title: [Efficacy study of single-agent gemcitabine versus gemcitabine plus carboplatin in untreated elderly patients with stage IIIb/IV non-small-cell lung cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore a chemotherapeutic regimen suitable for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in elderly patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 68 elderly patients with NSCLC (stage IIIb/IV) were equally and randomly divided into single-agent and combined groups. Patients in single-agent group received gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2) at Days 1 and 8 for a 21-day cycle. Those in combined group received gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2) at Days 1 and 8 in combination carboplatin AUC5 at Day 2 for a 21-day cycle. The drugs were intravenously administered. All patients received 3 cycles of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In single-agent and combined groups, CR 1 and 1, PR 12 and 13, response rates 38% and 41% were respectively observed. There was no statistically significant difference between two groups (P > 0.05). The 1-year and 2-year survival rates of single-agent and combined groups were 31% vs 32% and 12% vs 14% with a median survival of 9.9 and 9.8 months without a statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). The rates of leucopenia and thrombocytopenia (III-IV degree) were 47% and 38% in combined group and they were higher than 24% and 15% in single-agent group with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). The observer scale of lung cancer symptom scale showed that the post-treatment scores of appetite, fatigue and pain significantly improved in single-agent group while no improvement was observed in combined group. Also the scores of appetite, fatigue and pain of single-agent group were higher than those of combined group after chemotherapy (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Single-agent gemcitabine regimen is more suitable for advanced NSCLC in elderly patients.
authors.affiliation: Chemotherapy Center, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou 310022, China.
authors.forename: Guang-yuan
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.forename: Tie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Cui-ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Yi-ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D003841:Deoxycytidine; D016190:Carboplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine