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Lung Cancer treatment details. Chemotherapy, Biologic therapy.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States.

Survival: monthsCountry:United States
Toxiciy Grade:4City/State/Province:New York, NY
Treatments:Chemotherapy, Biologic therapyHospital:Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Drugs:Journal:Link
Date:Jan 2009

Description:

Patients: This phase 2 study involved eighty-six patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. They ranged in age from 42 to 81 years of age.

Treatment: Patients were treated with erlotinib (a biological therapy), carboplatin and paclitaxel (chemotherapy drugs). There were three different treatment groups, each receiving the erlotinib on a different schedule or a different dose.

Toxicity: The most common grade 3 and 4 toxicity was neutropenia, occurring in 39% of patients. Grade 3 and 4 fatigue and anemia occurred in 15% of patients or less. Other, less common grade 3 and 4 toxicities were thrombocytopenia, neuropathy, thrombosis, and dyspnea.

Results: The median overall survival was 15 months for patients treated with a higher dose of erlotinib before chemotherapy. The median overall survival for the other two groups (high dose of erlotinib after chemotherapy or low dose of erlotinib before chemotherapy) was 10 months.

Support: This study was supported in part with research funds from Genentech, Inc. Genentech markets erlotinib as Tarceva.

Correspondence: Dr. Gregory J. Riely





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