Predictors and impact of cytotoxic second-line chemotherapy for stage IIIa-IV nonsmall lung cancer patients in China: A retrospective institution analysis of 132 patients.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the predictors and impact of cytotoxic second-line chemotherapy for stage IIIa-IV nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in China.


METHODS
Medical records of 132 patients who underwent chemotherapy from January 2008 to December 2010 in our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. The response of first-line gemcitabine (GEM) and platinum doublets chemotherapy was evaluated, and the overall survival (OS) of all patients was followed. Further, risk factors of receipt cytotoxic second-line chemotherapy or not were identified and evaluated by univariate analyses.


RESULTS
Sixty-six cases have undergone cytotoxic second-line chemotherapy for lung cancer. The OS between patients received first-line GEM plus platinum doublets chemotherapy and patients without cytotoxic second chemotherapy had no statistical difference (P = 0.73). Smoking or not might be a meaningful predictor for cytotoxic second-line therapy among these patients in this investigation (P < 0.05). Other factors, such as age (≥ 65 or < 65), gender, alcohol use, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, histology type, number of cycles of first-line chemotherapy, and response of first-line chemotherapy had no statistical difference between patients received first-line GEM plus platinum doublets chemotherapy and patients received cytotoxic second chemotherapy (P > 0.05). In the sub-analysis, we found that the OS between patients received first-line GEM plus platinum doublets chemotherapy and patients without cytotoxic second chemotherapy had statistical difference in the population whose OS < 540 days (P = 0.019). Moreover, in these patients, the blood type was found to be a selected factor in receiving cytotoxic second-line chemotherapy or not (P < 0.05). Whereas other factors were not shown their selected effect (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated that though the essentiality of cytotoxic second-line chemotherapy for stage IIIa-IV EGFR mutation indefinite NSCLC is unclear, patients who are blood type AB with poor prognosis and short OS might be a dominant population for cytotoxic second-line chemotherapy.
Bin
B
Cheng
Xin-Jun
XJ
Cai
Ling-Ya
LY
Chen
Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou 310022, Zhejiang Province; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research on Chest Tumor (Lung, Esophagus), Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou 310022, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China.
Zeng
Z
Wang
Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research on Chest Tumor (Lung, Esophagus), Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou 310022, Zhejiang Province; Department of GCP, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou 310022, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China.
Lin
L
Weng
Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou 310022, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China.
Qing-Lin
QL
Li
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D019233:Retreatment; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome