Efficacy of gefitinib for elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer harboring epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutations: a retrospective analysis.
OBJECTIVE
To retrospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of gefitinib in elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring epidermal growth factor receptor mutations.


METHODS
Nine patients aged 70 years or older who had advanced NSCLC with mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor gene were treated with gefitinib, 250 mg daily. Clinical data, types of epidermal growth factor receptor mutations, efficacy and toxicity of gefitinib were evaluated in these patients. Tumor responses were assessed by computed tomography scan using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors.


RESULTS
Six patients showed a partial response, and the other three exhibited stable disease. The overall response rate was 66.7%. The median progression-free survival was 396 days, whereas the median over all survival was 523 days. No serious toxicities were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Gefitinib is very efficacious and safe for elderly patients with adenocarcinoma of the lung harboring an EGFR tyrosine kinase mutation. The present data support the use of gefitinib in this particular subgroup.
Uruga
Hironori
H
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Respiratory Center, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo. uruga@jikei.ac.jp
Kishi
Kazuma
K
Fujii
Takeshi
T
Beika
Yuka
Y
Enomoto
Takahiro
T
Takaya
Hisashi
H
Miyamoto
Atsushi
A
Morokawa
Nasa
N
Kurosaki
Atsuko
A
Yoshimura
Kunihiko
K
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends
D011799:Quinazolines; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D000077156:Gefitinib