Cetuximab and gemcitabine in elderly or adult PS2 patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: The cetuximab in advanced lung cancer (CALC1-E and CALC1-PS2) randomized phase II trials

Cetuximab and Other Anti–Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Monoclonal Antibodies in the Treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

“…In the FLEX trial, the 290 patients randomized to chemotherapy plus cetuximab who developed an acne-like rash of any grade within the first 3 weeks and who were still alive after the first cycle had a longer MST than the 228 patients without acne-like rash (14.3 months versus 8.1 months) [68]. In the CALC-1 trial, patients receiving cetuximab and suffering skin toxicity also seemed to have a better survival outcome [28]. Among the nine elderly patients who did not suffer from skin rash, the MST was 2.5 months whereas, in the 20 patients with any grade of skin toxicity, the MST was 13.5 months.…”

Elderly Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: What Treatment?

“…However, in the sequential strategy, 34% of elderly patients were never able to start cetuximab as maintenance or second-line treatment. These results suggest that combining gemcitabine and cetuximab from the beginning of treatment is the optimal way to give all the patients the chance of having benefit from cetuximab [21].…”

Randomised phase II trial of 4 dose levels of single agent docetaxel in performance status (PS) 2 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): DOC PS2 trial. Manchester lung cancer group

“…Analysis of the PS2 subgroup showed OS of 3.0 vs 3.1 vs 6.6 months for geftinib, gemcitabine and docetaxel, respectively and the difference in OS was statistically significant for docetaxel over gefitinib (p = 0.038). Cetuximab, in combination with gemcitabine or docetaxel, was investigated in two small phase II trials with disappointing results [25,26].…”