title: [Efficacy of pemetrexed as second-line therapy or beyond in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pemetrexed is a standard second-line therapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Currently, cytotoxic treatments beyond second-line therapy are not available. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of pemetrexed as a salvage regimen in heavily pretreated patients with NSCLC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical data on 37 patients with advanced NSCLC who received pemetrexed as second-line therapy or beyond in Cancer Hospital of Peking Union Medical College from Feb 2005 to Sep 2009 were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen patients (35.1%) received pemetrexed as second-line treatment, whereas 24 (64.9%) received it as third-line treatment or beyond. Complete response, partial response, stable disease and progressive disease were noted in 1 (2.7%), 2 (5.4%), 17 (45.9%) and 12 (32.4%) of the patients, respectively, with the disease control rate being 54.1%. The median duration of progression free survival was 8.05 months, whereas that of overall survival was 19.29 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pemetrexed is efficacious and tolerable as second-line therapy or beyond for advanced NSCLC and should thus be recommended for patients with this disease.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Institute and Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.
authors.forename: Junling
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xuezhi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Xiangru
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yuankai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / 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* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005971:Glutamates; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D006147:Guanine