Non-small cell lung cancer: a study of long-term survival after vinorelbine monotherapy

This study reports the results of 120 patients with inoperable non-small cell lung cancer treated with Navelbine at a dose of 25-30 mg/m(2)/week in a single-drug chemotherapy regimen. Surgery was contraindicated due to staging or to concomitant morbidity. Twenty patients achieved survival greater than or equal to 18 months, and one patient obtained exceptional survival of more than 120 months. The mean dose intensity of Navelbine in long-term survivors was 21.61 mg/m(2)/week. Objective response to Navelbine was found by multivariate analysis to be a prognostic factor for survival beyond 18 months. Weight loss of more than 5 kg of corporal weight was an unfavorable prognostic factor in patients with metastatic disease.