BACKGROUND@#
Docetaxel is one of the standard
treatments for advanced
non-small cell lung cancer .
Docetaxel is usually administered in a 3-week
schedule , but there is significant
toxicity . In this phase II
clinical study , we investigated the
efficacy and
safety of a 4-weekly
schedule of
docetaxel monotherapy, as first-line
chemotherapy for advanced
squamous cell carcinoma in
elderly lung cancer patients .@*
METHODS @#
Patients with stage IIIB/ IV
lung squamous-
cell carcinoma age 70 or older, that had not undergone cytotoxic
chemotherapy were enrolled.
Patients received
docetaxel 25 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15, every 4 weeks. Primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR).
Secondary endpoints were
progression-free survival (PFS), overall
survival (OS), and
toxicity profiles.@*RESULTS@#A total of 19
patients were enrolled. Among 19
patients , 17 were for evaluated
efficacy and
safety . In the
intent -to-treat
population , ORR and
disease control rate (DCR) were 11.8% and 47.1%, respectively. In the response evaluable
population , ORR was 16.7% and DCR was 66.7%. Median PFS and OS were 3.1 months and 3.3 months, respectively. There were three adverse grade 3/4 events. Grade 1
neutropenia was reported in one
patient .@*CONCLUSION@#Our data failed to demonstrate
efficacy of a 4-weekly
docetaxel regimen, in
elderly patients with a poor performance status. However,
incidence of side effects, including
neutropenia , was lower than with a 3-week
docetaxel regimen, as previously reported.