Abstract
Context: Lung cancer has been the most common cancer in the world for several decades. Pemetrexed
is recommended as an option for the maintenance treatment in metastatic adenocarcinoma
lung, if disease has not progressed immediately following platinum-based chemotherapy.
Aims: To study efficacy and toxicity profile of pemetrexed as a maintenance chemotherapeutic
agent in patients with stage IV adenocarcinoma lung, not progressing after first line
chemotherapy. Settings and Design: This was an observational, prospective. We enrolled
patients with stage IV adenocarcinoma lung who has not progressed on first line chemotherapy,
from September 2013 to August 2014 at a tertiary care cancer institute in North India.
Materials and Methods: In all, 108 patients with stage IV adenocarcinoma lung were started on induction
pemetrexed/platinum chemotherapy. 60 patients with no disease progression & ECOG PS
0-2 were started on Pemetrexed maintenance. Progression free survival (PFS) and toxicity
profile were recorded. Results: The mean number of maintenance cycles was 8.3 (range 2-28). 13 (21.6%) patients took
>10 maintenance cycles. Pemetrexed maintenance therapy resulted in progression free
survival (PFS) of 5.4 months. PFS on pemetrexed was consistent for all patient subgroups,
including induction response: complete/partial responders (n-31) and stable disease
(n-29). 14 patients had grade III/IV adverse events with anemia being the most common
in 3/60 patients (5%). 3 patients (5%) developed renal dysfunction out of which 1
was grade III. Conclusions: Pemetrexed continuation maintenance chemotherapy is active and well tolerated. Pemetrexed
maintenance should be considered in patients with advanced adenocarcinoma lung patients
who have not progressed on completion of induction chemotherapy.
Key words
Adenocacinoma lung - pemetrexed - pemetrexed maintenance