[The efficacy and safety of pemetrexed as monotherapy for Chinese patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the outcome of pemetrexed as monotherapy for Chinese patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital.


METHODS
From February 2006 to August 2009, 69 patients with advanced NSCLC, including 36 (52.2%) men and 33 (47.8%) women, received pemetrexed monotherapy.Six patients had squamous cell carcinoma, 57 adenocarcinoma, 6 unspecified. Median survival (MS) and progress-free survival (PFS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.


RESULTS
Adverse events (AEs) were generally mild (grade 1 and 2) and reversible. The most frequent AEs were gastrointestinal adverse events, skin rash, fever and fatigue. Total 5 cases with 3/4 grade AEs were reported, including fever, fatigue, rash, decreased platelets and elevated ALT/AST. The objective tumour response rate and stable disease rate were 10.1% (7/69) and 47.8% (33/69) respectively. Median PFS of all patients was 4.7 months (95%CI 3.0-6.4) and mean overall survival was 14.7 months (95%CI 11.5-17.9).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study suggests that treatment with pemetrexed may be well-tolerated and beneficial for some Chinese patients after failure of prior chemotherapy. The rate of disease control is high and the frequency of 3/4 grade AEs is very low.
Zhong
Wei
W
Department of Respiratory Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
Zhao
Jing
J
Zhang
Xiao-tong
XT
Zhang
Li
L
Wang
Meng-zhao
MZ
Li
Long-yun
LY
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005971:Glutamates / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006147:Guanine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D000068437:Pemetrexed
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D005971:Glutamates; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D006147:Guanine