title: Metastatic lung disease treated with pemetrexed-docetaxel combination chemotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  According to the ASCO guidelines 4 cytotoxic agents are used in colorectal cancer. Numerous agents have not been used or tested and thus their effectiveness is not known. Herein we present the preliminary data of a trial whose objective was to investigate the effectiveness to 2 combined agents in patients with heavily pretreated adenocarcinomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients have been recruited up until now. Colorectal adenocarcinoma was the primary disease in 7 patients, gastric cancer in 2, and endometrial adenocarcinoma in one. All patients had undergone at least 2 lines of previous chemotherapy during 2-3 years before the trial. The lungs were the only or main site of metastases in all patients. Chemotherapy agents used were pemetrexed 500 mg/m(2) and docetaxel 75 mg/m(2), repeated every 3 weeks, with a plan to administer 6 cycles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean number of cycles were 3 (range 1-6). Total number of cycles 33. No serious toxicity was detected. One patient had complete response, 3 partial response, 5 stable disease, 1 disease progression. Median survival was 6 months (range 2-12+ months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effectiveness of the pemetrexed-docetaxel combination in heavily pretreated adenocarcinoma patients justifies their use when no other alternative exists.
authors.affiliation: First Oncology Clinic, Errikos Dunant Hospital, Athens, Greece. dr.gps@ath.forthnet.gr
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Stathopoulos
authors.forename: Ch
authors.initials: Ch
authors.lastname: Zoublios
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stathopoulos
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005260:Female; D005971:Glutamates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006147:Guanine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D005971:Glutamates; D043823:Taxoids; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D000077143:Docetaxel; D006147:Guanine