Vinorelbine Plus Cisplatin Versus Docetaxel Plus Gemcitabine in Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Phase III Randomized Trial

• Published in: Journal of clinical oncology Vol. 23; no. 13; pp. 2937 - 2945
• Main Authors: GEORGOULIAS, Vassilis, ARDAVANIS, Alexandros, POLYZOS, Aris, CHRISTOU, Anna, KAKOLYRIS, Stylianos, KOUROUSSIS, Charalambos, ANDROULAKIS, Nikolaos, SAMONIS, George, CHATZIDAKI, Dora, TSIAFAKI, Xanthi, AGELIDOU, Athina, MIXALOPOULOU, Penelope, ANAGNOSTOPOULOU, Ourania, ZIOTOPOULOS, Panagiotis, TOUBIS, Michael, SYRIGOS, Kostas, SAMARAS, Nikolaos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Baltimore, MD American Society of Clinical Oncology 01.05.2005; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - adverse effects; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - pathology; Cisplatin - administration & dosage; Deoxycytidine - administration & dosage; Deoxycytidine - analogs & derivatives; Female; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor - administration & dosage; Humans; Infusions, Intravenous; Injections, Subcutaneous; Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pneumology; Quality of Life; Survival Analysis; Taxoids - administration & dosage; Tumors; Tumors of the respiratory system and mediastinum; Vinblastine - administration & dosage; Vinblastine - analogs & derivatives; Antineoplastic agent; Phase III trial; Lung disease; Gemcitabine; Respiratory disease; Lung cancer; Docetaxel; Malignant tumor; non-small cell lung carcinoma; Cisplatin; Alkylating agent; Alkaloid; Randomization; Cancerology; Antimetabolic; Taxane derivatives; Bronchus disease; Fluorine Organic compounds; Antimitotic; Pyrimidine nucleoside; Comparative study; Vinorelbine; Platinum II Complexes
• ISSN: 0732-183X; 1527-7755
• DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2005.04.016

PURPOSE To compare the activity and tolerability of docetaxel/gemcitabine (DG) and vinorelbine/cisplatin (VC) combinations in chemotherapy-naive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with advanced NSCLC were randomly assigned to receive either DG (gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m(2) [days 1 and 8] plus docetaxel 100 mg/m(2) [day 8]) or VC (vinorelbine 30 mg/m(2) [days 1 and 8] plus cisplatin 80 mg/m(2) [day 8]) and prophylactic recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (150 microg/m(2) subcutaneously [day 9 through 15]) every 3 weeks. Results A total of 413 randomly assigned patients were analyzed for response and toxicity (DG, n = 197; VC, n = 192). Median survival was 9.0 and 9.7 months (P = .965) for DG and VC arms, respectively; the corresponding 1-year survival rates were 34.3% and 40.8%, respectively. Overall response rate was 30% (95% CI, 23.9% to 36.3%) and 39.2% (95% CI, 32.5% to 45.9%; P = .053) for DG and VC, respectively. Toxicity was as follows (DG v VC): grade 2 to 4 anemia, 34% v 55% (P = .0001); grade 3 to 4 neutropenia, 16% v 37% (P = .0001); febrile neutropenia, 6% v 11% (P = .009); and grade 3 to 4 nausea and vomiting, 1% v 15% (P = .003). Nephrotoxicity occurred in 8% and ototoxicity in 2% of VC-treated patients. There were five and six treatment-related deaths in the DG and VC arms, respectively. Quality of life was improved in DG but not in VC patients. CONCLUSION Although the two regimens produced comparable overall survival, the DG regimen had a better toxicity profile. Therefore, DG could be used in the first-line setting of advanced NSCLC, especially for patients who cannot tolerate cisplatin.