VINORELBINE CHEMOTHERAPY IN NON-SMALL-CELL LUNG-CANCER - EXPERIENCE IN ELDERLY PATIENTS

This study involved 25 elderly (> 65 years old) patients (pts) with un resectable non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were not eligible fo r polychemotherapy. The diagnosis of NSCLC was histologically or cytol ogically documented, and all of them had measurable or evaluable disea se. The median age of the patients was 71 (range 65-77); 9 had been pr etreated. The pts received 25 mg/m2 of vinorelbine weekly or bi-weekly depending on the results of blood tests. The treatment continued unti l disease progression or tolerance. No complete response was achieved: 3 pts (12%) had a partial response (RP) (8-12-14 months), 13 (52%) st able disease (SD) with an improvement in symptoms, such as cough and/o r pain, and 9 pts (36%) progressed. Compliance with the therapy was ac ceptable. The main toxicity was hematological: neutropenia was observe d in 16 pts, with only 1 case of grade 4 neutropenia without sepsis; g rade 1-2 anemia occurred in 8 patients. The other toxicities included grade 1-2 neurotoxicity in 8 pts, chemical phlebitis in 2 pts and grad e 3 cardiotoxicity reversible with medical treatment in 1 patient. The median survival time was 10 months (lower quartile 5 months, upper qu artile 23 months) (Kaplan and Meyer method). Vinorelbine can be consid ered a rational choice in elderly pts with advanced NSCLC who are not suitable for aggressive polychemotherapy, with the aim of improving th eir quality of life in terms of symptoms and outpatient treatment.