BACKGROUND: Fazarabine is a novel nucleoside with broad spectrum pre-clinical activity and was chosen for study in patients with incurable non-small cell carcinoma of the lung. The expenses associated with investigational treatment have been assumed to be more than what would occur with conventional therapy, however, data are limited. METHODS: Twenty-three patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer were treated with fazarabine. Fazarabine was administered as a 72 hour continuous infusion at 2.0 mg/M2/hour. A cost analysis of treatment was calculated for patients treated in Springfield, MO. RESULTS: There were no responses (0%, 95% confidence interval = 0-15%) and median survival was 8 months. An analysis of the cost of treatment in the 4 patients treated in Springfield, MO, was compared to the costs of treatment with 4 cycles of cisplatinum and etoposide. There were no significant differences in costs for patients treated with the investigational agent as compared with conventional chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Fazarabine has no demonstrable activity in patients with metastatic non-small cell carcinoma of the lung. Treatment with this agent in an investigational setting was no more expensive than treatment with conventional chemotherapy.
BACKGROUND:Fazarabine is a novel nucleoside with broad spectrum pre-clinical activity and was chosen for study in patients with incurable non-small cell carcinoma of the lung. The expenses associated with investigational treatment have been assumed to be more than what would occur with conventional therapy, however, data are limited. METHODS: Twenty-three patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer were treated with fazarabine. Fazarabine was administered as a 72 hour continuous infusion at 2.0 mg/M2/hour. A cost analysis of treatment was calculated for patients treated in Springfield, MO. RESULTS: There were no responses (0%, 95% confidence interval = 0-15%) and median survival was 8 months. An analysis of the cost of treatment in the 4 patients treated in Springfield, MO, was compared to the costs of treatment with 4 cycles of cisplatinum and etoposide. There were no significant differences in costs for patients treated with the investigational agent as compared with conventional chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS:Fazarabine has no demonstrable activity in patients with metastatic non-small cell carcinoma of the lung. Treatment with this agent in an investigational setting was no more expensive than treatment with conventional chemotherapy.
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Authors: M Dalal; J Plowman; T R Breitman; H M Schuller; A A del Campo; D T Vistica; J S Driscoll; D A Cooney; D G Johns Journal: Cancer Res Date: 1986-02 Impact factor: 12.701
Authors: E Rapp; J L Pater; A Willan; Y Cormier; N Murray; W K Evans; D I Hodson; D A Clark; R Feld; A M Arnold Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 1988-04 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: Marko Jakopovic; Anish Thomas; Sanjeeve Balasubramaniam; David Schrump; Giuseppe Giaccone; Susan E Bates Journal: Front Oncol Date: 2013-10-09 Impact factor: 6.244