Gemcitabine plus taxane combinations in non-small cell lung cancer.

Among the relatively new cytotoxic agents that are active in non-small cell lung cancer, gemcitabine and the taxanes (paclitaxel and docetaxel) are certainly of particular interest due to their essentially nonoverlapping toxicities and single-agent activities, which compare favorably with single-agent cisplatin. For these reasons, new combinations including these agents are being tested in dose-finding studies in phase II and III trials. Combinations of gemcitabine with a taxane, with or without a platinum compound, represent new and promising regimens for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and other tumor types.