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Fixed-dose rate infusion of gemcitabine and weekly cisplatin in elderly or poor performance status patients with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer

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Abstract

Purpose

We investigated the efficacy and toxicity of a 4-week schedule of a fixed dose rate infusion of gemcitabine and weekly cisplatin in elderly or poor performance status patients with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

In this study, 48 patients with previously untreated NSCLC were given combination chemotherapy that consisted of gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 (10 mg/m2/min fixed dose rate infusion) and cisplatin 25 mg/m2, and both drugs were given weekly on days 1, 8 and 15.

Results

A partial response and stable disease were observed in 20 patients (41.7%, 95% CI; 27.8–55.6%) and 12 patients (25.0%), respectively. The overall median survival was 10.30 months (range: 7.85–12.74 months). Major toxicities included neutropenia (grade 3 to 4, 29.2%) and infection (grade 3 to 4, 27.1%).

Conclusions

Our results indicate that this regimen is a feasible treatment for elderly or poor performance status patients with unresectable NSCLC. Nevertheless, the morbidity due to myelosuppression and infection following this treatment should be carefully considered.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants from the special clinical fund of Gyeongsang National University Hospital.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Jinju, South Korea

    Gyeong-Won Lee, Myung-Hee Kang, Hoon-Gu Kim, Jung Hun Kang, Seok Hyun Kim, Yu Ji Cho, Yi Yeong Jeong, Ho-Cheol Kim, Jong Duk Lee & Young Sil Hwang

  2. Gyeongsang Institute of Health Science, Jinju, South Korea

    Gyeong-Won Lee, Myung-Hee Kang, Hoon-Gu Kim, Jung Hun Kang, Yu Ji Cho, Yi Yeong Jeong, Ho-Cheol Kim, Jong Duk Lee, Young Sil Hwang & Hye Jung Kim

  3. Gyeongnam Regional Cancer Center, Jinju, South Korea

    Gyeong-Won Lee, Myung-Hee Kang, Hoon-Gu Kim, Jung Hun Kang, Yu Ji Cho, Yi Yeong Jeong, Ho-Cheol Kim, Jong Duk Lee & Young Sil Hwang

  4. Department of Internal Medicine Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 300 Gumi-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi, 463-707, South Korea

    Jong-Seok Lee

  5. Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, South Korea

    Hye Jung Kim

Authors
  1. Gyeong-Won Lee
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  2. Myung-Hee Kang
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  3. Hoon-Gu Kim
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  4. Jung Hun Kang
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  9. Jong Duk Lee
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  10. Young Sil Hwang
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  11. Hye Jung Kim
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  12. Jong-Seok Lee
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jong-Seok Lee.

Additional information

G.-W. Lee and M.-H. Kang contributed equally to this work.

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Lee, GW., Kang, MH., Kim, HG. et al. Fixed-dose rate infusion of gemcitabine and weekly cisplatin in elderly or poor performance status patients with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 64, 385–390 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00280-008-0885-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00280-008-0885-5

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