Abstract
PURPOSE Gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GP) is a first-line treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of a combined treatment consisting of CT-guided percutaneous (125)I seed implantation with GP chemotherapy for advanced NSCLC. METHODS Fifty-three patients with advanced NSCLC were enrolled in a nonrandomized, two-armed clinical trial. Of these patients, 24 received a combination treatment of CT-guided percutaneous (125) I seed implantation and GP (the combo group), while 29 were treated with GP only (the control group). RESULTS Patients in the combo group received (125)I seed implantation with prescription dose of 100-140 Gy and a total of 55 cycles of GP, and patients in the control group received a total of 73 cycles of GP. The overall response rate was 79.2% in the combo group and 41.4% in the control group. The median overall survival time was 13.5 ± 1.5 months in the combo group and 9.0 ± 1.8 months in the control group. The progression-free survival time was 8.0 ± 1.2 months in the combo group and 5.0 ± 0.8 months in the control group. The 1- and 2-year survival rates were 62.5 and 16.7% in the combo group, respectively, and 41.4 and 13.8% in the control group. The interventional complications in the combo group included 5 cases of pneumothorax and 4 cases of hemoptysis. There were no complications due to radiation pneumonia or radiation esophagitis in the combo group, and no patients had lethal hemoptysis or esophagotracheal fistula. Chemotherapy treatment-related toxicities, including Grade 3/4 myelosuppression and Grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity, were similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS Our initial experience showed that combined CT-guided (125)I radioactive seed implantation and GP chemotherapy are effective and safe for treating advanced NCSLC.
