RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Chemotherapy improves low performance status lung cancer patients
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 1186
OP 1192
DO 10.1183/09031936.00034507
VO 30
IS 6
A1 J. P. Sculier
A1 J. J. Lafitte
A1 M. Paesmans
A1 J. Lecomte
A1 C. G. Alexopoulos
A1 O. Van Cutsem
A1 V. Giner
A1 A. Efremidis
A1 M. C. Berchier
A1 T. Collon
A1 A. P. Meert
A1 A. Scherpereel
A1 V. Ninane
A1 G. Koumakis
A1 M. M. Vaslamatzis
A1 N. Leclercq
A1 T. Berghmans
A1 for the European Lung Cancer Working Party
YR 2007
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/30/6/1186.abstract
AB The aim of the present study was to determine the potential benefit of conventional cisplatin-based chemotherapy on patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and poor performance status (PS), defined as 60–70 on the Karnofsky scale. Retrospective analysis was carried out of a randomised trial performed in advanced NSCLC where 485 patients received three courses of gemcitabine+ifosfamide+cisplatin induction chemotherapy. Of the patients, 80% had good PS (Karnofsky 80–100) and 20% poor PS. Response rates were 38 and 28%, respectively. Clinical improvement, defined as achieving a good PS during chemotherapy, was observed overall in 25% of the poor PS patients, with rates of 38, 20 and 14%, respectively, in case of response, no change and progression. PS improved more quickly in the responders. Survival of patients with poor PS was significantly worse, but survival of responders was similar, irrespective of the initial poor or good PS. Although nonfatal toxicity was almost similar, there were more toxic deaths (including vascular and cardiac fatalities) in the poor PS patients (9.2 versus 2.1%). In conclusion, combination chemotherapy is associated with clinical improvement in a substantial number of patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer of poor performance status.