Effects of gefitinib on cancer cell apoptosis and survival time of patients with advanced NSCLC

Abstract

Objective To study the effect of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) gefitinib on cancer cell apoptosisand survival time of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods A total of 126 cases of patients diagnosised as NSCLC stage ⅢB-Ⅳ in our hospital during June 2013-October 2015 were randomly divided into group A received AC chemotherapy, group B received gefitinib, and group C received AC chemotherapy combined with gefitinib therapy. The progression free survival (PFS) rate and objective response rate (ORR) were measured during 12 months follow-up, tumor markers contents in serum and the mRNA expression of apoptosis molecules in tumor lesions were measured. Results The 12-month ORR and PFS of group C were significantly higher than those in groups A and B. The 12-month ORR and PFS of group B were significantly higher than those in group A. For 1 cycle after treatment, serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cytokeratin 19 (CYFRA21-1), and thymidine kinase-1 (TK-1) contents among three groups were significantly lower than those before treatment. Caspase-3, Caspase-8, and Caspase-9 mRNA expressions in tumor were significantly higher than those before treatment. For 1 cycle after treatment, serum CEA, CYFRA21-1, and TK-1 contents of group C were significantly lower than groups A and B. Caspase-3, Caspase-8, and Caspase-9 mRNA expressions in tumor were significantly higher than those groups A and B, and serum CEA, CYFRA21-1, and TK-1 contents of group B were significantly lower than group A. Caspase-3, Caspase-8, and Caspase-9 mRNA expressions in tumor were significantly higher than thsoe of group A. Conclusions Gefitinib combined with intravenous chemotherapy can prolong the survival time of patients with advanced NSCLC and kill tumor cells, induce apoptosis. Key words: Quinazolines/AD; Carcinoma, non-small-cell lung/DT; Apoptosis; Survival rate