Phase I study of carboplatin combined with pemetrexed for elderly patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of carboplatin plus pemetrexed for elderly patients (≥75 years) with chemotherapy-naïve advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

Methods: Patients received escalated doses of carboplatin at an area under the concentration-time curve of 4 (Level 1) or 5 (Level 2) plus pemetrexed (500 mg/m(2)) every 3 weeks for a maximum of six cycles. Dose escalation was decided according to whether dose-limiting toxicity occurred in the first cycle of chemotherapy.

Feasibility re-evaluation of 75 mg/m² docetaxel in Japanese patients with previously treated non-small cell lung cancer.

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to re-evaluate the feasibility of docetaxel at doses of up to 75 mg/m² in Japanese patients with previously treated non-small cell lung cancer.

Methods: Patients received escalated doses of docetaxel at 70 mg/m² (level 1) or 75 mg/m² (level 2) every 3 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicities. Dose escalation was decided on the basis of dose-limiting toxicity in the first cycle of chemotherapy.

Prognostic value of EGFR mutation and ERCC1 in patients with non-small cell lung cancer undergoing platinum-based chemotherapy.

Background: In order to improve the outcome of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a biomarker that can predict the efficacy of chemotherapy is needed. The aim of this study was to assess the role of EGFR mutations and ERCC1 in predicting the efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy and the outcome of patients with NSCLC.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study to analyze the relationships between EGFR mutations or ERCC1 expression and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with NSCLC who received platinum-based chemotherapy.

Comparison of adverse events and efficacy between gefitinib and erlotinib in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer: a retrospective analysis.

Previous studies have demonstrated that both gefitinib and erlotinib are markedly effective for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with somatic activating mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor gene (EGFR-mt). These agents are considered to act on EGFR through the same mechanism. However, the efficacy of these agents against EGFR wild-type (-wt) NSCLC remains unclear, and the frequency of adverse events (AEs) appears to differ between them at each approved dose.

Clinical practice in management of hydration for lung cancer patients receiving cisplatin-based chemotherapy in Japan: a questionnaire survey.

A questionnaire survey was performed to investigate the actual hydration methods used with cisplatin-containing regimens at various institutions in Japan to gain an overview of the varieties employed. Replies were received from 368 of 686 institutions board-certified by the Japanese Respiratory Society. In 233 institutions (63%), new lung cancer patients were treated regularly with regimens containing cisplatin at ≥60 mg/m2.