An overview of current results with the gemcitabine and docetaxel combination as initial and salvage chemotherapy regimen in advanced non-small cell lung cancer

The activity of single-agent docetaxel in patients with platinum pretreated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been established in two recent large randomized phase III trials, either against best supportive care or versus single-agent vinorelbine/ifosfamide. Moreover, single-agent gemcitabine has demonstrated significant activity and clinical benefit in platinum- and paclitaxel-pretreated advanced NSCLC. Combination regimens employing these two agents in various doses and schedules have recently been initiated. The gemcitabine/docetaxel combination with or without G-CSF support as salvage therapy of NSCLC pre-treated with platinum±paclitaxel-based regimens has been evaluated in four recently published phase II clinical studies and has been shown to represent a tolerable and active regimen in this setting, yielding a 10–33% response rate, thus, warranting randomized comparisons to single-agent gemcitabine or docetaxel, drugs currently recommended in second-line treatment of advanced NSCLC.