In this study the efficacy of cisplatin/gemcitabine (PG) chemotherapy regimen in the treatment of advanced non-smallcell lung cancer (NSCLC) was investigated.

The hospital files of 32 patients with advanced NSCLC (stage III and IV) given PG chemotherapy regimen in Dokuz Eylül University, Medical Faculty, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology between 1999 and 2002 were reviewed retrospectively. Disease characteristics such as histological type, stage, number of chemotherapy cycle, response rate, response duration, toxicity, progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were determined. In this study which enrolled 32 advanced NSCLC patients, 12 patients had stage IIIB and 20 patients had stage IV disease. Histological subtypes were squamous cell in 20 (64.0%) patients, adenocarcinoma in 11 (33.0%) patients and large-cell in one (3.0%) patient. PG chemotherapy regimen was given to all the patients as a first line treatment and 134 cycles were administered. All patients were re-evaluated after two cycles of chemotherapy and in whom response was obtained, the treatment was continued by the same regimen for a total of 6 cycles. In the whole group, complete response and partial response were seen in two (6%) and 19 patients (59%) respectively. Median PFS, median survival, 1 and 2 year survival rates were 12.0, 13.2 months, 53.6% and 7.2% respectively. In patients with stage IIIB, response rate, median survival, 1-year survival and 2-year survival rates were 69%, 14 months, 57.1% and 14.3% respectively. In patients with stage IV, response rate, median survival, 1-year survival and 2-year survival rates were 62%, 7.5 months, 50.0% and 0% respectively. Toxicity was mainly hematological. Grade III-IV neutropenia was seen in 4 patients (12.5%) and grade III thrombocytopenia was seen in two patients (6.2%). In PG regimen is an effective and tolerable regimen in the treatment of advanced stage NSCLC.