Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The combination of pacilitaxel and carboplatin has become a widely used regimen in first-line therapy of advanced NSCLC. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of paclitaxel plus carboplatin at two dose levels in the first-line treatment of advanced NSCLC patients. METHODS: From Dec 2006 to Jun 2008, 63 patients (ECOG 0-1) with advanced NSCLC were administered with paclitaxel 175 mg/m² (42 patients) plus carboplatin (AUC 5) or paclitaxel 200 mg/m² (21 patients) plus carboplatin (AUC 5), 3-4 weeks/cycle. RESULTS: The objective response rate of paclitaxel 175 mg/m² group and paclitaxel 200 mg/m² group was 28.57% vs 33.33% (P=0.698); median time to progression were 6.7 months vs 7.0 months (P=0.561); median overall survival time were 18.7 months vs 19.0 months (P=0.255); one and two-year survival rate were 61.9% vs 66.7% (P=0.711) and 31.0% vs 33.3% (P=0.852), respectively. Neutropenia 3/4 grade was 61.9% vs 33.3% in paclitaxel 200 mg/m² group and paclitaxel 175 mg/m² group (P=0.031). CONCLUSIONS: 175 mg/m² dose paclitaxel causes less neutropenia than higher dose paclitaxel. Response rate, survival rate, time to progression and survival time are not statistically significant in two groups.