Safety and efficacy of single‐agent docetaxel (Taxotere) administered weekly in non‐small cell lung carcinoma patients in Korea: An observational study

BACKGROUND: To investigate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of weekly docetaxel treatment in advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in Korea. METHODS: This prospective observational study included Korean advanced NSCLC patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status <2 who received weekly monotherapy of docetaxel at a dose determined by the physician. Efficacy measurements included tumor response rate, overall survival (OS), progression‐free survival, and one‐year survival rate. Safety was analyzed through recorded incidences of adverse events (AEs), serious adverse events (SAEs), deaths, and other related safety parameters, along with their toxicity grades. RESULTS: : Of 274 patients analyzed, one patient achieved a complete response and 42 partial responses; thus, the overall response rate was 15.7%. The OS rate at baseline and at one‐year follow‐up was 38.3% and 33.8%, respectively. AEs were reported in 229 (83.6%) patients. The most frequently reported hematologic AE of grade ≥3 was a decrease in neutrophils, with 6.6% of the patients developing neutropenia. In non‐hematologic AEs of grade ≥3, the most common were infection with unknown absolute neutrophil count and death not associated with Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) (4.7% each). The most common SAE reported was death, not associated with CTCAE (7.3%). CONCLUSIONS: In Korean patients, the weekly regimen of docetaxel monotherapy was safe and efficacious against advanced NSCLC.