Gemcitabine–docetaxel versus cisplatin–vinorelbine in advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer: a phase III study addressing the case for cisplatin

Gemcitabine for the treatment of advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer

Gemcitabine is a pyrimidine nucleoside antimetabolite agent which is active in several human malignancies, including nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Because of its acceptable toxicity profile, with myelosuppression being the most common adverse event, gemcitabine can be safely combined with a number of cytotoxic agents, including platinum derivatives and new-generation anticancer compounds. In fact, the combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin is a first-line treatment for patients with advanced NSCLC, pharmacoeconomic data indicating that it represents the most cost-effective regimen among platinum-based combinations with third-generation cytotoxic drugs. The drug has been investigated in the context of nonplatinum-based regimens in a number of prospective clinical trials, and might provide a suitable alternative for patients with contraindications to platinum. Recently, gemcitabine-based doublets have been successfully tested in association with novel targeted agents with encouraging results, providing further evidence for the role of the drug in the treatment of NSCLC. In the last few years several attempts have been pursued in order to identify molecular predictors of gemcitabine activity, and recent data support the feasibility of genomic-based approaches to customize treatment with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcome.

Quality-of-life assessment in phase III clinical trials of gemcitabine in non-small-cell lung cancer

Health-related quality-of-life (QOL) endpoints in clinical trials provide decision makers with a more comprehensive picture of a specific treatment than activity-related endpoints alone. Such endpoints are increasingly being reported in cancer clinical trials. We reviewed phase III clinical trials that involved gemcitabine in the treatment of unresectable non-small-cell lung cancer. A systematic literature search was undertaken and 16 phase III clinical trials were found in which gemcitabine therapy was included in a treatment arm and QOL was an endpoint. Twelve of the 16 trials compared a gemcitabine-based treatment with a non-gemcitabine-based treatment. Not all data were reported in the trials, and the findings are mixed. However, a review of these 12 trials generally shows that gemcitabine-containing chemotherapy treatments had either no different or more favourable QOL outcomes than non-gemcitabine-containing chemotherapy treatments. Ten of the 16 trials that were reviewed had a primary endpoint or objective that was not QOL. Of these ten trials, only four concluded that one treatment arm could be therapeutically favoured over another in terms of the non-QOL primary endpoint. Two of the trials reported no difference in QOL and two reported that QOL favoured the arm that was therapeutically favoured. Many more trials will need to be conducted in order to conclude that gemcitabine-containing arms are associated with a more desirable QOL than non-gemcitabine-containing arms and that QOL necessarily favours the therapeutically favoured arm in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer.

A phase II randomized trial of gemcitabine-docetaxel versus gemcitabine-cisplatin in patients with advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma

PURPOSE

To test efficacy and tolerability of non-platinum regimens for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

Chemonaive patients with measurable stage IIIB/IV NSCLC treated with gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC), or gemcitabine and docetaxel (GD), maximumsix cycles in a phase IIB trial.

RESULTS

A total of 108 patients were randomized. Response rates (GC vs. GD, respectively): complete 3.6/2.0%, Partial 30.9/38.0%. Median Overall Survival (OS): 8.9 months in both groups (P = 0.53); and median time to progression (TTP): 6.2/5.5 months respectively (P = 0.61). Toxicities included (GC vs. GD, respectively): grade 3-4 neutropenia 49.1/41.2%; grade 3 thrombocytopenia 30.9/3.9%; grade 3 anemia 14.5/3.9%. Non-haematological toxicity was similar, except for nausea and vomiting, (16.3/2%); renal toxicity (3.7/0%) and hepatic toxicity (5.6/12.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

With a higher overall response rate and lower toxicity, GD is a good first treatment option for advanced NSCLC.

Promising survival in patients with recurrent non-small cell lung cancer treated with docetaxel and gemcitabine in combination as second-line therapy

INTRODUCTION

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men and women, and current second-line chemotherapy regimens yield relatively poor response and survival rates.

HYPOTHESIS

We hypothesized that the combination of weekly docetaxel (D) and gemcitabine (G) would show activity in the second-line setting. We therefore conducted a phase II trial evaluating this regimen in patients with relapsed or progressive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after first-line platinum-based therapy.

METHODS

Patients with recurrent NSCLC, adequate physiologic indices, and exposure to one prior platinum-based regimen were eligible. Docetaxel 40 mg/m intravenous (IV) and gemcitabine (G) 800 mg/m IV weekly were administered on day 1 and 8 every 21 days. In the absence of dose-limiting toxicity, G was escalated on an intrapatient basis to 1 g/m/wk. The primary endpoint was response rate (RR); event-free (EFS) and overall survival were secondary endpoints.

RESULTS

Thirty-five patients (median age 61 years; 20 [57%] male) were accrued. Most (88%) had previously received carboplatin/paclitaxel, 31.4% in combination with a third investigational agent, more than half (57.1%) had prior radiation. The median number of cycles was four. RR was 23%. Median EFS was 5.7 months and median overall survival was 12.5 months. Patients who had their cancer diagnosed more than or equal to 12 months before entering the trial had superior EFS (13.7 months versus 4.8 months). Toxicity was acceptable. There were no treatment-related deaths.

CONCLUSIONS

A nonplatinum doublet with GD is feasible and effective in the treatment of recurrent, platinum-exposed NSCLC patients. RR and survival are promising.

Emerging ethnic differences in lung cancer therapy

Although global clinical trials for lung cancer can enable the development of new agents efficiently, whether the results of clinical trials performed in one population can be fully extrapolated to another population remains questionable. A comparison of phase III trials for the same drug combinations against lung cancer in different countries shows a great diversity in haematological toxicity. One possible reason for this diversity may be that different ethnic populations may have different physiological capacities for white blood cell production and maturation. In addition, polymorphisms in the promoter and coding regions of drug-metabolising enzymes (e.g., CYP3A4 and UGT1A1) or in transporters (e.g., ABCB1) may vary among different ethnic populations. For example, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors are more effective in Asian patients than in patients of other ethnicities, a characteristic that parallels the incidence of EGFR-activating mutations. Interstitial lung disease associated with the administration of gefitinib is also more common among Japanese patients than among patients of other ethnicities. Although research into these differences has just begun, these studies suggest that possible pharmacogenomic and tumour genetic differences associated with individual responses to anticancer agents should be carefully considered when conducting global clinical trials.

Improving health-related quality of life in non-small-cell lung cancer with current treatment options

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for > 80% of all lung carcinomas, with the majority of patients presenting with late-stage disease. Selection of an appropriate therapy depends on the stage of disease, with treatment of patients with advanced NSCLC often aimed at palliation of symptoms and improving the well-being of patients. Health-related quality of life (QOL) has been largely ignored as an endpoint in clinical trials for NSCLC, but there is increasing acceptance by clinicians and regulatory authorities that alleviation of symptoms and improved health-related QOL should be carefully considered. This article discusses current approaches to measuring health-related QOL. This discussion is followed by a brief review of some of the current treatment options for patients with NSCLC and their effect on health-related QOL.

Cisplatin plus weekly vinorelbine versus cisplatin plus vinorelbine on days 1 and 8 in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a prospective randomized phase III trial of the G.O.I.M. (Gruppo Oncologico Italia Meridionale)

PURPOSE

A phase III randomized trial was carried out to compare two schedules of the vinorelbine (VNR)-cisplatin (CDDP) regimen in patients with locally advanced unresectable poor prognosis stage IIIB or metastatic stage IV non-small cell lung cancer. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and analysis of toxicity, while secondary endpoints included response rates, time-to-progression (TTP) and quality of life (QoL).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eligible patients were randomized to receive: (a) VNR 25mg/m(2) on day 1, 8 and 15 plus CDDP 100mg/m(2) on day 1 every 4 weeks or (b) VNR 30 mg/m(2) on day 1 and 8 plus CDDP 80 mg/m(2) on day 1 every 3 weeks. All patients were chemotherapy-naïve and had an ECOG performance status (PS) of 0-1.

RESULTS

Overall 278 patients were enrolled into the trial. Overall response rate was 34% (95% CL 26-42%) in the weekly VNR/CDDP arm, and 32% (95% CL 24-40%) in patients treated with day 1-8 VNR/CDDP without any statistically significant difference. Median TTP was 4.5 and 4.6 months respectively for weekly VNR/CDDP arm and the day 1-8 VNR/CDDP one. This difference was not statistically significant (log-rank test, p=0.818). Median OS was 9.45 and 10 months respectively for weekly VNR/CDDP arm and the day 1-8 VNR/CDDP one without statistically a significant difference (log-rank test, p=0.259). The 1- and 2-year survival rates were 31 and 36%, and 10 and 11% respectively. The incidence of severe neutropenia (34% versus 68%; p=0.0001) and of febrile neutropenia (5% versus 12%; p=0.026), as well as the rate of therapy omissions (10% versus 24%; p=0.0037) were higher in the weekly VNR/CDDP arm than in the day 1-8 VNR/CDDP one. The weekly VNR/CDDP regimen was associated with a lower received dose intensity in a statistically significant fashion (9% versus 22%; p=0.0001) and with a lower non-statistically significant quality of life score as compared to the day 1-8 VNR/CDDP schedule.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of day 1-8 VNR plus CDDP every 3 weeks is less toxic and better tolerated than the regimen of weekly VNR plus CDDP every 4 weeks. The two schedules are equivalent in terms of overall response rate, median time-to-progression and overall survival. The combination of VNR on day 1-8 plus CDDP every 3 weeks may be considered as a reference regimen for the treatment of patients with advanced disease and those who deserve a postoperative therapy, and for future studies.

A phase II study of Tg4010 (Mva-Muc1-Il2) in association with chemotherapy in patients with stage III/IV Non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

TG4010 is a recombinant viral vector expressing both the tumor-associated antigen MUC1 and Interleukine-2. This vector is based on the modified virus of Ankara, a significantly attenuated strain of vaccinia virus. TG4010 has been designed to induce or amplify a cellular immune response directed against tumor cells expressing MUC1.

METHODS

A multicenter, randomized phase II study has explored two schedules of the combination of TG4010 with first line chemotherapy in patients with stage IIIB/IV non-small cell lung cancer. In Arm 1, TG4010 was combined upfront with cisplatin (100 mg/m day 1) and vinorelbine (25 mg/m day 1 and day 8). In Arm 2, patients were treated with TG4010 monotherapy until disease progression, followed by TG4010 plus the same chemotherapy as in Arm1. Response rate was evaluated according to RECIST. Median time to progression and median overall survival were calculated according to the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

Sixty-five patients were enrolled, 44 in Arm 1 and 21 in Arm 2, in accordance with the two stage Simon design of the statistical plan. In Arm 1, partial response was observed in 13 patients out of 37 evaluable patients (29.5% of the intent to treat population, 35.1% of the evaluable patients). In Arm 2, two patients experienced stable disease for more than 6 months with TG4010 alone (up to 211 days), in the subsequent combination with chemotherapy, one complete and one partial response were observed out of 14 evaluable patients. Arm 2 did not meet the criteria for moving forward to second stage. The median time to progression was 4.8 months for Arm 1. The median overall survival was 12.7 months for Arm 1 and 14.9 for Arm 2. One year survival rate was 53% for Arm 1 and 60% for Arm 2. TG4010 was well tolerated, mild to moderate injection site reactions, flu-like symptoms, and fatigue being the most frequent adverse reactions. A MUC1-specific cellular immune response was observed in lymphocyte samples from all responding patients evaluable for immunology.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of TG4010 with standard chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer is feasible and shows encouraging results. A randomized study evaluating the addition of TG4010 to first line chemotherapy in this population is in progress.

Systematic review of symptom control and quality of life in studies on chemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer: how CONSORTed are the data?

BACKGROUND

The effect of chemotherapy on survival of patients with advanced NSCLC is modest, therefore patient reported outcomes (PRO's) are of high interest in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). CONSORT (CONsolidated Standards On Reporting Trials) is a quality checklist of 22 items for the conduct and reporting of RCTs. The aim of this report was to analyse to what extent the different RCTs with information on PRO's adhere to the CONSORT statement.

METHODS

Systematic review of RCTs using PRO's either as primary or secondary endpoint. Compliance with the (revised) CONSORT statement was checked by 2 independent reviewers by making for each study the simple sum of the 22 CONSORT items, or a weighted score with a maximum rating of 31 points.

RESULTS

The median weighted CONSORT score of the different RCTs was 25, with a remarkable difference from 12 till 30. There was no significant change over time, nor difference between academic and commercial studies, but a significant correlation between CONSORT agreement and journal type (P<0.0001). Adherence to CONSORT was similar for studies comparing chemotherapy with best supportive care alone, comparing different first-line chemotherapies with PRO either as primary or secondary endpoint, or studies looking at second-line chemotherapy. Benefit in PRO's was reported in all of these settings.

CONCLUSION

The overall adherence of peer-reviewed RCTs to CONSORT is reasonable, with nonetheless major differences between journals, and with no clear sign of change over time. Apart from modest survival differences, benefits in PRO endpoints are present in all categories of studies we analysed.

A systematic review of quality of life associated with standard chemotherapy regimens for advanced non-small cell lung cancer

PURPOSE

Systemic chemotherapy is accepted as a standard of care for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although survival outcomes are equivalent among standard chemotherapy regimens, it is unknown whether the quality of life (QOL) outcomes are also comparable. We evaluated available literatures to summarize the state of current knowledge and provide suggestions for future studies.

METHODS

Using PUBMED/MEDLINE database, a systematic review of randomized controlled phase III trials of advanced NSCLC reporting QOL as one of the end points was conducted. Trials were included if standard chemotherapy regimens (as defined by The American Society of Clinical Oncology 2003 recommendations) were used in at least two arms of a trial. Two reviewers independently extracted data and evaluated the characteristics of QOL reporting, analyses, and results.

RESULTS

The search criteria identified 14 trials (6665 patients). Of these, 13 trials used validated QOL instruments and were included for review. The QOL reporting/analysis techniques were heterogeneous. We included nine trials, which reported the rate of completed baseline assessment and compliance survivors at analysis greater than 50%, for data synthesis. Of these, only one trial found a significant difference in QOL between the comparator arms: paclitaxel plus cisplatin was better than teniposide plus cisplatin.

CONCLUSION

Based on our review, it seems unlikely that a major difference exists in the global QOL associated with standard chemotherapy regimens for advanced NSCLC. Although QOL reporting format is largely acceptable, a lack of uniformity in analysis and a poor compliance to QOL assessment made between-trial comparisons difficult.

First line chemotherapy with planned sequential administration of gemcitabine followed by docetaxel in elderly advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients: a multicenter phase II study

This multicenter phase II study evaluated, in chemonaive patients with stage IIIB–IV NSCLC, age ⩾70 and with a performance status 0–2, the activity, efficacy and tolerability of planned sequential administration of gemcitabine 1200 mg m⁻² on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks for three courses followed by three cycles of docetaxel 37.5 mg m⁻² on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks, provided there was no evidence of disease progression. A total of 56 patients entered the study. According to intention-to-treat analysis, the objective response rate was 16.0% (95% CI 7.6–28.3%); 23 patients (41.0%) had stable disease and 24 patients (43%) had progressive disease. Five patients who had a stable disease after three courses of gemcitabine obtained a conversion to partial response by docetaxel. Median time to progression was 4.8 months (95% CI 3.6–6.0 months) and median duration of survival was 8.0 months (95% CI 5.6–10.5 months). The 1-year survival rate was 34%. No grade 4 haematological toxicity was observed and grade 3 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were reported in 5.4 and 3.6% of the patients, respectively. Grade 3/4 mucositis and grade 3 diarrhoea, both occurred in 3.6% of the patients and grade 3 asthenia was observed in 9% of patients. One patient reported a grade 4 skin toxicity. No treatment-related deaths occurred. Sequential gemcitabine and docetaxel is a well-tolerated and effective regimen in elderly advanced NSCLC patients.

A phase II study of sequential docetaxel and gemcitabine followed by docetaxel and carboplatin as first-line therapy for non-small cell lung cancer

Our study involves a preliminary phase II trial, which evaluates the activity, feasibility and tolerability of a sequential combination of docetaxel and gemcitabine followed by docetaxel and carboplatin, as first-line treatment for inoperable NSCLC. Twenty-six chemo-naïve patients aged less than 75 years with histologically or cytologically confirmed unresectable stage IIIB, IV or relapsed post-operative metastatic NSCLC were included in the study. Gemcitabine 1,250 mg/m(2) was administered and was followed by docetaxel 65 mg/m(2). Treatment was administered on days 1 and 14 in a 28-day cycle for three consecutive cycles. If patients had no progressive disease after three cycles of chemotherapy, they received another three cycles of docetaxel 65 mg/m(2) followed by carboplatin AUC5 on day 1 in a 21-day cycle. Recombinant human granocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) was given prophylactically. In addition, all patients received standard pre- and post- treatment with oral dexamethasone. Response rates at three cycles were: 19% achieved a partial response (PR), 46% had stable disease (SD) and 23% had progressive disease. At six cycles, 8% of the patients maintained PR, 19% showed SD and 35% had progressive disease. The median time-to-disease progression was 6 months. The median survival time of patients was 10 months while, at the end of the first year, the patients who managed to get through the complete therapy (20 patients) had a survival rate of 38%. This detailed analysis of 20 patients showed that 80% of the patients survived for up to 6 months, 38% up to 12 months and 19% for more than a year. The only risk factor associated with the hazard of death among the factors studied was the performance status of the patients. Patients with PS=0 presented a median survival time of 13 months and those with PS=1, it was only 9 months. Non-haematological and haematological toxic effects were generally mild to moderate and entirely manageable.

[Management of non-small cell lung carcinoma following docetaxel-cisplatin. Results of an epidemiologic survey]

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this epidemiologic survey was to describe the management of second-line therapy for patients with stage IIIB-IV non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) following docetaxel-cisplatin as first-line therapy.

METHODS

Between June 2003 and December 2004, 265 patients were enrolled. The data registered were the choice of cytotoxics, the safety profile, the efficacy and the clinical benefit.

RESULTS

Two hundred and sixty one patients were treated with docetaxel-cisplatin as a first-line regimen and 181 received a second line. This second line was a single agent regimen in 58% of cases and a gemcitabine based treatment in 60.8%. The main criterion for the choice of second-line therapy was the safety profile in 34.3% of cases. The overall response rate was 16.6% after the second line and clinical benefit was reported in 43.6% of patients.

CONCLUSION

In more than 2/3 of patients with NSCLC the docetaxel-cisplatin combination leaves the opportunity to give a second-line treatment, providing satisfying results in terms of clinical benefit. In this study gemcitabine was the most widely prescribed second-line treatment, mainly as a single agent.

Paclitaxel/Carboplatin/gemcitabine versus gemcitabine/vinorelbine in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a phase II/III study of the Minnie Pearl Cancer Research Network

PURPOSE

This prospective randomized study compared overall survival (OS) in patients with previously untreated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) when treated with the platinum agent-based triple drug combination of paclitaxel/carboplatin/gemcitabine (PCG) versus the nonplatinum agent-based doublet drug combination of gemcitabine/vinorelbine.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Advanced (stages IIIB, IV, and recurrent) chemotherapy-naive patients with NSCLC and performance status 0-2 were randomly assigned to the PCG arm (paclitaxel 200 mg/m(2) on day 1, carboplatin area under the concentration-time curve of 5 on day 1, and gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8, every 21 days) or to the gemcitabine/vinorelbine arm (gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8, and 15 and vinorelbine 25 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8, and 15, every 28 days).

RESULTS

A total of 337 patients were randomly assigned to the 2 arms. The median time to progression was 6 months for PCG and 3.9 months for gemcitabine/vinorelbine with 1- and 2-year progression-free survival rates of 13% and 2% versus 14% and 4% (P = .324 log rank). Median OS for PCG was 10.3 months versus 10.7 months for gemcitabine/vinorelbine with 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates of 38%, 12%, and 2% versus 45%, 12%, and 6%, respectively (P = 0.269 log rank). Grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia, nausea/vomiting, myalgia/arthralgia, and neuropathy were significantly greater in the PCG arm.

CONCLUSION

There was no difference in OS or progression-free survival when comparing PCG and gemcitabine/vinorelbine, and gemcitabine/vinorelbine was significantly less toxic. Gemcitabine/vinorelbine is a reasonable nonplatinum agent-based doublet therapy for patients with advanced NSCLC.

Comparison of docetaxel- and vinca alkaloid-based chemotherapy in the first-line treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis of seven randomized clinical trials

INTRODUCTION

To compare the impact on overall survival (OS) of docetaxel-based chemotherapy versus vinca alkaloid-based regimens for first-line therapy of advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

METHODS

A meta-analysis of all randomized, controlled trials comparing docetaxel- and vinca alkaloid-based chemotherapy was undertaken using MEDLINE, CANCERLIT, MEDSCAPE, Google Scholar, the Cochrane Library, the National Institutes of Health randomized, controlled trials register, and conference proceedings, supplemented by information from clinical study reports. All published and unpublished randomized, controlled trials (in any language) were included. Analysis was based on pooling individual logarithms of the hazard ratio for OS and the odds ratio (OR) for safety.

RESULTS

From eight potentially eligible trials, seven were selected (n = 2867). Docetaxel was administered with a platinum agent (three trials), with gemcitabine (two trials), or as monotherapy (two trials). Vinca alkaloid (vinorelbine [six trials] and vindesine [one trial]) was administered with cisplatin (six trials) or alone (one trial). The pooled estimate for OS showed an 11% improvement in favor of docetaxel (hazard ratio = 0.89; 95% confidence interval: 0.82-0.96; p = 0.004). Sensitivity analyses considering only vinorelbine as a comparator or only the doublet regimens showed similar improvements. Grade 3/4 neutropenia and grade 3/4 serious adverse events were less frequent with docetaxel- versus vinca alkaloid-based regimens (OR = 0.59; 95% confidence interval: 0.38-0.89; p = 0.013 and OR = 0.68; 95% confidence interval: 0.55-0.84; p < 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

According to this meta-analysis, docetaxel is superior to vinca alkaloid-based regimens in terms of OS and safety for first-line therapy of advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

An open multicenter phase II trial of docetaxel–gemcitabine in Charlson score and performance status (PS) selected elderly patients with stage IIIB pleura/IV non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC): The GFPC 02-02a study

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of patient selection based on age, comorbidity and performance status on the efficacy of platinum-free combination therapy on non-small-cell lung cancer after 65 years of age. We analyzed the overall response rate, the median survival time, the 1-year survival rate, toxicity and quality of life after one to three 6-week cycles of docetaxel 30mg/m(2) weekly and gemcitabine 900mg/m(2) at weeks 1, 2, 4 and 5. Fifty patients (median age 73.7 years) were eligible. The mean number of comorbid conditions per patient was 0.8 [Balducci L. Lung cancer and aging. ASCO 2005. Educational book. p. 587-91; Piquet J, Blanchon F, Grivaux M, et al. Primary bronchial carcinoma in elderly subjects in France. Rev Mal Respir 2003;20:691-9; Jatoi A, Hillman S, Stella P, et al. Should elderly non-small-cell lung cancer patients be offered elderly-specific trials? Results of a pooled analysis from the North Central Cancer Treatment Group. J Clin Oncol 2005;23:9113-9; Balducci L, Extermann M. Management of cancer in the older person: a practical approach. Oncologist 2000;5:224-37]. Forty-five patients were assessable: 17 (34%) had an objective response, 18 (36%) had stable disease and 10 progressed (20%). The median survival time was 7 months and the 1-year survival rate 23.5%. The main grade III-IV adverse event was neutropenia (32% of patients).

CONCLUSION

Platinum-free dual-agent chemotherapy gives similar results in patients over 65, selected on the basis of their precise age and comorbidity, to that reported in younger subjects.

Pulmonary toxicity in patients treated with gemcitabine plus vinorelbine or docetaxel for advanced non-small cell lung cancer: outcome data on a randomized phase II study

Studies with the gemcitabine/vinorelbine (GV) or the gemcitabine/docetaxel (GD) combinations have shown similar efficacy and less toxicity compared to platinum-based chemotherapies, in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The present trial was designed to test the efficacy and safety of both, GV and GD, combinations. Chemotherapy-naïve patients (n=39)<or=75 years of age, KPS>or=60% and adequate hematological, renal and hepatic function were randomly assigned to receive G 1,000 mg/m2+either V 25 mg/m2 or D 35 mg/m2 (all of which were administered i.v.) on days 1 and 8 every 21 days. Baseline characteristics were comparable in GV (n=20) and GD (n=19) groups. Results indicated objective response of 7 (35%) vs 6 (31%) patients and median time-to-treatment failure of 120 versus 90 days in the GV and GD arms, respectively. The most common non-hematological toxicities were (GV vs GD): grade 2-4 pulmonary toxicity in 1 (5%) vs 7 (37%); grade 2-3 diarrhea 0 versus 4 (21%) and edema 1 (5%) vs 3 (16%); grade 3-4 hematological toxicities occurred in 3 (15%) vs 1 (5%) patients. Our results indicate that the combination of gemcitabine/docetaxel does not have a favorable safety profile with this schedule of administration, particularly in terms of pulmonary toxicity.

Efficacy and side effects of cisplatin- and carboplatin-based doublet chemotherapeutic regimens versus non-platinum-based doublet chemotherapeutic regimens as first line treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung carcinoma: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Evidence suggests that platinum-based regimens confer a better survival in patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). However, evidence is lacking regarding the specific effects of cisplatin or carboplatin when compared to non-platinum-based doublets.

METHODS

Meta-analysis of all randomized trials comparing non-platinum-based with platinum-based doublet regimens given as first-line treatment for NSCLC. Relative risks were calculated for all outcomes ascertained. Sensitivity analysis, using methodological quality of the trials and different measures of effect, was undertaken.

RESULTS

Seventeen trials, comprising 4920 patients were included. The use of platinum-based doublet regimens was associated with a slightly higher survival at 1 year (RR=1.08, 95% CI 1.01-1.16, p=0.03), better partial response (RR=1.11, 95% CI 1.02-1.21, p=0.02), with a higher risk of anemia, nausea, and neurotoxicity. Cisplatin-based doublet regimens improved survival at 1 year (RR=1.16, 95% CI 1.06-1.27, p=0.001), complete response (RR=2.29, 95% CI 1.08-4.88, p=0.03), partial response (RR=1.19, 95% CI 1.07-1.32, p=0.002) with an increased risk of anemia, neutropenia, neurotoxicity and nausea. Conversely, carboplatin-based doublet regimens did not increase survival rate at 1 year (RR=0.95, 95% CI 0.85-1.07, p=0.43). There was a statistically significant difference between the effect of cisplatin compared to carboplatin (p=0.05). Carboplatin-based doublet regimen included a higher risk of anemia and thrombocytopenia, but no increased nausea and/or vomiting, contrarily to cisplatin. Sensitivity analyses showed that the results were robust to the exclusion of lesser quality trials and the choice of the measure of effect.

CONCLUSION

We provide additional evidence that cisplatin, but not carboplatin-based doublet regimens are associated with a slightly better survival compared to non-platinum-based doublet regimens. Side effects of cisplatin- and carboplatin-based regimens differ between each other and when compared to non-platinum doublets. Although this analysis has limitations, it may provide valuable information to clinicians when choosing the appropriate regimen for patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Docetaxel in non-small cell lung cancer: impact on quality of life and pharmacoeconomics

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in industrialised countries, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounting for the majority of cases. A large proportion of patients present with advanced disease and are >65 years of age at the time of diagnosis. Systemic chemotherapy may be offered in an effort to improve survival and quality of life (QOL). Chemotherapy with platinum-based compounds has been shown to modestly improve survival and QOL, and is considered the standard of care as first-line treatment in patients with a good performance status. The last decade has seen the emergence of newer generation chemotherapy agents for the treatment of all cancer types. We review the evidence for the use of docetaxel, an antimicrotubular agent, in patients with advanced NSCLC. In this review, we evaluate not only the effects of docetaxel on survival, but also its impact on QOL and economic issues. Docetaxel is a potent anticancer agent with activity both as a single agent or in combination, and is used both as a first- and second-line treatment in advanced NSCLC. The improvements observed in patients' QOL and the cost effectiveness of docetaxel make it a very reasonable choice in older patients with good performance status and advanced disease who are candidates for chemotherapy.

Optimizing Chemotherapy for Patients with Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Platinum-based therapy remains the standard of care for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). When combined with a third-generation agent, platinum-based doublets improve survival compared with the third-generation agent given alone. Controversy remains, however, regarding the relative risks and benefits of the third-generation agents. Four large phase III trials have addressed this question, with only one trial finding a survival benefit in one of the treatment arms. TAX 326 compared docetaxel-based therapy with vinorelbine/cisplatin, and found that survival, response, and quality of life outcomes all favoured the docetaxel/cisplatin regimen. Consistent benefits have been reported with this regimen in other studies. The non-platinum-based docetaxel/gemcitabine combination is an alternative for patients who are not suitable candidates for platinum-based therapy. Other results have shown that single-agent docetaxel is an appropriate option for elderly patients and those with poor performance status. Overall, the wealth of data with docetaxel in advanced NSCLC suggests that it plays an important role in first-line treatment and, as a single agent, can be considered a reasonable approach in elderly and frail patients.

A phase II study of days 1 and 8 combination of docetaxel plus gemcitabine for the second-line treatment of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer and good performance status

OBJECTIVE

We conducted a phase II trial to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of a combination consisting of second-line docetaxel and gemcitabine in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

histologically confirmed advanced NSCLC with progressive disease to platinum-based chemotherapy, ECOG performance status (PS) 0 or 1, and adequate kidney, liver and bone marrow function. Treatment consisted of docetaxel 36 mg/m(2) i.v. over 60 min followed by gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2) i.v. over 30 min on days 1 and 8 of each 3-week cycle for a planned six cycles or unacceptable toxicity.

RESULTS

Of the 52 patients enrolled, 50 were evaluable for response and toxicity. The mean age was 59 years (range 42-79), 46 male and 4 female. Histology subtypes were: adenocarcinoma 26 patients, bronchioloalveolar 1 patient, large cell carcinoma 5 patients, and squamous cell carcinoma 18 patients. Thirty-eight patients had ECOG PS 1 and 12 patients had PS 0. The median number of cycles administered was four (range 2-6). The overall response rate was 28%. The median follow-up was 9 months (range 5-34 months). The median survival time (MST) was 8.2 months (95% CI, 4-12%), and the 1-year survival was 25%. The median progression-free survival was 4.4 months (95% CI, 2-6%). In the Cox regression model, survival was only significantly affected by the PS. The median survival in patients with PS 0 was 17.8 months (95% CI, 18.8-21.8%) compared with a median survival for patients with PS 1 of 6.1 months (95% CI, 4.1-8.2%) (P=0.0057).

TOXICITY

three patients had grade 3 anemia, three patients had grade 3 thrombocytopenia, four patients had grade 3 neutropenia and only one patient developed grade 4 febrile neutropenia. Non-hematologic toxicity was also mild; the most frequent was asthenia, with grade 3 in eight patients (16%), and one patient with grade 4.

CONCLUSION

This regimen of docetaxel in combination with gemcitabine in advanced second-line NSCLC is an active and safe regimen.

A pharmacogenomic study of docetaxel and gemcitabine for the initial treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Pharmacogenomic profiling is an attractive strategy for individualizing chemotherapy. Several genetic polymorphisms predict the survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. This phase II clinical trial was performed using a non-platinum-based chemotherapy doublet. The impact of previously identified polymorphisms on clinical outcomes was assessed.

METHODS

Patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer who had not received previous chemotherapy were treated with docetaxel 40 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 and gemcitabine 800 mg/m2 days 1 and 8 every 21 days until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. A pretreatment blood sample was obtained, and genomic DNA was analyzed for polymorphisms in DNA repair and metabolic genes.

RESULTS

Forty-nine patients were enrolled and evaluated for response and survival. The overall radiographic response rate was 38%, and the median survival was 8.6 months. Nonhematologic toxicity was generally mild. Two treatment related deaths occurred: one due to neutropenic sepsis during the first cycle and one due to pulmonary edema after 12 cycles of treatment. Polymorphisms in XPD, XRCC1, and XRCC3 did not significantly predict survival, but trends similar to those reported for platinum-based chemotherapy were observed. The wild-type XPD genotype was associated with prolonged survival and a significantly higher risk of grade 4 neutropenia (p = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

This regimen of docetaxel and gemcitabine is well tolerated and active for the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer. The impact of XPD polymorphisms on hematologic toxicity is similar to what has been reported for platinum-based chemotherapy.

[Pharmacoeconomic assessment of taxanes as first-line therapy for advanced or metastatic non-microcytic lung cancer]

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to determine the effectiveness of taxane-containing regimens versus non-taxane-containing regimens using a metanalysis and its subsequent pharmacoeconomic assessment to define the role of taxanes as first-line therapy for non micro-cytic lung cancer.

METHOD

A search of the MEDLINE database from 2000 to June 2005 was performed. The search was restricted to phase-III clinical trials, and 29 papers were selected. Effectivity measures considered included: objective response, 1- and 2-year survival. Maentel-Haenszel combined odds ratio (OR) was estimated in the metanalysis. The statistical analysis of effectiveness across categories was performed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Differences were statistically considered for p values = 0.01. All results obtained were weighted according to number of patients.

RESULTS

OR estimates for the various effectiveness variables showed statistically significant differences when 2-year survival was considered both for taxanes in general and docetaxel specifically versus non-taxane regimens. These same results are seen when the effectiveness analysis is performed using ANOVA. For the pharmacoeconomic analysis taxane-free regimens were considered as reference, this being of choice for comparisons versus paclitaxel-containing regimens whereas the selection of docetaxel-containing schemes represents additional costs per extra effectiveness unit that oscillate between 26,559 and 96,527 (2-year survival and objective response, respectively) versus taxane-free regimens. The sensitivity analysis ultimately confirmed our study s results.

CONCLUSIONS

To conclude, taxane-containing schemes are valid therapeutic options, but at a very high cost.

The impact of induction chemotherapy on the outcome of second-line therapy with pemetrexed or docetaxel in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Using data from a large phase III study of previously treated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that showed similar efficacy for pemetrexed and docetaxel, this retrospective analysis evaluates the impact of first-line chemotherapy on the outcome of second-line chemotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In all, 571 patients with advanced NSCLC were randomly assigned to receive pemetrexed 500 mg/m(2) or docetaxel 75 mg/m(2) on day 1 of a 21-day cycle. Comparisons were made based on type of first-line therapy [gemcitabine + platinum (GP), taxane + platinum (TP), or other therapies (OT)], response to initial therapy, time since initial therapy, and clinical characteristics. The two second-line treatment groups were pooled for this analysis due to similar efficacy and were assumed to have no interaction with the first-line therapies.

RESULTS

Baseline characteristics were generally balanced. By multivariate analysis, gender, stage at diagnosis, performance status (PS), and best response to first-line therapy significantly influenced overall survival (OS). Additional factors by univariate analysis, histology, and time elapsed from first- to second-line therapy significantly influenced OS.

CONCLUSIONS

Future trials in the second-line setting should stratify patients by gender, stage at diagnosis, PS, and best response to first-line therapy.

Phase II trial of gemcitabine and docetaxel in patients with completely resected stage IIA–IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Few clinical phase II studies using non-platinum doublet as adjuvant chemotherapy following complete resection of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been published, so this clinical study was designed to evaluate the toxicity profile and efficacy of the non-platinum doublet of docetaxel (DOC) + gemcitabine (GEM).

METHODS

Eligibility criteria included completely resected NSCLC, pathological stage II or IIIA, younger than 76 years old, and performance status 0-1. Treatment consisted of DOC 60 mg/m2 on day 8, and GEM 1,000 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15 every 4 weeks (4 cycles). The GEM dosage was decreased to 800 mg/m2 after the initial 21 patients because 3 patients developed interstitial lung disease (ILD).

RESULTS

Thirty-five patients (male/female 21/14) were enrolled. The median age was 62 years (range 47-74), with five (14.3%) over the age of 70. Performance status was 0 in 34 patients. The diagnosis was ad in 28 patients, sq in 6, and adsq in 1. The pathological stage was IIA in 5 patients, IIB in 1 and stage IIIA in 29 (82.9%). All patients underwent at least one cycle of chemotherapy, with 29 patients completing three cycles of chemotherapy and 23 (66%) had four cycles. The main grade 3/4 toxicities comprised neutropenia (n = 21, 60%), thrombocytopenia (n = 3, 8.6%), anorexia (n = 4, 11.4%), and ILD (n = 3, 8.6%), which responded well to corticosteroids. There were no treatment-related deaths. The 4-year recurrence-free survival rate was 42.9%, and the 4-year survival rate was 65.8%.

CONCLUSIONS

The non-platinum doublet regimen of DOC + GEM as adjuvant chemotherapy following complete resection of NSCLC is feasible, with good compliance, the only problem being ILD.

Docetaxel/gemcitabine or cisplatin/gemcitabine followed by docetaxel in the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): results of a multicentre randomized phase II trial

BACKGROUND

Most patients (pts) with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receive either single agents or chemotherapy doublets. Recent studies have demonstrated that triple-agent therapies may improve the response rate, but are associated with significant toxicity, and frequently do not prolong survival. A sequential triple-agent schedule may combine acceptable tolerability and good efficacy. We therefore conducted a multicentre, prospectively randomized study that evaluates a sequential three-drug schedule and a platinum-free doublet regimen.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The pts with union international contre le cancer (UICC) stage IV NSCLC were randomized to one of two schedules: in arm Doc-Gem, they received gemcitabine (900 mg/m(2), 30 min infusion) on days 1 and 8, and docetaxel (75 mg/m(2), 1 h infusion) on day 1, repeated every 3 weeks up to six cycles. In arm Cis-Gem-->Doc, gemcitabine (900 mg/m(2), days 1 and 8) and cisplatin (70 mg/m(2), 1 h infusion, day 1) were given for three cycles, followed by three cycles of docetaxel (100 mg/m(2), day 1, repeated every 3 weeks).

RESULTS

One hundred and thirteen pts were randomized to arms Doc-Gem (55 pts) and Cis-Gem-->Doc (58 pts). With Doc-Gem, 20.4% of pts responded to the treatment whereas 31.0% responded in arm Cis-Gem-->Doc (overall response, intent-to-treat, difference not significant). The median time to progression was 3.6 months in arm Doc-Gem [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4, 5.9] and 5.2 months in arm Cis-Gem-->Doc (95% CI 3.1, 7.3). The median survival was 8.7 months with treatment Doc-Gem (95% CI 5.7, 11.6) and 9.4 months with treatment Cis-Gem-->Doc (95% CI 7.8, 11.0). The 1-year survival rates were 34 and 35%, respectively. Mild to moderate leukopenia was frequently seen with both schedules. Other common adverse events (AE) were nausea/vomiting, thrombocytopenia, anaemia, diarrhoea, and infections. No significant differences in AEs were observed between the schedules except for nausea/vomiting, which occurred more frequently with Cis-Gem-->Doc.

CONCLUSION

The sequential therapy comprising cisplatin, gemcitabine, and docetaxel demonstrated promising tumour control whereas the platinum-free combination (docetaxel/gemcitabine) was very well tolerated. However, the schedules resulted in comparable survival to recent large trials in pts with advanced NSCLC. The present results do not justify further phase III investigation.

Advances in Chemotherapy of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

In the United States, lung cancer kills more men and woman than the next three most common cancers combined. Unfortunately, the long-term outcome of lung cancer is still dismal with a 5-year survival rate of 15%. However, significant improvements in median survival times and 1-year and 2-year survival rates have been achieved in the last decade. This progress has been accomplished not only because of better surgical techniques but also because of the use of platinum-based regimens with newer chemotherapy agents and, more recently, targeted therapy. The role of chemotherapy as an integral part of the treatment of lung cancer has expanded significantly, particularly in the last few years with the proven benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy. For advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), chemotherapy prolongs survival and improves quality of life in patients with good performance status, and appears to provide symptomatic improvement in patients with decreased performance status. Platinum-based doublet chemotherapy regimens are now the standard of care in patients with advanced stage NSCLC, and non-platinum-based combination therapies are reasonable alternatives in certain populations. The combination of the vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor bevacizumab and chemotherapy has proven to prolong survival. As agents such as monoclonal antibodies, small molecules inhibitors of tyrosine kinase, and direct inhibitors of proteins involved in lung cancer proliferation are being developed and tested, we are optimistic that these agents will result in improvement in the survival and quality of life of lung cancer patients.

Common arm analysis: one approach to develop the basis for global standardization in clinical trials of non-small cell lung cancer

The global development of new anticancer treatments is desirable. However, whether results of clinical trials performed in one population can be fully extrapolated to another population remains in question. We retrospectively compared "common arms" of platinum-based doublet phase III trials among Japanese, European, and American patients with non-small cell lung cancer to develop the basis for global standardization in clinical trials. Patient demographics were very similar through all studies, indicating that extrinsic ethnic factors including socioeconomic factors, medical service background, and patient selection process for clinical trials may be consistent between geographically different oncology groups. The doses of docetaxel, gemcitabine, and vinorelbine were lower in Japanese studies. The toxicity profile was generally acceptable and similar among many studies. Thus, the dose and schedule of anticancer agents established in prior phase I and II studies conducted in each country were appropriate and applicable to large patient populations in these countries. Response rates seemed to be distributed randomly from one study to another, whereas patient survival might be better in Japanese studies. In conclusion, geographical differences in the dose of anticancer agents, response, survival and toxicity of lung cancer chemotherapy were actually observed. However, extrapolation of clinical data obtained in one country to another population and global clinical trials were considered possible with adequate dose adjustment based on dose finding studies using a carefully projected protocol.

A multicenter phase II study of sequential vinorelbine and cisplatin followed by docetaxel and gemcitabine in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

PURPOSE

To evaluate the activity and toxicity of the sequential administration of vinorelbine/cisplatin (VC regimen) followed by the docetaxel/gemcitabine (DG regimen) combination in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

PATIENTS AND TREATMENT

Fifty-nine previously untreated patients with advanced/metastatic NSCLC received three cycles of cisplatin 80 mg/m(2) (day 1), and vinorelbine 30 mg/m(2) (days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks; VC regimen), followed by six cycles of docetaxel (65 mg/m(2), day 1) and gemcitabine (1,500 mg/m(2), day 1), (DG regimen) every 2 weeks.

RESULTS

One (1.7%) complete and 26 (44.1%) partial responses were achieved for an overall response rate of 45.8% (95% CI 33.05-58.48%); 12 (20.3%) patients had stable disease and 20 (33.9%) progressive disease. The median time to progression was 5.3 months, the median survival time 12.5 months and the 1-year survival rate 51%. The main toxicity was grade III/IV neutropenia occurring in 25.5% of patients; all other hematologic and non-hematologic toxicities were relatively infrequent.

CONCLUSIONS

The sequential administration of VC and DG regimens was well tolerated and active against advanced NSCLC and merits to be further evaluated against a single doublet.

Should chemotherapy combinations for advanced non-small cell lung cancer be platinum-based? A meta-analysis of phase III randomized trials

BACKGROUND

Non-platinum regimens have been proposed as an alternative to the platinum-based combinations for treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer. However, conflicting results were reported.

METHODS

Meta-analysis of phase III trials randomizing platinum-based versus non-platinum combinations as first-line chemotherapy with 1-year survival rate as a primary endpoint. Fourteen trials have been identified. Experimental arms were gemcitabine/vinorelbine (n=4), gemcitabine/taxane (n=7), gemcitabine/epirubicin (n=1), paclitaxel/vinorelbine (n=1), and gemcitabine/ifosfamide (n=1). The comparator was a doublet of a platinum compound plus a third generation agent for all but two studies (triplets). Updated data were available for 13 studies. The Peto and Yusuf method was used to generate odds ratios (OR). All tests are two-sided.

RESULTS

A statistical heterogeneity was detected when the 13 studies were analyzed. Considering that current guidelines recommend platinum-based doublets as standard therapy we therefore limited the meta-analysis to the set of 11 phase III studies which used a platinum-based doublet (2298 and 2304 patients in platinum-based and non-platinum arms, respectively). No significant heterogeneity was detected in this consistent group of studies. Patients treated with a platinum-based regimen benefited from a statically significant reduction in the risk of death at 1 year (OR: 0.88, 95% CI 0.78-0.99; p=0.044) and a lower risk of being refractory to chemotherapy (OR: 0.87, 0.73-0.99; p=0.049). Forty-four (1.9%) and 29 (1.3%) toxic-related deaths were reported for platinum-based and non-platinum regimens, respectively (OR: 1.53; 0.96-2.49, p=0.08). An increased risk of grade 3-4 gastro-intestinal and hematological toxicity for patients receiving platinum-based chemotherapy was statistically demonstrated. There was no statically significant increase in risk of febrile neutropenia, OR=1.23 (0.94-1.60, p=0.063).

CONCLUSION

A platinum-based doublet induced a statically significant reduction in the risk of death when compared with non-platinum chemotherapy without inducing an unacceptable increase in toxicity.

Optimizing First‐Line Treatment Options for Patients with Advanced NSCLC

The median survival time for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains poor, despite years of research into new chemotherapy combinations. Platinum-based chemotherapy has long been the standard of care for the initial treatment of advanced NSCLC. While no one particular platinum-based chemotherapy regimen is definitely superior to the others (as demonstrated in the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group's E1594 trial), three randomized phase III trials (the Southwest Oncology Group 9509, Italian Lung Cancer Project, and TAX326 trials) have recently demonstrated that taxane-platinum doublets are better tolerated than a combination of vinorelbine and cisplatin (VC). Moreover, a combination of docetaxel and cisplatin produced superior survival and quality of life than VC in the TAX326 study. Nonplatinum combinations, such as a taxane-gemcitabine doublet, appear promising and better tolerated than their platinum-based comparators in other studies. Efforts to evaluate chemotherapy specifically in elderly patients and in those with poor performance status (PS) have increased. Single-agent chemotherapy has been safely administered to these populations, but platinum-based doublet therapy may also be feasible in both elderly patients and patients with PS scores of 2. The addition of the monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor, bevacizumab, to standard chemotherapy for patients with non-squamous cell advanced NSCLC significantly extended median survival in the E4599 randomized trial. Each incremental advance demonstrates that progress can be made in first-line treatment of advanced NSCLC.

Combination of chemotherapy without platinum compounds in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer: A systematic review of phase III trials

Hitherto, platinum-based combinations are world-wide accepted regimens in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) due to a clear survival improvement using various platinum-based doublets in comparison with best supportive care only. However, treatment-allocated time and period with high grade toxicity could be considered as wasted from the patient point of view and the high toxicity induced by platinum-based doublets urges the research of alternate treatments. Newest cytotoxic compounds as so-called third generation drugs (i.e. vinorelbine, docetaxel, paclitaxel and gemcitabine) yield a better efficacy/toxicity ratio. Platinum-free doublet regimens based on these new drugs are expected to offer the patients an improved survival without decreasing his quality of life. Recent update of ASCO guidelines recommended that "for stage IV NSCLC, [...] non-platinum-containing chemotherapy regimens may be used as alternatives to platinum-based regimens in the first line." In spite of this recommendation, the case of non-platinum containing regimen is still debatable and this review deals with methodological statements highlighted by the reports of 14 recently reported randomised studies comparing non-platinum with platinum-based doublets (174 words).

Taxanes as first-line therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a systematic review and practice guideline

This evidence-based practice guideline on the use of paclitaxel (Taxol) or docetaxel (Taxotere) as first-line treatment for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer who are candidates for palliative first-line chemotherapy is based on a systematic search and review of literature published in full or in abstract form between 1985 and April 2005. Forty-five randomized trials, including 11 abstracts, were reviewed and clinicians in the province of Ontario, Canada, provided feedback on a draft version of the guideline. Two phase III trials detected a statistically significant survival advantage for a taxane (paclitaxel or docetaxel) with best supportive care versus best supportive care alone. Among the nine fully published phase III trials comparing platinum-based chemotherapies, taxane-platinum combinations achieved higher response rates compared with older chemotherapy combinations, although significantly longer survival was observed only for docetaxel-cisplatin compared with vindesine-cisplatin. Response rates and survival were generally not significantly different for taxane-platinum combinations compared with other current chemotherapy combinations, although the toxicity profile of the regimens varied. However, in one large trial, improved tumor response and modest survival and quality of life benefits were associated with docetaxel-cisplatin compared with vinorelbine-cisplatin. No statistically significant survival differences were detected in the three fully published phase III trials comparing a taxane-gemcitabine combination with a taxane-platinum regimen.

RECOMMENDATIONS

(i) paclitaxel or docetaxel combined with cisplatin is recommended as one of a number of chemotherapy options for the first-line treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer in patients with a good performance status; (ii) carboplatin may be combined with a taxane if a patient is unable or unwilling to take cisplatin; (iii) a taxane-gemcitabine combination may be considered for patients with a contraindication to cisplatin and carboplatin; (iv) no firm recommendation can be made on the optimal dose and schedule of taxane-based chemotherapy; however, commonly used regimens include cisplatin 75 mg/m2 combined with either docetaxel 75 mg/m2 or paclitaxel 135 mg/m2 (24-h infusion) and carboplatin AUC 6 combined with paclitaxel 225 mg/m2 (3-h infusion); (v) a single-agent taxane may be used if combination chemotherapy is considered inappropriate.