title: [Clinical investigation of efficacy of third-line and beyond pemetrexed treatment in advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pemetrexed in combination with platinum or a single-agent has been approved for the first- and second-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the role of pemetrexed therapy in the third-line and beyond treatment of NSCLC has yet to be generally accepted. The present retrospective study reports the efficacy and safety of pemetrexed in the third-line and beyond treatment of advanced non-squamous NSCLC.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 46 patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC received a combination of pemetrexed plus platinum or a single-agent after multi-line treatment failed to yield positive results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 46 patients who participated in the study, 7 achieved partial responses, 20 reached a stage of stable disease, and 19 reached a stage of progressive disease. The over-all object response rate was 15.2% and the disease control rate (DCR) was 58.7%. The median progression-free survival time was 3.0 months. Pemetrexed in combination with platinum yielded a higher DCR than the pemetrexed plus single-agent treatment (P=0.043). Common adverse events included nausea, vomiting and myelosuppression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administration of pemetrexed after failure of multi-line treatment is clinically beneficial to patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC. The toxic effects of the treatment appear to be tolerable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Oncology, Affiliated Hospital, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xiaoqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jianjie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wanfeng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Haifeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Hongjun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy; 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*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005971:Glutamates; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D006147:Guanine