A phase II study of weekly paclitaxel combined with carboplatin for elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

We conducted this phase II study to explore the efficacy and safety of weekly paclitaxel combined with carboplatin in elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Elderly patients (≥70 years old) of stage IIIB, IV, or recurrent NSCLC with PS 0 or 1 were enrolled. Patients received paclitaxel at a dose of 70 mg/m² on Days 1, 8, 15, and carboplatin at the target dose of the area under the curve (AUC) of six on Day 1 every 28 days for at least two cycles. Forty-two patients were enrolled and 40 patients were treated with a median of three cycles (range, 1-5). The overall response rate (ORR) was 45% (95% confidence interval, 30-60%). The median survival time (MST) was 14 months and the 1-year survival rate was 62%. Twenty-eight patients (70%) had grade 3/4 neutropenia and two patients (5%) experienced grade 3 febrile neutropenia. Non-hematological toxicities were generally mild to moderate and grade 3 peripheral neuropathy was seen in one patient (3%). There was one treatment-related death by infection due to neutropenia. Weekly paclitaxel and carboplatin combination chemotherapy was an effective and safe regimen in elderly patients with advanced NSCLC. A randomized trial comparing this treatment with the conventional tri-weekly regimen of paclitaxel and carboplatin is warranted.