Treatment Information

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Lung Cancer treatment details. Chemotherapy.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States.

Survival: monthsCountry:United States
Toxiciy Grade:3City/State/Province:New York, NY
Treatments:ChemotherapyHospital:Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Drugs:Journal:Link
Date:Sep 2005

Description:

Patients: This Phase III study involved 1059 patients with advanced (stage IIIB/IV) non-small-cell lung cancer. None of the patients had been treated. The patients were randomly assigned into two groups. Group B had 533 patients (322 men, 217 women, mean age 62.7 years).

Treatment: Group B received a placebo with chemotherapy (carboplatin and paclitaxel).

Toxicity: There were 15 deaths in this group attributed to an adverse event. In addition, grade 3-4 toxicities in this group included neutropenia, diarrhea, anemia, dyspnea, thrombocytopenia, vomiting, and fatigue.

Results: For Group A (erlotinib), the median overall survival was 10.6 months, while for Group B (placebo), it was 10.5 months. To the authors surprise, "There was no improvement in survival, time to progression, or response rate compared with chemotherapy given alone. These clinical results contrast with preclinical studies, suggesting additive effects of combining erlotinib and paclitaxel and a platinum."

Support: Genentech provided financial support for this study, and several authors are employees, consultants, or honoraria recipients. Genentech manufactures and/or markets erlotinib.

Correspondence: Vincent A. Miller, MD




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