Influence of tumor response on the survival of patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer treated with the etoposide plus cisplatin chemotherapy regimen

Objective In this study, we evaluated the difference of progression-free survival(PFS) and overall survival(OS) between extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer(ES-SCLC) patients who acquired partial response(PR) or complete remission(CR) after two cycles of first-line chemotherapy with the etoposide plus cisplatin(EP) regimen and those who acquired PR or CR after four or six cycles.Methods A total of 106 eligible patients treated with the EP chemotherapy regimen for two to six cycles, at The General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region(China) between November 2004 and May 2011, were enrolled in this study. RECIST version 1.1 was used for the evaluation of chemotherapy efficiency. We followed up all eligible patients every 4 weeks. All statistical data were analyzed by using SPSS 21.0 statistical package for Windows.Results After a median follow-up of 293 days(range, 62–1531 days), all patients had died by the cutoff date. Fifty-one patients acquired PR or CR after two cycles of chemotherapy; the median PFS reached 6.0 months(95% CI, 5.1–6.9), and the median OS was 10.5 months(95% CI, 8.6–12.4). Twenty-eight patients acquired PR or CR after four or six cycles; the median PFS was 4.8 months(95% CI, 4.4–5.2), and the median OS was 7.5 months(95% CI, 6.8–8.2). Both PFS and OS showed a statistical difference between the two groups. Conclusion ES-SCLC patients who acquired PR or CR after two cycles of the EP regimen as first-line therapy had longer PFS and OS than those who acquired PR or CR after four or six cycles.

Objective In this study, we evaluated the difference of progression-free survival （PFS） and overall survival （OS） between extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer （ES-SCLC） patients who acquired partial response （PR） or complete remission （CR） after two cycles of first-line chemotherapy with the etoposide plus cisplatin （EP） regimen and those who acquired PR or CR after four or six cycles. Methods A total of 106 eligible patients treated with the EP chemotherapy regimen for two to six cycles, at The General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region （China） between November 2004 and Way 2011, were enrolled in this study. RECIST version 1.1 was used for the evaluation of chemotherapy efficiency. We followed up all eligible patients every 4 weeks. All statistical data were analyzed by using SPSS 21.0 statistical package for Windows. Results After a median follow-up of 293 days （range, 62-1531 days）, all patients had died by the cutoff date. Fifty-one patients acquired PR or CR after two cycles of chemotherapy; the median PFS reached 6.0 months （95% CI, 5.1-6.9）, and the median OS was 10.5 months （95% CI, 8.6-12.4）. Twenty-eight patients acquired PR or CR after four or six cycles; the median PFS was 4.8 months （95% CI, 4.4-5.2）, and the median OS was 7.5 months （95% CI, 6.8-8.2）. Both PFS and OS showed a statistical difference between the two groups. Conclusion ES-SCLC patients who acquired PR or CR after two cycles of the EP regimen as first-line therapy had longer PFS and OS than those who acquired PR or CR after four or six cycles.