Paclitaxel for elderly patients with advanced NSCLC.
- Author:
Chang Min WOO
1
;
So Yeon KIM
;
Sun Ah LEE
;
Hyo Jin OH
;
Sung Hwa BAE
;
Hun Mo RYOO
;
Kyung Chan KIM
;
Dae Sung HYUN
;
Sang Chae LEE
;
Young Rok DO
;
Hong Suk SONG
;
Ki Young KWON
;
Keon Uk PARK
;
Min Kyoung KIM
;
Kyung Hee LEE
;
Myung Soo HYUN
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea. sunghwa@cu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Non small cell lung carcinoma;
Elderly;
Paclitaxel;
Chemotherapy
- MeSH:
Aged*;
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung;
Disease Progression;
Drug Therapy;
Drug Therapy, Combination;
Humans;
Myalgia;
Nausea;
Neutropenia;
Paclitaxel*;
Platinum;
Stomatitis
- From:Korean Journal of Medicine
2006;70(2):183-189
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Combination chemotherapy including platinum is based on treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). But combination chemotherapy is not tolerable in elderly patients. Paclitaxel is one of the most active single chemotherapeutic agent in advanced NSCLC. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of single paclitaxel chemotherapy in elderly with advanced NSCLC. METHODS: From September 2002 to May 2004, a total 24 patients aged 70 years and older with advanced NSCLC were enrolled in this study. Treatment was consisted with paclitaxel 135 mg/m2 intravenously for 3hrs on day 1. Chemotherapy repeated every three weeks until disease progression or severe toxicity developed. RESULTS: Of the 24 patents, only 18 patient can be evaluated and 4 partial remission, 11 stable diseases and 3 progressive diseases were observed. Based on an intent-to-treatment analysis, The overall response rate was 17%. The estimated median survival and median time to progression were 44 weeks and 18 weeks, respectively. The major toxicity were grade 3 or 4 neutropenia (6%). Other toxicity were myalgia, neuropathy, nausea and oral mucositis, but all of them were usually mild (grade 1, 2) and recovered spontaneously. There were no treatment- related deaths. CONCLUSIONS: This single low dose paclitaxel chemotherapy is highly tolarable with activity comparable to that of conventional dose regimens especially in elderly advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
