Clinical effect of erlotinib as first-line treatment for Asian elderly patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy and toxicities of erlotinib as first-line treatment for Asian elderly patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).


METHODS
Untreated patients with advanced NSCLC were included in this study; erlotinib was orally administered at a dose of 150 mg daily until disease progression or intolerable toxicity or for other reasons.


RESULTS
A total of 35 patients were enrolled. Patient characteristics were as follows: mean age 75.6 years (ranged 70-81 years), 24 (68.6%) male, 16 (45.7%) former or current smokers, 13 (37.1%) adenocarcinoma, 18 (51.4%) squamous cell carcinoma and 4 (11.4%) bronchioloalveolar carcinoma. Out of 35 patients, 1 CR, 16 PR and 10 SD, resulting in an overall response rate (CR + PR) of 48.6% and disease control rate (DCR = CR + PR + SD) of 77.1%. The median TTP was 6.4 months, and the median OS was 12.7 months. The CBR was 80%, and the 1-year survival rate was 48.6%. The most common adverse event (AE) was mild skin rash and diarrhea (CTC AE 1/2). Among them, the female never smokers with a non-squamous cell carcinoma histology was superior to the male smokers with a squamous cell carcinoma in disease control rate, with significant differences (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that erlotinib monotherapy is an effective and well-tolerated treatment option for Asian elderly patients with advanced NSCLC.
Xu
Xin-Hua
XH
Oncology Department, The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University and Yichang Central People's Hospital, No. 183 Yiling Road, Yichang, Hubei 443002, China. xuxinhua@medmail.com.cn
Su
Jin
J
Fu
Xiang-Yang
XY
Xue
Feng
F
Huang
Qiao
Q
Li
Dao-Jun
DJ
Lu
Ming-Qian
MQ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D044466:Asian People; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011788:Quality of Life; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011799:Quinazolines; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride