title: Phase II trial of paclitaxel-carboplatin with intercalated gefitinib for untreated, epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutation status unknown non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of paclitaxel-carboplatin combined with intercalated gefitinib in patients with advanced, untreated, nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer.
  
  
  
  A total of 29 patients were enrolled in the study. All patients were Chinese, with a histology type of adenocarcinoma, without a smoking history, and as a result of the limited tissue sample, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation test could not be performed. All patients received chemotherapy of paclitaxel-carboplatin every 21 days for four cycles, and gefitinib (250 mg/day) was administered on days eight to 17 of the chemotherapy cycle. If the patient responded to chemotherapy, maintenance therapy of 250mg of gefitinib could be administered daily.
  
  
  
  All of the 29 patients received at least one cycle of chemotherapy and gefitinib, and 25 patients received four cycles of therapy. Eighteen patients selected maintenance therapy with gefitinib. The objective response rate was 74.1% (95% confidence interval, 53.7% to 88.9%). No complete response was achieved. The median progression-free survival was 16 months, however, the median overall survival was not available by the conclusion of the study. The major adverse event was hematologic toxicity.
  
  
  
  The regimen of paclitaxel-carboplatin combined with intercalated gefitinib showed a high response rate and a favorable safety profile. Gefitinib maintenance therapy was proven to be beneficial. This study proposes a good pattern of chemotherapy combined with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Institute/Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Clinical Study on Anticancer Molecular Targeted Drugs Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jianliang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Institute/Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Clinical Study on Anticancer Molecular Targeted Drugs Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yuankai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Institute/Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Clinical Study on Anticancer Molecular Targeted Drugs Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xiangru
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Institute/Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Clinical Study on Anticancer Molecular Targeted Drugs Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Institute/Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Clinical Study on Anticancer Molecular Targeted Drugs Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Institute/Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Clinical Study on Anticancer Molecular Targeted Drugs Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xuezhi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Institute/Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Clinical Study on Anticancer Molecular Targeted Drugs Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Junling
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Institute/Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Clinical Study on Anticancer Molecular Targeted Drugs Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yan
keywords: Carboplatin; EGFR; gefitinib; non-small-cell lung cancer; paclitaxel