title: [The Impact of Smoking Status on the Efficacy of Erlotinib in Patients with Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Erlotinib is a targeted treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Smoking status may be one of influencing factors of the efficacy of erlotinib. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of smoking status on the efficacy of erlotinib in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer who had been previously treated with at least one course of platinum based chemotherapy received 150 mg oral doses of erlotinib once daily until disease progression. Response rate, progression-free survival, overall survival were analyzed in the different smoking status groups. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the survival rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fortyeight patients were enrolled into the study from December 2005 to September 2006. We followed up these patients until 28th December, 2008. Median follow up time was 30 months. The compliance rate was 100%. The response rate was 32.1% in the smoking group and 35% in the never smoking group (P=0.836); The median progression-free survival was 3 months and 9 months, respectively (P=0.033). The median overall survival was 5 months and 17 months, respectively (P=0.162).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Erlotinib is an effective drug for advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients with different smoking status. Progressionfree survival is better in the never smoking patients than the smoking patients.
authors: Guangdong Lung Cancer Institute, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors: Yisheng
authors: Y
authors: Huang
authors: Jinji
authors: J
authors: Yang
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Yang
authors: Yujuan
authors: Y
authors: Huang
authors: Riqiang
authors: R
authors: Liao
authors: Yilong
authors: Y
authors: Wu