title: Impacts of treatment lines and initiation timing of erlotinib for advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to analyze whether or not the efficacy and safety of erlotinib are influenced by differences among treatment lines and initiation timing in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stage III or IV NSCLC cases were retrospectively evaluated at three university hospitals. The primary outcome was progression-free survival (PFS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median PFSs of the second-, third- and fourth-line and over therapies were 138, 250 and 95 days; and median overall survivals (OSs) were 174, 260 and 270 days, respectively, with no significant differences. The response rates (RR) for the second-, third- and fourth-line and over therapies were 14%, 24% and 13%, respectively, with no significant differences. The toxicity profiles did not differ among the groups. The median PFSs and OSs according to initiation timing were not significantly different.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences in treatment lines and initiation timing affected neither efficacy nor safety in patients with advanced NSCLC.
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, 143 Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa 259-1193, Japan. aokitaku@is.icc.u-tokai.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Igawa
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Furuya
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katagiri
authors.forename: Junichirou
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hisata
authors.forename: Sakurako
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tajiri
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hayama
authors.forename: Masamichi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mineshita
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Urano
authors.forename: Teruomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyazawa
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abe
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011799:Quinazolines; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride