The role of cisplatin (CDDP) or carboplatin (CARBO) plus pemetrexed (PEM) in nonsquamous (NON-SQM) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): Results of an Italian retrospective multicentric study.

e19072 Background: The combination of Platinoids (PLs) and Pemetrexed (PEM) currently represents the treatment of choice for NON-SQM NSCLC pts with locally advanced or metastatic disease. Withdrawing PLs after four cycles while continuing PEM until progression (PD) has yielded promising results in responsive or stable disease (SD) pts in terms of both median PFS 6.9 mos and OS 16.9 mos. Methods: We reviewed the clinical records of stage IIIB-IV NON-SQM NSCLC pts with responsive or SD after PLs (CARBO AUC 5-6 or CDDP 75 mg/sqm) plus PEM 500 mg/sqm in which physicians decided to deliver PEM alone q21days until disease PD. Aims: To evaluate PFS according to the type of PL employed, number of PL cycles delivered and response. Results: The records of 165 pts recruited by 15 Italian centers were evaluated and 154 fulfilled the criteria for this analysis. Pts characteristics were as follows: M/F = 87/67; median age 60 (range 30-78); PS on the ECOG scale 0/1/2 = 86/64/4; histotype: adeno/other=149/5; stage: IIIB/...