Efficacy of third‐generation chemotherapeutic agents combined with cisplatin or carboplatin in 3100 C hinese patients with advanced non‐small‐cell lung cancer

Background Recently, differences in tumor biology have been observed between A sian and C aucasian lung cancer patients, resulting in different sensitivities to targeted therapy. To date, all registered third‐generation chemotherapeutic agents have been investigated mainly in C aucasians, but little is known whether this data can be transferred to an A sian population. The aim of this study was to provide evidence about the efficacy of chemotherapy in a C hinese population. Methods Three thousand one hundred patients with advanced non‐small‐cell lung cancer NSCLC , treated between 2002 and 2009 with a platinum‐based doublet first‐line chemotherapy, including vinorelbine, gemcitabine, docetaxel or paclitaxel, were included for retrospective survival analysis. Results Overall survival ( OS ) was 12.1 months and progression free survival ( PFS ) was four months for all patients. No advantage in OS was seen for any of the four compounds. Gemcitabine was associated with a better PFS compared to the other three (P < 0.001). Docetaxel led to higher response rates, but this finding didn't reach statistical significance (P = 0,054). C hinese patients appear to have longer survival times compared to historical data in C aucasians. Conclusion Our retrospective analysis suggests, that there is no difference in efficacy of third‐generation chemotherapy between A sians and C aucasians.