Gemcitabine and carboplatin treatment in advanced NSCLC: a retrospective evaluation including elderly patients

ABSTRACT Background. Carboplatin-containing regimens are sometimes preferred for patientswith advanced non-small cell lung cancer.Methods.Eighty-threepatientswithstageIII-IVnon-smallcelllungcancerreceived3to4cyclesofcarboplatinAUC5onday2andgemcitabine1250mg/m 2 ondays1and8 every21 days.Results. Theoverallresponseratewas43.4%.Resultsobtainedfromelderlyandnon-elderlygroupswerecomparedusingthelogrankmethod.Medianoverallsurvivalandprogression -free survivalwere 11and7months, respectively(12and7months, non-elderly group; 6.5 and 5 months, elderly group, P = 0.28 and 0.25 respectively). Grade3-4toxicityincludedneutropenia,thrombocytopenia,anemia,nausea/vomiting,anddiarrhea.Incidencesofgrade3-4toxicityweresimilarforelderlyandnon-elderlypa -tients.Conclusions. Data confirm that carboplatin-gemcitabine is an active and well-toler -ated regimen in advanced non-small cell lung cancer and could be investigated inelderly patients.IntroductionLung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the world. Non-small cell lungcancer(NSCLC)accountsforatleast80%ofalllungcancercases.MostpatientswithNSCLC present with locally advanced inoperable (25-30%) or metastatic disease (40-50%)