Single-agent vinorelbine in the treatment of elderly patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer / 中国癌症杂志

ABSTRACT

Purpose:This report evaluate whether the single-agent therapy with vinorelbine (V group) may obtain a high response rate, with acceptable toxicity and improvement in survival and quality of life, comparing with the therapy with Kanglaite (a traditional Chinese medicine) (K group) and other supportive care among elderly patients.Methods:Forty patients with advanced NSCLC were included,20 of whom were allocated to receive continual infusional NVB 7.5mg/m 2 /24hr delivered via a central venous line on days 1-5, and NVB 7.5mg /m 2 was given as a 20 min intravenous infusion on days 1 every 3 weeks; 20 of whom were allocated to receive infusional Kanglaite 200 ml on days 1-20 every month. Patients received a minimum of two courses unless progressive disease was detected. Results:V group CR 0,PR 7,CR+PR 35%(7/20), median survival time was 7.2 months and projected 1-year survival was 25%; K groupCR 0,PR2,CR+PR 10%(2/20),median survival time was 4.8 months and projected 1-year survival was 5%. Conclusions:In elderly patients with NSCLC, single-agent vinorelbine treatment is associated with better effective,better survival and improved quality of life than Kanglaite .Its toxicity is mild and acceptable.