Purpose: To evaluate the activity and tolerance of gemcitabine in combination with oxaliplatin (GEMOX regimen) in pretreated patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Patients and methods: Thirty-two patients with advanced NSCLC who had disease progression after a cisplatin- and taxane-based front-line regimen were treated with gemcitabine (1500 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8) and oxaliplatin (130 mg/m(2) on day 8) every 3 weeks. The patients' median age was 62 years and the performance status (WHO) was 0 for 11, 1 for 17 and 2 for 4 patients. The treatment was second line for 22 (69%) and >or=third line for 10 (31%) patients.
Results: Partial response was achieved in 5 (16%) patients, stable disease in 8 (25%) and progressive disease in 19 (59%). Two patients with stable disease and one patient with progressive disease while on previous chemotherapy experienced a partial response with GEMOX regimen. The median duration of response was 2.5 months (range, 1-11.5), the median time to tumor progression 3 months (range, 1-18) and the median survival 5.6 months (range, 1-31). Grade III neutropenia occurred in five (16%) patients, grade III thrombocytopenia in two (6%) and grade III anemia in three (9%); moreover, grades II-III asthenia was reported in eight (25%) patients and grades II-III neurotoxicity in three (9%).
Conclusion: The GEMOX combination is a relatively active and well tolerated second-line regimen in NSCLC patients pretreated with a taxane- and/or platinum-based chemotherapy.