Background: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of gefitinib, an orally active epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor(EGFR-TKI), in elderly patients with other types of adenocarcinoma.
Methods: The clinical characteristics, response of treatment and survival were retrospectively reviewed in sixty-nine elderly patients (>=65 years). All these patients received gefitinib 250mg/d in Cancer Institute ( Hospital ), Chinese Aacademy of Medical Sciences until disease progression or toxicities not tolerated by patient.
Results: Overall response rate and disease controlled rate (DCR) of gefitinib were 24.6% and 88.4% respectively. The median survival time was 15 months. One year survival was 62.2%. The response rate of gefitinib were significantly higher in patients less than 75-year-old, non-smoker and first-line treatment group than in patients above 75-year-old, smoker and second-line or third-line treatment. Furthermore, the overall survival times were significantly longer in patients of Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma, female and nonsmokers than patients with adenocarcinoma, and male and smokers. Rash and diarrhea were the most common adverse events (AEs) , but usually were mild.
Conclusions: Gefitinib is effective and safe in elderly patients with advanced adenocarcinomas of the lung.