Abstract:
Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy, toxicity, and prognostic factors of nab-paclitaxel as first-line treatment for elderly patients with advanced lung squamous carcinoma.
Methods This was a prospective study. Forty patients enrolled in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University were treated with nab-paclitaxel (260 mg/m2, ivggt d1), and a period of three weeks was considered as one session. The effects were evaluated after two cycles.
Results All 40 patients were followed up and appraised. Two patients achieved complete remission, 13 achieved partial remission, 13 achieved stable disease, and 12 achieved progressive disease. The objective response rate was 37.5% and the disease control rate was 70.0%. The progression-free survival (PFS), median overall survival, and 1-year survival rate was 6.3 months, 12.6 months, and 62.5%, respectively. The main hematologic toxicities were neutropenia and anemia, and the main non-hematologic adverse events were fatigue, constipation, nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, and hearing loss. Most patients could tolerate these toxic reactions. Moreover, Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that the neoplasm stage, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, response rate, and PFS were independent factors for the survival rate (P < 0.05), while age was not related to patient prognosis (P>0.05).
Conclusions Nab-paclitaxel as single drug and first-line therapy for elderly patients with advanced lung squamous carcinoma is effective and safe.