Temporal trends in first-line chemotherapy treatment among elderly stage IIIB/IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in the United States: Evidence from SEER-Medicare data

Abstract

17002 Background: Data regarding first-line chemotherapy treatment among advanced-staged NSCLC patients is lacking. The purpose of this analysis was to assess first-line treatment patterns over time among elderly patients with Stage IIIB/IV NSCLC. Methods: Patients aged 65 years and older diagnosed with Stage IIIB/IV NSCLC between 1997 and 2002 were identified and followed over time using the SEER-Medicare database to evaluate temporal trends in first-line chemotherapy treatment. Results: Chemotherapy use increased from approximately 28% of Stage IIIB/IV patients diagnosed in 1997 to 36% of patients diagnosed in 2002. Among identifiable first-line treatments, cisplatin or carboplatin and taxane (C/CT) doublet therapy was the most common treatment in all years (approximately 50% or greater). The use of single-agent taxanes and gemcitabine increased over time (taxane use increased from 3.3% in 1997 to 7.6% in 2002; gemcitabine use increased from 0.6% in 1997 to 5.1% in 2002), while use of single agent cisplatin or carboplatin (C/C) declined (from 10.0% in 1997 to 3.1% in 2002). Use of doublet therapy with C/C and either a taxane or gemcitabine also increased over time (with the largest increase for the gemcitabine combination from 0.3% in 1997 to 11.8% in 2002). Correspondingly, use of doublet C/C and any other therapy declined markedly (from 18.9% in 1997 to 3.7% in 2002). Use of 3 or more agents as first-line treatment was infrequent across study years (<1.0%). Treatment discontinuation was substantial (>60% for all regimens). Conclusions: Our findings indicate relatively low but increasing use of first-line chemotherapy treatment among elderly Stage IIIB/IV NSCLC patients. [Table: see text]