Low-dose weekly docetaxel is as tolerable as pemetrexed in previously treated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Docetaxel and pemetrexed have been validated as therapeutics for previously treated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but tolerability is a concern for standard treatment with docetaxel administered once every 3 weeks (tri-weekly 75-mg/m(2) schedule). We conducted this retrospective study to compare the efficacy and toxicity of weekly low-dose docetaxel versus tri-weekly pemetrexed for previously treated advanced NSCLC.

Consecutive patients who received low-dose single docetaxel (30 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks) or pemetrexed (500 mg/m(2) every 3 weeks) at a single university-affiliated hospital following failure of previous treatment were retrospectively reviewed. Their outcomes and toxicity profiles were determined.

179 patients were included between 2005 and 2008 (docetaxel, n = 79; pemetrexed, n = 100). Both groups had similar hematologic (16.5 vs. 15.0%; p = 0.84) and non-hematologic (20.3 vs. 24%; p = 0.55) toxicities. After controlling for confounding factors, docetaxel remained superior to pemetrexed for progression-free survival (median 4.0 vs. 2.4 months; hazard ratio 0.64; 95% CI 0.47-0.87; p = 0.005) and overall survival (median 15.0 vs.8.5 months; hazard ratio 0.54; 95% CI 0.38-0.77; p <0.001).

Although this study showed that weekly low doses of docetaxel were as tolerable as pemetrexed for previously treated advanced NSCLC, a prospective design is needed to confirm this finding.