RESUMO
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Chemotherapy is one of the important treatment methods for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of docetaxel combined with carboplatin in treatment of advanced NSCLC.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-four stage IIIB/IV NSCLC patients were treated with docetaxel (75 mg/m² intravenously, on day 1) and carboplatin (AUC=5 intravenously, on day 2).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The overall response rate (RR) was 42.6%, median survival time (MST) was 14 months, and 1-year survival rate was 45.23%. In initial treatment group, 1-year survial rate was 48.84% and MST was 14 months, and 37.89% and 12 months respectively in retreatment group (P=0.0233). The 1-year survial rate and MST of stage IIIB patients were 44.86% and 15 months, and 39.75% and 12 months respectively in stage IV patients (P=0.0354). There was no significant difference in efficacy between squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma patients. The major adverse effects were granulopenia, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and alopecia.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The combination of docetaxel and carboplatin has a high response rate and tolerable side effects in treatment of advanced NSCLC, which can be adopted as both the first-line and second-line treatment.</p>
RESUMO
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Post-operative adjuvant chemotherapy in non-small cell lung can- cer (NSCLC) has been a highlight around the world. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy on the survival of patients with NSCLC after complete resection.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From June 2000 to December 2003, 64 patients with stage IB-IIIA NSCLC were divided into the chemotherapy group, who accepted adjuvant chemotherapy with navelbine+cisplatin (NP) or taxol+carboplatin (TP), and the observation group, who did not accept adjuvant chemotherapy after operation. The 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-year survival rate (SR), median survival time (MST) and disease-free time (DFT) were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-year cumulated SR in the chemotherapy group was 93.9%, 84.6%, 71.4% and 58.4%, and 93.6%, 83.1%, 63.5% and 43.1% in the observation group respectively. There were statistically significant differences in both the 3- and 4-year survival between the two groups (P < 0.05). The MST was 52 months in the chemotherapy group and 47 months in the observation group respectively (P < 0.05), and the DFT was 19 months and 16 months respectively (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The cisplatin- or carboplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy can improve the survival of NSCLC patients after complete resection.</p>
RESUMO
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>To study the relationship between the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the clinicopathological characteristics of the patients with pulmonary bronchoalveolar carcinoma, and to research the possible role of VEGF in the malignant growth of pulmonary bronchoalveolar carcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of VEGF and MVD were detected in 38 pulmonary bronchoalveolar carcinoma and 20 normal lung tissues by immunohistochemical method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive rate of VEGF expression (73.68%,28/38) and MVD (63.81±19.26) in pulmonary bronchoalveolar carcinoma tissues were both remarkably higher than those in normal lung tissues (0, 18.44±6.53)( P < 0.005,P < 0.001). The positive rate of VEGF expression was significantly related to the size of tumor ( P < 0.05), lymphatic metastasis ( P < 0.025) and TNM stage ( P < 0.05), and so did the MVD ( P < 0.05, P < 0.05, P < 0.05). MVD was remarkably higher in VEGF (+) carcinoma tissues than that in VEGF (-) carcinoma tissues ( P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>VEGF correlates with the clinicopathological characteristics of pulmonary bronchoalveolar carcinoma. It may play an important role in the development of pulmonary bronchoalveolar carcinoma.</p>