[Combination chemotherapy with gemcitabine plus cisplatin in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer.].

BACKGROUND: To determine the clinical activity and toxicity of a novel combination chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) . METHODS: We chose 12 previously untreated patients with NSCLC in stages III (41. 7 %) and IV (58. 3 %) . Gemcitabine was given on day 1 , 8 and 15 at a dose of 1 000 mg/m(2) and cisplatin at a dose of 100 mg/m(2) on day 1. The chemotherapy was repeated every 28 days. RESULTS: Eleven patients were evaluable for response. Six patients (54. 5 %) achieved partial response. The overall response rate was 54. 5 %. The main toxicity was hematological : neutropenia and thrombocytopenia at WHO-CTC grade III-IV occured in 33. 3 % and 41. 7 % of the patients respectively. The non-hematological toxicity was mild and tolerable. Only 15. 2 % of total patients were dose-reduced or omitted due to toxicity. Within follow-up 3 patients were still alive and 8 died. The median overall survival period was 8 months. CONCLUSIONS: This regimen of gemcitabine and cisplatin is effective and well-tolerated in the treatment of NSCLC , especially in the elderly patients. The clinical symptoms relieve and the living quality improves significantly.