Gemcitabine plus cisplatin in the treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a phase II study.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men worldwide; most cases are not suitable for radical surgery at diagnosis and palliative treatment remains the primary goal of therapy. Cisplatin and gemcitabine are among the most active cytotoxic agents for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): they have non-overlapping toxicity and preclinical studies have demonstrated their potential synergistic interaction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The aims of the present study were to assess the activity and tolerability of cisplatin 80 mg/m2 on day 1, combined with gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8, administered every 3 weeks. A total of 46 consecutive patients with advanced NSCLC entered this study; all of them were evaluable for toxicity and for activity. RESULTS: According to an intent-to-treat analysis, 15 patients attained a partial response (33%), 9 (20%) obtained a disease stabilisation and 22 (47%) progressed. This regimen appeared to be modestly toxic, with grades 3-4 leukopenia and thrombocytopenia observed in 10% and 6% of cases respectively; grade 3 vomiting appeared in 12 patients (26%) and grade 3 mucositis in 1 patient. The median time-to-progression and overall survival were 200 and 400 days, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study of gemicitabine + cisplatin on stage IV NSCLC patients achieved favourable results in terms of toxicity and overall survival.