Objective  

To investigate the clinical efficacy and toxicity of weekly dose docetaxel monotherapy schedule in elderly with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods  

28 patients aged over 65 with advanced NSCLC were received with docetaxel (Aisu) 35 mg/m² on days 1, 8 and 15 every 28 days. A clinical evaluation on effectiveness, quality of life and toxicities was performed.

Results  

28 patients were given 86 cycles’ chemotherapy altogether. The overall response rate was 35.7% (10/28). The clinical beneficial rate was 64.3% (18/28). Mean KPS was increased from 75.5 at baseline to 87.7 after chemotherapy (P < 0.01); lung cancer symptom scale (LCSS) scores of cough, hemoptysis, chest pain and dyspnea were increased from 64, 65, 62 and 65 to 90, 92, 87 and 88, respectively (P < 0.01). The median time to progression (TTP) was 5.3 months; median survival time (MST) was 8.5 months. The main toxicities were fatigue, leukopenia and decrease of hemoglobin with well tolerance.

Conclusion  

Weekly dose docetaxel monotherapy schedule is a feasible, well-tolerated, and active scheme in the treatment of the elderly patients with advanced NSCLC.