title: Comparison of Single Agent Gemcitabine and Docetaxel in Second-Line Therapy for Advanced Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in a University Hospital in Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacy and toxicity of gemcitabine versus docetaxel in a second-line setting of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients previously treated with platin-based combination chemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of 57 patients treated with single agent gemcitabine or docetaxel in second-line setting of advanced NSCLC who received one prior platinum-based therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 56.7 ± 8.39 years with 55 ( 96.5%) males and two (3.5%) females. Forty of them received docetaxel and 17 gemcitabine. The mean number of chemotherapy cycles was 6.8 ± 4.0 in the gemcitabine group, while it was 4.6 ± 3.0 in the docetaxel group. Overall response rates were 8% and 12% (P=0.02) for gemcitabine and docetaxel, respectively. The median survival time was 22 versus 21 months for gemcitabine and docetaxel, respectively. The median times to progression were 8 and 5 months. There was no difference between the two groups in terms of incidence of adverse affects (40% vs 47.1%). All of the hematological side effects were grade 1/2. No major toxicity was encountered necessitating stopping the drug for either group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with gemcitabine demonstrated clinically equivalent efficacy with a significantly improved safety profile compared with those receiving docetaxel in the second-line setting for advanced NSCLC in this study. Based on these results, treatment with gemcitabine should be considered a standard treatment option for second-line NSCLC.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University , Ankara, Turkey E-mail : ftagassi@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yıldırım
authors.forename: Ayse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baha
authors.forename: Ahmet Selim
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Yurdakul
authors.forename: Can
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ozturk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018450:Disease Progression; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010984:Platinum / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D043823:Taxoids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014421:Turkey; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D043823:Taxoids; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000077143:Docetaxel; D010984:Platinum; D000093542:Gemcitabine