Pemetrexed as second-line treatment for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): Efficacy and correlation with molecular markers

8095 Background: Pemetrexed is approved as second-line therapy in advanced NSCLC. In this study, we evaluate the efficacy and safety of pemetrexed in patients with Advanced NSCLC previously treated and we also perform a pharmacogenomic analysis to determine if biologic characteristics could be related to any clinical benefit. Methods: 195 patients with NSCLC stage IIIB (malignant pleural effusion) or IV were selected to receive pemetrexed (500 mg/m2, IV infusion) supplemented with vitamin B12, folic acid and dexamethasone prophylaxis. DNA was extracted from peripheral lymphocytes and Taqman assays for allelic discrimination were used for the following single- nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing: Methylene-Tetra-Hydro-Folate-Reductase (MTHFR), methionine synthase (MTR), thymidylate synthase (TS) and reduced folate carrier 1 (RFC1). Results: Median age 63 years (37–82); males: 88%; never-smokers: 9%; performance status (PS) 0: 23%; adenocarcinoma: 34%, squamous: 45%; stage IIIB: 20%, IV: 80%. The responses...