title: Selection of chemotherapy for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: Chemotherapy remains the first-line treatment for most patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but optimal regimens are now defined by histology. Platinum-based regimens with pemetrexed, bevacizumab, or both are reasonable first-line options for patients with nonsquamous NSCLC. The standard treatment for squamous NSCLC remains a platinum doublet with a drug other than pemetrexed. Maintenance therapy is emerging as a treatment strategy for patients who do not progress after four cycles of first-line chemotherapy. In the maintenance setting, pemetrexed and erlotinib significantly prolong overall survival compared with placebo after the completion of first-line chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Solid Tumor Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. penneln@ccf.org
authors.forename: Nathan A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Pennell
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D060046:Maintenance Chemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D002945:Cisplatin