OBJECTIVEThis study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of crizotinib for advanced ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

METHODSTwenty-eight patients with advanced ALK-positive NSCLC were given orally crizotinib 250 mg b. i.d., and were followed up to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety.

RESULTSAmong the 28 patients, the objective response rate (ORR) was 71.4% (20/28) and disease control rate (DCR) was 92.9% (26/28). Three patients achieved complete response. Seventeen patients had partial response. The most common drug-related adverse events were mild flickering vision and gastrointestinal reaction. Eleven patients experienced flickering vision. Nine patients had nausea and vomiting. Eight patients had diarrhea. They were all reversible and of grade I or II. Only one patient had grade III myelosuppression. Among the 28 patients, 16 cases were disease-free and 12 cases had progressive disease, with a progression-free survival of 8.2 months.

CONCLUSIONSCrizotinib is effective and tolerable in the treatment of advanced ALK-positive NSLCC. However, its long-term treatment efficacy requires to be further studied.

Antineoplastic Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; pathology ; Diarrhea ; chemically induced ; Disease-Free Survival ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; pathology ; Nausea ; chemically induced ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Pyrazoles ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Pyridines ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Vomiting ; chemically induced