Experience of treatment of lung cancer patients using paclitaxel and carboplatin

Nineteen patients with stage III & IV nonsmall cell lung cancer were treated with a regimen containing paclitaxel and carboplatin at Dharmais National Cancer Center Hospital and Pertamina Central General Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia. There were 14 males and 5 females, the histologic diagnosis being adenocarcinoma in 13 patients, squamous carcinoma in 5 patients and adenosquamous carcinoma in 1 patient. Fourteen patients were in stage IV, 4 had stage IIIB, and one had stage IIIA disease. The regimen contained paclitaxel 135-200 mg/m2, combined with carboplatin 300 mg/m2 or AUC 6 mg/ml.min, given every 3 weeks. Those who underwent at least 3 cycles of chemotherapy were followed up until death. Objective improvement (PR) was seen in 12 patients or 63%; 2 had stable disease (11%) and 5 had progressive disease (26%). Two patients are still alive at 17.5 months and 19 months after starting chemotherapy. The one-year survival rate was 58%, and median survival time was 14 months.