Abstract
Chemotherapy remains the first-line treatment for most patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but optimal regimens are now defined by histology. Platinum-based regimens with pemetrexed, bevacizumab, or both are reasonable first-line options for patients with nonsquamous NSCLC. The standard treatment for squamous NSCLC remains a platinum doublet with a drug other than pemetrexed. Maintenance therapy is emerging as a treatment strategy for patients who do not progress after four cycles of first-line chemotherapy. In the maintenance setting, pemetrexed and erlotinib significantly prolong overall survival compared with placebo after the completion of first-line chemotherapy.
MeSH terms
-
Angiogenesis Inhibitors / administration & dosage
-
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / administration & dosage
-
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / administration & dosage
-
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
-
Bevacizumab
-
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / drug therapy*
-
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / mortality
-
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology
-
Cisplatin / administration & dosage
-
Clinical Trials as Topic
-
Humans
-
Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
-
Maintenance Chemotherapy / methods*
-
Protein Kinase Inhibitors / administration & dosage
-
Survival Rate
-
Treatment Outcome
Substances
-
Angiogenesis Inhibitors
-
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
-
Protein Kinase Inhibitors
-
Bevacizumab
-
Cisplatin