status at the failure of gefitinib (0.05; 0.02-0.17; p<0.0001). The adjusted HR of continuing gefitinib based on Cox regression analysis and a propensity score of 0.61 (95% CI, 0.41-0.92) indicated an association between a prolonged survival and the continuation of gefitinib.


CONCLUSIONS
In addition to post gefitinib treatment, continuing the administration of gefitinib should be considered in patients who previously achieved disease control with gefitinib, even after a failure of gefitinib.
Department of Thoracic Oncology, Kyushu Cancer Center, Fukuoka, Japan. maruyama.r@ns.yawata-mhp.or.jp
Riichiroh
R
Maruyama
Hiroshi
H
Wataya
Takashi
T
Seto
Yukito
Y
Ichinose
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017211:Treatment Failure
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011799:Quinazolines; D000077156:Gefitinib