Clinical Observation of Gemcitabine with Carboplatin in Elderly Patients with Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Objective 　To evaluate the effect and toxicity of gemcitabine with carboplatin in elderly patient s with advanced non2small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) . Methods 　Forty2four patient s (24 patient s less than 70 years old and 20 patient s over 70 years old ) received chemotherapy with gemcitabine and carboplatin as follows : gemcitabine (1 200 mg/ m2 ) iv on day1 and 8, and carboplatin iv on day1, AUC = 5 in pa2 tient s less than 70 years old ; gemcitabine (1 000 mg/ m2 ) iv on day1 and 8, and carboplatin iv on day1, AUC = 4 in patient s over 70 years old. At least 2 cycles finished of each patient . Results 　Eighty2nine cy2 cles of chemotherapy were completed in patient s less than 70 years old, average cycle was 3. 7, the re2 sponse rate (CR + PR) was 45. 8 %. Sixty2six cycles of chemotherapy were completed in patient s over 70 years old, average cycle was 3. 3, the response rate (CR + PR) was 40. 0 %, the response rate was no sig2 nificant difference between two groups. The toxicities was no significant difference between two groups such as Ⅲ～ Ⅳ bone marrow suppression, severe nausea/ vomiting, alopecia, impaired liver toxicity and renal toxicity( P > 0. 05) . One patient had severe costive in group of less than 70 years old, and 5 patient s in group of over 70 years old, there was significant difference between two groups ( P < 0. 05) . Af ter chemotherapy, platelet risen significantly in 2 patient s of each group respectively, one patient of 56 years old caught deep venous thrombosis, and he released af ter accepted antithrombotic therapy. Conclusion 　The combination of gemcitabine and carboplatin is a feasible, well2tolerated and effective scheme in the t reatment of NSCLC patient s over 70 years old.