Efficacy Of Gefitinib On Patients With Locally Advanced Or Metastatic Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of gefitinib , a epidemal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor , on patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after failure of previous chemothera- py and explore its safety.Methods:A total of 42 pathologically-confirmed patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC after failure of previous chemotherapy were enrolled. Gefitinib was orally administered 250mg once daily until disease progression or patients couldn't tolerate the toxicities. Evaluations were made about curative effects, survival time, quality of life and toxic reactions.Results: Among these 42 patients, complete response 1 (2.38%), partial response 11 (26.19%), stable disease 18 (42.86%), progressive disease 12 (28.57%). The overall response rate (CR+PR) was 28.57%, clinical benefit response (CR+PR+SD) was 71.43%, the median time to progress (mTTP) was 4 months , the median survival time (MST) was 10 months (3-43months), the one-year survival rate was 45.23%, symptom and qulity of life improvement was 61.90%. The drug-related adverse reactions were skin rash (61.90%), diarrhea (23.81%) and nausea (21.43%). The majority of adverse reactions were grade I or grade II which were manageable and reversible. Interstitial lung disease was not found.Conclusion: Gefitinib, a molecule-target curative , is effective and safe in treating patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC who need two or more line therapy. Furthermore it can remarkably improve patients'life quality.