Efficacy and safety of pemetrexed and nedaplatin followed by pemetrexed maintenance therapy in advanced lung adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of pemetrexed and nedaplatin followed by pemetrexed maintenance therapy in advanced lung adenocarcinoma. METHODS: A total of 53 advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients hospitalized between July 2013 and June 2016 with a performance status ≤2 were enrolled in this study. All patients received 4–6 cycles of combination chemotherapy comprising pemetrexed (500 mg/m(2) dL) and nedaplatin (80 mg/m(2) dL). Each chemotherapy cycle consisted of 21 days. After the efficacy of the combination chemotherapy was assessed, patients with stable disease, partial remission, or complete remission received pemetrexed maintenance therapy (500 mg/m(2) dL) until disease progression or intolerable side effects occurred. Each pemetrexed maintenance therapy cycle was 28 days. RESULTS: After completion of the pemetrexed and nedaplatin combination chemotherapy, 26 (49.1%), 15 (28.3%), and 12 (22.6%) patients exhibited partial remission, stable disease, and progressive disease, respectively. Complete remission was not achieved in any patient. Therefore, the response and disease control percentages were 49.1% and 77.4%, respectively. A total of 38 patients were further administered pemetrexed maintenance chemotherapy for an average of 9.8 cycles. The median progression-free survival and overall survival of the 38 patients receiving the pemetrexed maintenance therapy were 9.3 (95% confidence interval: 8.6–10) months and 16.3 (95% confidence interval: 14.5–18.2) months, respectively. The major adverse effects included bone marrow suppression and gastrointestinal reactions, which were well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Combination chemotherapy based on pemetrexed and nedaplatin is effective for the treatment of advanced lung adenocarcinoma with a high tolerance by patients. In addition, pemetrexed maintenance therapy of advanced lung adenocarcinoma is safe and effective for the treatment of advanced lung adenocarcinoma following pemetrexed and nedaplatin combination chemotherapy.