Safety and efficacy of zoledronic acid rapid infusion in lung cancer patients with bone metastases: a single institution experience.

Zoledronic acid (Zometa, Novartis, Basel, Switzerland) is a new generation of bisphosphonates (BPs) with demonstrated clinical benefit in breast and prostate cancer patients with bone metastases. The safety and efficacy of intravenous zoledronic acid in lung cancer patients was assessed. In 86 patients with newly diagnosed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and bone metastases, 4 mg of zoledronic acid was administered with rapid 15-minute intravenous infusion every 3-4 weeks.

A phase II study of sequential docetaxel and gemcitabine followed by docetaxel and carboplatin as first-line therapy for non-small cell lung cancer.

Our study involves a preliminary phase II trial, which evaluates the activity, feasibility and tolerability of a sequential combination of docetaxel and gemcitabine followed by docetaxel and carboplatin, as first-line treatment for inoperable NSCLC. Twenty-six chemo-naïve patients aged less than 75 years with histologically or cytologically confirmed unresectable stage IIIB, IV or relapsed post-operative metastatic NSCLC were included in the study. Gemcitabine 1,250 mg/m(2) was administered and was followed by docetaxel 65 mg/m(2).