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A retrospective analysis of non-platinum-based first- and second-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND
Platinum-based chemotherapy represents the standard of care for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) while non-platinum-based regimens are frequently administered in patients with relapse. A retrospective analysis of the sequence administration of these regimens in the first- and second-line setting was performed.


PATIENTS AND METHODS
The records of patients enrolled in the Hellenic Oncology Research Groups's randomized advanced NSCLC trials from February 1997 to September 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. The efficacy of non-platinum-based chemotherapy administered as first- or second-line treatment (n=94, cohort A) was compared to that of non-platinum-based first-line followed by platinum-based second-line chemotherapy (n=267, cohort B), and the reverse sequence (n=123, cohort C).


RESULTS
The objective response rate (ORR) to first-line chemotherapy was higher in cohort C compared to cohort A (45.5% vs. 25.5%, respectively, p=0.002) and cohort B (45.5% vs. 21.3%, p=0.0001). The ORR to second-line therapy was 17%, 13.1% (p=0.349) and 7.3% (p=0.027) in cohorts A, B and C, respectively. Time to progression and the overall survival were comparable among the three cohorts in both first- and second line therapy.


CONCLUSION
Platinum-based first-line chemotherapy improved response rate compared to non-platinum-based regimens; however, the overall survival was comparable, irrespective of the sequence administration of these regimens is the first- and second-line setting.