Treatment Information

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Lung Cancer treatment details. Chemotherapy.

National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.

Survival: monthsCountry:Korea
Toxiciy Grade:5City/State/Province:Goyang
Treatments:ChemotherapyHospital:National Cancer Center
Drugs:Journal:Link
Date:Feb 2012

Description:

Patients:
This phase III study involved never-smokers with adenocarcinoma of the lung who had not received previous chemotherapy. Patients were separated into 2 treatment groups. Group A consisted of 159 patients with a median age of 57 years and 12% were male. Group B had 150 patients with a median age of 56.5 years and 10.7% were male.

Treatment:
Patients in group A were treated with the biologic therapy agent gefitinib, which works as an inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) to inhibit cell division.

Patients in group B were treated with the chemotherapy agents gemcitabine and cisplatin.

Toxicities:
There were two treatment-related deaths due to interstitial lung disease in group A. Grade 3-4 rash and anorexia were also reported.

There was one treatment-related death due to pulmonary embolism in group B. Grade 3-4 anorexia, fatigue, and neutropenia were also reported.

Results:
The median overall survival rates for groups A and B were 22.3 and 22.9 months, respectively.

Support:
This study was partially supported by AstraZeneca, makers of Iressa (brand name for gefitinib).

Correspondence: Dr. Jin Soo Lee; email: [email protected]



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