title: Comparative effectiveness of first-line platinum-based chemotherapy regimens for advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Platinum-based chemotherapy is the standard first-line therapy for patients with advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We compared the effectiveness of first-line chemotherapy regimens.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched the database of the Taiwan Cancer Registry for patients with newly diagnosed advanced lung SCC from 2004 to 2007. Medication prescription data were retrieved from the database of National Health Insurance, Taiwan. We identified patients who received standard first-line platinum-based chemotherapy, which was defined as chemotherapy with a platinum (P) compound (cisplatin or carboplatin) in addition to 1 of the 4 chemotherapy agents, including gemcitabine (G), docetaxel (D), paclitaxel (T), and vinorelbine (V). Deaths were identified by searching the National Death Registry. Overall survival (OS) was compared between patients who underwent different therapies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 2790 patients were identified; 983 patients (35.2%) received standard first-line chemotherapy with P and G (58.1%), D (14.5%), T (11.6%), or V (15.8%). Older patients (age ≥ 70 years) were less likely to receive P + D than P + G, P + T, or P + V (P = .018). Patients who received P + G, P + D, P + T, or P + V had similar OS (median, 8.9, 7.9, 9.5, and 8.2 months; P = .816). In multivariate analyses adjusting for age, sex, and stage, the first-line chemotherapy regimen was not a predictor for OS. With P + G as the reference group, the adjusted hazard ratios of P + D, P + T, and P + V were 1.03, 0.90, and 1.02, respectively (P = .710).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with advanced lung SCC, various regimens did not have a significant effect on survival outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Department of Oncology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Bin-Chi
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Oncology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Yun
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research, National Center of Excellence for Clinical Trial and Research, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ho-Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of Health Technology Assessment, Center For Drug Evaluation, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Yi
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Shau
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Zhong-Zhe
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Policy and Management, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Raymond Nienchen
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.affiliation: Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research, National Center of Excellence for Clinical Trial and Research, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chiu-Ling
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuo-Hsing
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Oncology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ann-Lii
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Oncology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Cancer Research Center, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: chihyang@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: James Chih-Hsin
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research, National Center of Excellence for Clinical Trial and Research, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Taiwan Cancer Registry, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mei-Shu
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D016190:Carboplatin; D002945:Cisplatin
keywords: Comparative effectiveness; Non–small-cell lung cancer; Platinum-based chemotherapy; Prognosis; Squamous cell carcinoma