title: Pemetrexed in previously treated non-small cell lung cancer patients with poor performance status.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pemetrexed have been approved for the treatment of patients affected by advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in progression after first-line chemotherapy. We evaluated the activity and feasibility of pemetrexed in previously treated NSCLC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with histologically or cytologically confirmed NSCLC were evaluated from April 2007 to March 2009. The patients had relapsed or progressed after prior chemotherapy treatment. Pemetrexed (500 mg/m²) was administered intravenously once every 3 weeks after progression to prior chemotherapy. The tumor response was evaluated according to RECIST criteria by chest CT at every 2 cycles of chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total 61 patients were eligible for analysis. Performance status of them (100%) was over 2. The response rate and disease control rate were 14.7% and 37.7% respectively. Non-squamous cell carcinoma histology was significantly associated with a superior response rate (P=0.045) and disease control rate (P=0.008). The median survival time and the median progression free survival (PFS) time were 6.11 months and 2.17 months, respectively. Comparing the efficacy of pemetrexed in these two settings [second-line versus (12/61) more than third (49/61)], there was no significant difference in regard to median survival (11.18 months vs 11.46 months, P=0.922,5), but PFS was more longer in third- or further-line groups than second-line group (1.39 months vs 2.25 months, P=0.015,3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pemetrexed is a feasible regimen in previously treated NSCLC with poor performance status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejon, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Su Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Ji Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Ji Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jeong Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hee Sun
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Ju Ock
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sun Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005971:Glutamates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006147:Guanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005971:Glutamates; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D006147:Guanine