Retrospective analysis of administration of a combination of docetaxel and carboplatin for advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Retrospective analysis was performed for 60 patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had been treated with combination therapy combining 60 mg/m2 of docetaxel with carboplatin in the range of 200 to 360 mg/m2 (average: 290 mg/m2) every 3 weeks. Considering the patients' performance status, the dose of carboplatin was lowered accordingly, being equivalent to AUC 1.9 to 6.1 (average: 3.26) by the Chatelut formula. The mean treatment cycle was 2.3 (range 1 to 7). Complete response and partial response were observed in 2 and 18 (37.0%) of the 54 evaluable patients, respectively, with a median survival time of 12.8 months and 1-year survival of 56.4%. The calculated AUC of carboplatin was not proportional to the response rate. Moderate myelosuppression was exhibited. The severity of leukopenia increased in relation to the AUC of carboplatin (R2=0.1093), whereas the relation between the platelet count and the AUC of carboplatin was relatively disproportional (R2=0.0553). Although gastrointestinal toxicity was slight, its severity increased dependent on the AUC of carboplatin. No occurrence of neurotoxicity was observed. Treatment with a combination of docetaxel and low-dose carboplatin seemed to be effective and safer in patients with advanced NSCLC.