title: First-line chemotherapy with planned sequential administration of cisplatin/gemcitabine followed by docetaxel in elderly 'unfrail' patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a multicenter phase II study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The role of cisplatin in the first-line treatment for elderly advanced non-small-cell lung cancer is not completely defined. We previously reported in this subset of patients an interesting efficacy and tolerability of a sequential schedule of gemcitabine followed by docetaxel.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients aged ≥70 years and with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 or 1 received cisplatin 60 mg/m(2) on Day 1 and gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m(2) on Day 1 and 8 every 3 weeks for 3 courses followed by 3 courses of docetaxel 37.5 mg/m(2) on Day 1 and 8 every 3 weeks, provided there was no evidence of disease progression. Patients were excluded if considered 'frail' according to the Multidimensional Geriatric Assessment. The main objective of the study was the 4-month progression-free survival rate. Simon's two-stage minimax design was applied to calculate the sample size.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 30 patients were enroled into the study, the 4-month progression-free survival rate was 53.3 % and the study was closed at the first stage for futility; the overall response rate was 16.7 %; the median time to progression and median duration of survival were 5.1 and 8.6 months, respectively; the 1-year survival rate was 30 %.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incorporation of cisplatin in a sequential schedule of gemcitabine followed by docetaxel is feasible but did not yield a substantial advantage to deserve further investigations.
authors: Division of Oncology, Department of Oncology, Civil Hospital, viale Alfieri 36, 57100, Livorno, Italy. tiby@katamail.com
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Tibaldi
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Camerini
authors: A
authors: A
authors: D'Incecco
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Vasile
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Fabbri
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Amoroso
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Cappuzzo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D015996:Survival Rate; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D043823:Taxoids; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000077143:Docetaxel; D002945:Cisplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine