Weekly carboplatin in combination with weekly paclitaxel in the treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: a single center 10-year experience.

PURPOSE: The primary objective of this retrospective analysis is to assess efficacy and toxicity of a chemotherapeutic regimen using weekly carboplatin in combination with weekly paclitaxel as first-line therapy for advanced/metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS: All patients with stage IIIB/IV NSCLC treated with weekly carboplatin AUC (area under the curve) 3 days 1, 8, 15, q4w in combination with weekly paclitaxel 75 mg/m(2) days 1, 8, 15, q4w as first-line therapy at the Kantonsspital Graubuenden between August 2004 and May 2014 were retrospectively analyzed by medical record review.

RESULTS: A total of 90 patients were treated. Median age was 66 years (range 39-88). A total of 229 chemotherapy cycles were administered. Hematological and non-hematological toxicity were acceptable allowing for a median relative dose intensity for all planned treatment cycles of 76 %. Overall response rate was 34 %. Median overall and progression free survival was 6.3 (95 % CI, 4.9-8.7) and 3.4 (95 % CI, 2.3-5.1) months, respectively. Patients with an ECOG performance score (PS) of 0 or 1 had a significantly better OS compared to patients with a PS of ≥2. No statistically significant difference was observed in patients younger or older than 70 years of age.

CONCLUSIONS: Weekly carboplatin in combination with weekly paclitaxel results in good response rates and acceptable toxicity in patients with advanced and metastatic NSCLC including patients with poor risk features (brain metastases, older age, and impaired PS). Nonetheless, selecting the right patient for a platinum-based combination treatment remains an important task in clinical practice.