title: A Phase II Study with Gemcitabine and Carboplatin in Patients with Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine and carboplatin (GC) in the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Between November 1999 and April 2001, 34 patients were enrolled in this study. The median age was 66 (range: 52-74) years old and all were male. Sixteen patients demonstrated stage IIIB, 15 stage IV, and 3 recurrence of disease after surgery. Twenty-two patients showed a ECOG performance status of 0 or 1 and 12 had 2. Twenty patients presented with squamous cell carcinoma, 11 adenocarcinoma and 3 unclassified NSCLC. The treatment regimen consisted of intravenous carboplatin AUC of 6 on day 1 and gemcitabine 1,250 mg/m2 on day 1 and 8. The treatment was repeated every 28 days. Toxicities were evaluated according to WHO toxicity criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All thirty-four patients were evaluable. Partia responses were observed in 15 patients. The overall response rate was 44% (95% confidence interval: 27-61%) and the median response duration was 26 (range 8-60 ) weeks. The median survival of all patients was 50 (range 8-70 ) weeks. During a total of 144 cycles, granulocytopenia greater than WHO grade 2 occurred in 2%, thrombocytopenia in 2%, and anemia in 3%, respectively. Non- hematologic toxicities were minor and easily controlled.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A combination chemotherapy of intravenous gemcitabine and carboplatin has a relatively high activity with acceptable toxicities in patients with advanced NSCLC.
authors.forename: Jae Wan
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hwan Yang
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yong Bae
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jung Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Sung Hung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Gwi Lae
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Bong Seog
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Roh
keywords: Carboplatin; Combination chemotherapy; Gemcitabine; Non-small cell lung cancer