Background: In Japan, the standard first-line therapy for elderly patients with advanced non-small lung cancer(NSCLC)is docetaxel(DOC)monotherapy. However, there is very limited information about second-line and beyond chemotherapy regimens for elderly patients with advanced NSCLC. Pemetrexed(PEM)monotherapy has been recognized as a standard regimen for advanced NSCLC in second-line settings, just as DOC monotherapy has been.
Purpose: The objective of this study was to examine the efficacy and safety of PEM as second-line therapy and beyond for elderly patients.
Methods: The records of previously -treated elderly patients with advanced NSCLC, who had been treated with PEM as second-line therapy and beyond between July 2009 and December 2010, were retrospectively reviewed.
Results: median age: 73 years old(range 70-79 years old); gender: male/female, 11/8; PS 0-1/≥2, 19/0; clinical stage: III B/IV/postoperative recurrence, 4/10/5; pathology: adeno/LCNEC/other, 17/1/1 patient. The objective response-rate and disease control-rate were 15. 8% and 57. 9%, respectively. Median progression-free survival time was 3. 2 months. There were no treatment-related deaths, and most of the toxicities of the treatment regimen were mild and acceptable.
Conclusion: PEM monotherapy exhibits activity in previously treated elderly NSCLC patients and has an acceptably low toxicity. Further study is warranted to confirm our results.