title: [Clinical Observation of Erlotinib in the Treatment of Elderly Patients with Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  About 80% lung cancer is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and more than 70% are in advanced stage. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical efficacy and the side effects of erlotinib in the treatment of elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer were treated with erlotinib 150 mg/d, then the adverse reaction and clinical efficacy were recorded during 3 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total 29 patients were evaluated for efficacy. The total rate of effect was 20.69%, including 1 case CR, 5 cases PR, 9 cases SD and 14 cases PD. We compared the effective rate of stage III with IV. There were no significant difference between the effective rate of stage III and IV (P=0.337). The main side effects were rash (37.93%), diarrhea (17.24%) and vomiting (6.9%) and most side effects were grade I and II.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Erlotinib for elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer have better effective and less toxic effects and the further clinical study should be warranted.
authors: Department of Oncology, Tumor Hospital of Baotou, Baotou 014030, China.
authors: Yanxia
authors: Y
authors: Yang
authors: Yongjuan
authors: Y
authors: Wu
authors: Yunqi
authors: Y
authors: Hua
authors: Haiqing
authors: H
authors: Yuan