Gemcitabine plus vinorelbine as the second-line treatment and beyond in elderly patients with platinum-pretreated advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
BACKGROUND
The efficacy and tolerance of a gemcitabine and vinorelbine (GV) combination as salvage therapy have not been reported in elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).


METHODS
We reviewed elderly patients with advanced NSCLC who had disease progression after one or more chemotherapy regimens, at least one including platinum, and then who were treated with GV as the salvage therapy.


RESULTS
In total 40 patients were analyzed. GV was at least the third-line chemotherapy in 24 patients (60.0%). Only 2 patients (5.0%) experienced grade 3 febrile neutropenia. Nonhematologic toxicities were generally mild and there was no treatment-related mortality. Among 29 patients evaluable for treatment response, 10 (34.5%) and 9 (31.0%) achieved a partial response and stable disease, respectively. The median overall survival was 10.3 months and the median progression-free survival was 3.1 months.


CONCLUSIONS
GV in combination is an effective and tolerable salvage regimen in elderly and heavily pretreated patients with advanced NSCLC.
Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, South Korea.
Se-Il
SI
Go
Won Sup
WS
Lee
Gyeong-Won
GW
Lee
Jung Hun
JH
Kang
Myoung Hee
MH
Kang
Haa-Na
HN
Song
Anna
A
Lee
Un Seok
US
Lee
Hye Jung
HJ
Choi
Hoon-Gu
HG
Kim
D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D017671:Platinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D017671:Platinum Compounds; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D014747:Vinblastine; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D000093542:Gemcitabine