Chemotherapy with Gemcitabine and Cisplatin for Previously Untreated Patients with Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Purpose: To analyse the response, toxicity, and survival of chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin for chemotherapy-naive patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Patients and Methods: From 1999 to 2001, thirty one patients with stage IIIB to IV non-small cell lung cancer received chemotherapy. Twenty seven patients (87.1%) presented with locally advanced (stage IIIB - 3 patients, 9.7%) or metastatic (stage IV - 24 patients, 77.4%), and 4 patients (12.9%) had metastases after previous radical surgery. Chemotherapy consisted of intravenous gemcitabine 1250 mg/m² on days 1 and 8 and cisplatin 80 mg/m² on day 8 given every 3 weeks for 6 cycles. Results: All patients were evaluable for response and toxicity. The total number of cycles was 157 (mean, 5 cycles). The average given relative dose intensity was 0.91. Therapy was well-tolerated. Grade 3 to 4 toxicities included neutropenia in 9 patients (29%), thrombocytopenia in 3 patients (9.7%), and anaemia in 1 patient (3.2%). No complete responces were documented and 9 patients (29%) achieved a partial response. The disease remained stable for 10 patients (32.3%). The median progression-free survival was 7 months, the median survival was 12.5 months, and 1-year survival was 53%. Conclusion: Chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer is well tolerated and is an appropriate option for first-line therapy.