Comparative study of cisplatin plus gemcitabine versus cisplatin plus vinorelbine in patients with advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer

AIM: To explore the differences of efficacy and side-effects in advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with gemcitabine plus cisplatin or vinorelbine plus cisplatin. METHODS: Eligible patients were randomly assigned to GP (gemcitabine+cisplatin) group or NP (vinorelbine plus cisplatin) group. In GP group, 36 evaluable patients were treated with gemcitabine 1000 mg·m~ -2 IV on day 1 and 8 and cisplatin 75 mg·m~ -2 IV which was divided into 1-3 days dosing, in a 21 days per cycle manner. In NP group, 30 evaluable patients were treated with vinorelbine 25 mg·m~ -2 IV on day 1 and 8 and cisplatin 80 mg·m~ -2 IV which was divided into 1-3 days dosing, 21 days per cycle. All the patients at least received two cycles therapy. The response rate, median survival time (MST), l year survival, and side-effects were observed. RESULTS: The response rates were 41.6 % vs 36.7 %; MST were 10.3 months vs 9.6 months; 1 year survival rate were 44.4 % vs 40.0 %(P= 0.33 ) in GP group and NP group, respectively. III-IV grade thrombocytopenia toxicity incurred significantly higher in GP group than in NP group, with the occurrence rate being 47.2 % vs 6.6 % (P 0.01 ). However, III-IV grade granulocytopenia was significantly less incurred in GP group than in NP group, 33.3 % vs 60.0 % (P 0.05 ). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that GP (gemcitabine +cisplatin) regime and NP (vinorelbine plus cisplatin) regime are equivalent in treating advanced NSCLC, however they have few different toxicities.