The Clinical Study Of Gefitinib In The Treatment Of Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy, time to progression, survival time and toxicity of Gefitinib (Iressa) which is a target therapy agent inhibiting epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)-tyrosine kinase in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) and to analyze the relative factors affecting the efficacy.MethodsFrom March 2005 to March 2007, 20 patients with advanced NSCLC who failed from previous first-line chemotherapy or couldn't tolerate surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy were treated by gefitinib in this trial. Gefitinib was administered orally at a dose of 250 mg daily until disease progressed or severe toxicity developed.Resultstwenty patients were entered in this study. Patients (10 male, 10 female) had a median age of 60 years (range 39-77 years) with adenocardnoma 14 cases ,bronchoalveolar cell carcinoma 5 cases and squamous cell carcinoma lcase.Overall response rate was 20% (4/20) and the disease control rate(response and stable disease) was 80% (16/20). Median time to progress (TTP) was 10 months. Overall survival time ranged from 1 month to 23 months. 1 year survival rate was 35% (7/20). Of the 16 patients(80%)who are still alive when the last following—up time and the 10 (55%) had stable disease. The main toxicity of gefitinib was grade 1 or 2 skin toxidty. The other adverse reaction included diarrhea, angular cheilitis, anorexia, ALT elevating and abdominal uncomfortable which were all mild. But one patient quitted the treatment due to grade 3～4 nausea and vomiting.ConclusionGefitinib is effective and tolerable in the treatment of advanced NSCLC patients who have failed to the first-line chemotherapy. Gefitinib was accepted as second or third line setting in the treatment of advanced NSCLC.