Phase II trial of weekly docetaxel and gemcitabine as first line therapy for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer
17076 Background: A platinum doublet has been the standard treatment for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and good performance status. This treatment results in almost a doubling of 1-year survival, along with an improvement in quality of life despite treatment related toxicities. However, platinum based treatment is associated with significant toxicity. Methods: In this trial, we prospectively evaluated a weekly regimen of docetaxel and gemcitabine for advanced NSCLC from December 2001 to January 2005. The endpoints of this study included objective response rate, survival and toxicity. Forty-two patients with previously untreated, advanced NSCLC with PS 0–1 were included. Patients received docetaxel (36 mg/m2) and gemcitabine (600 mg/m2) on days 1,8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle. Responses were assessed every two cycles. Results: The median age was 63 years; with 22 males and 20 females; 67% were >60 years old; and 38 patients had stage IV disease. In the intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis of response, 16 patients had a partial response (38%) and 15 patients had stable disease (36%). The 1-year survival was 48%; median survival for all patients was 11.3 months and the median progression-free survival was 5.1 months. Toxicities (> grade 3) included neutropenia (29%), asthenia (26%), thrombocytopenia (14%), diarrhea (14%), pneumonitis (7%), peripheral neuropathy (5%), peripheral edema (5%), nail changes (2%), and myositis (2%). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that this non-platinum doublet (docetaxel + gemcitabine) given on a weekly schedule for advanced NSCLC was well tolerated with efficacy comparable to platinum based chemotherapy regimens. [Table: see text]