Efficacy of platinum-based doublet chemotherapy versus single-agent chemotherapy as second-line treatment in elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract

Objective To compare the efficacy and tolerance of platinum-based doublet chemotherapy versus single-agent chemotherapy as second-line treatment in elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC). Methods A total of 85 elderly patients with advanced NSCLC after first-line treatment were retrospectively analyzed and divided into the combination therapy group(n=40, taking platinum-based doublet chemotherapy)and the single-agent chemotherapy group(n=45, receiving single-agent second-line chemotherapy). Results There were no significant differences in the objective response rate(ORR)and the disease control rate(DCR)between the combination therapy group and the single-agent chemotherapy group(27.5% or 11/40 vs.20.0% or 9/45, 60.0% or 24/40 vs.73.3% or 33/45, χ2=0.662 and 1.704, P=0.416 and 0.192). The median progression-free survival(PFS)was 3.8 months for the combination therapy group and 2.8 months for the single-agent chemotherapy group(P=0.045). The rate of grade Ⅲ/Ⅳ hematological toxicity was higher in the combination therapy group than in the single-agent chemotherapy group. Conclusions Platinum-based doublet chemotherapy has longer PFS than the single-agent chemotherapy as second-line treatment in elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, and more attention should be paid to its high hematological toxicity. Key words: Carcinoma, non-small-cell lung; Antineoplastic combined chemotherapy protocols