Survival Analysis in Advanced Non Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated with Platinum Based Chemotherapy in Combination with Paclitaxel, Gemcitabine and Etoposide

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> The wide spectrum of clinical features in advanced stages of non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) probably contributes to disparities in outcomes because of different prognostic variables significantfor stage IIIB/IV patients. Hence the aim of this study was to check for favorable response of patients to variouschemotherapeutic combinations with respect to patient survival in stage IIIB and stage IV NSCLC disease. Weselected those patients for our study who were receiving treatment with paclitaxel, gemcitabine or etoposide incombination with platinum based drugs. Materials and <br/><b>Methods</b>: Seventy-two patients who visited the hospitalfrom June 2009 to November 2012 with confirmed diagnosis of lung cancer were included, and data were collectedfor follow up and classified according to treatment received with respect to patients’ regimen and response, andoverall survival. This study analyzed tumor variables that were associated with clinical outcome in advancedNSCLC patients who were undergoing first-line chemotherapy for stage IIIB/IV NSCLC. <br/><b>Results</b>: Comparativedata on various parameters like age, gender, stage, histology, site of disease, metastatic site and chemo-regimenswas analyzed; these parameters predicted variable significant improvement for overall survival (p≥0.05). Oneand two year survival rates were 20.8% and 15.3% . <br/><b>Conclusions</b>: In this study we found slight improvementin survival rates in NSCLC and clinical outcomes with one combination (carboplatin+paclitaxel). Overall therewere only marginal differences in survival rates for other chemo-regimens evaluated in this study.