Histology classification is not a predictor of clinical outcomes in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with vinorelbine or gemcitabine combinations.
BACKGROUND
Until recently, histology has not been clearly or consistently described in the literature as a prognostic or predictive variable in advanced NSCLC studies. We have categorised patients treated with vinorelbine and gemcitabine based first line chemotherapy regimes for advanced NSCLC as either squamous or non-squamous, and also as either adenocarcinoma and non-adenocarcinoma, and compared outcome.


METHODS
420 patients treated with platinum/gemcitabine, platinum/vinorelbine or single agent gemcitabine or vinorelbine as first line chemotherapy for advanced NSCLC were identified. The influence of pathology on progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) has been investigated by means of a Cox regression analysis. Hazard ratios with 95% CIs have been given for each pathological type after adjusting for the effects of age, gender, stage (III vs. IV), PS (0/1 vs. 2/3) and treatment type (platinum doublet vs. single agent).


RESULTS
Neither univariate nor multivariate analysis suggested that there was a significant difference in the response rates for adenocarcinoma vs. non-adenocarcinoma or between squamous and non-squamous pathology. There was no difference in PFS between adenocarcinoma and non-adenocarcinoma pathologies until 8 months (p = 0.98), and there was a statistically significant advantage in PFS for squamous vs. non-squamous pathologies (p = 0.04). Using multivariate Cox regression analysis to adjust for the effects of age, gender, stage, PS, and treatment type, the pathology subtype was not significant. There was no difference in OS in any group.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that histology may not be considered as a predictor of clinical outcome using these drugs.
Department of Experimental Medicine, La Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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L
Trani
J
J
Myerson
S
S
Ashley
K
K
Young
A
A
Sheri
R
R
Hubner
M
M
Puglisi
S
S
Popat
M E R
ME
O'Brien
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D003841:Deoxycytidine; D014747:Vinblastine; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D000093542:Gemcitabine