Quality of life in advanced non-small cell lung cancer receiving chemotherapy of platinum combination in old versus new standard chemotherapy regimen
Maneechawakajorn, J.; Suksuperm, J.
Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand 97(Suppl 11): S69-S75
2014
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-2208 PMID: 25509698 Document Number: 16810
Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) mostly are adenocarcinoma but minor squamous cell carcinoma is related to smoking. Surgery has a major role in early stage with chemotherapy or radiation in advanced stage. Platinum combination chemotherapy could increase the progression free survival which may be combined with etoposide as the old standard regimen or paclitaxel/gemcitabine as the new standard regimen with slightly more benefit. This study was conducted to evaluate quality of life (QoL) and response of chemotherapy. The prospective study in advanced NSCLC enrolled 88 patients receiving chemotherapy with old or new standard regimen in the Oncology Unit, Medicine Department of Rajavithi Hospital from January 2004 to December 2009. The assessments were composed of the result of treatment and QoL evaluated by Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung Cancer (FACT-L) in both groups. The 88 advanced NSCLC patients received old standard chemotherapy 49 cases and new standard chemotherapy 39 cases. No statistically significant difference was found in baseline characteristics and most had adenocarcinoma subtype. The overall QoL scores before and after treatment were similar except a slight decrease in social/family well-being. The overall response rate was increased in the new standard regimen group compared with the old regimen group (61.5% versus 24.5%) but without statistical difference in median progression free survival (23 and 20 weeks, respectively). New standard chemotherapy regimen demonstrated increased overall response rate and without decreased QoL.