title: Phase II trial of pemetrexed continuation--maintenance after carboplatin-based induction in untreated non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We conducted a phase II study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pemetrexed continuation-maintenance after carboplatin-based induction for advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four patients with advanced or recurrent non-squamous NSCLC received carboplatin (area under the concentration-time curve 6 mg/ml×min) plus pemetrexed (500 mg/m(2)) on day 1 tri-weekly. After four cycles of induction, patients without disease progression received pemetrexed maintenance until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-five patients completed induction and 22 received maintenance. The 1-year survival, objective response and disease control rates were 70.3%, 32.4% and 88.2%, respectively. The median progression-free survival and overall survival of all patients were 5.2 and 23.3 months. The incidental rates of grade 3 or more severe adverse events were low.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This regimen appears to be an appropriate option for chemonaïve patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC.
authors: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Allergy and Rheumatic Diseases, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. tkijima@imed3.med.osaka-u.ac.jp.
authors: Seigo
authors: S
authors: Minami
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Kijima
authors: Kiyoshi
authors: K
authors: Komuta
authors: Toru
authors: T
authors: Kumagai
authors: Fumio
authors: F
authors: Imamura
authors: Soichiro
authors: S
authors: Yokota
authors: Yoshiko
authors: Y
authors: Takeuchi
authors: Takeshi
authors: T
authors: Nakatani
authors: Isao
authors: I
authors: Tachibana
authors: Ichiro
authors: I
authors: Kawase
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005971:Glutamates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006147:Guanine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D005971:Glutamates; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D006147:Guanine; D016190:Carboplatin
keywords: Carboplatin; non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer; pemetrexed; phase II trial