Efficacy of modified regimen with attenuated doses of paclitaxel plus carboplatin combination chemotherapy in elderly and/or weak patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Purpose: We conducted this study to evaluate the activity and toxicity of a combination regimen of paclitaxel plus carboplatin in patients with advanced NSCLC aged 65 years or older and/or in those with an ECOG performance status (PS) 2. Materials and methods: Chemotherapy-naive patients with unresectable pathologically-proven NSCLC and of either age ≥65 or ECOG PS 2 were eligible. Patients received modified regimen with attenuated doses of paclitaxel (135 mg/m² i.v. for 3 h D1) and carboplatin (AUC=5, D1) every 3 weeks. Results: Thirty-five patients were enrolled. Nineteen patients were aged 65 or older (54%) and 26 patients (74%) were ECOG PS 2. The objective response rate was 40% with 14 partial responses. The median time to progression was 22 weeks. Grade 3 leucopenia occurred in 1 cycle and one case of neutropenic fever. Conclusions: The modified regimen with attenuated doses of paclitaxel plus carboplatin combination chemotherapy was effective and well tolerated in patients with advanced NSCLC aged 65 years or older and/or in those with ECOG PS 2.