Efficacy of carboplatin plus S-1 for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer: A protocol for a systematic review of randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common lung cancer. Numerous clinical studies have reported that the combination of carboplatin and S-1 (CS) can be used to treat NSCLC effectively. However, no systematic review has been conducted to assess its efficacy and safety for NSCLC. This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CS for treatment of patients with NSCLC. METHODS: This study will retrieve the following electronic databases from inception to the February 1, 2019: Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDILINE, CINAHL, AMED, and 4 Chinese databases without any language limitations. This systematic review will include randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and case-control studies for assessing the efficacy and safety of CS for the treatment of NSCLC. Cochrane risk of bias will be used as methodological quality assessment for each qualified study. The RevMan V.5.3 software will be utilized to synthesize the data and conduct the meta-analysis if it is allowed. The data will be pooled by using the random-effects model or fixed-effects model. RESULTS: The primary outcome is overall response rate. The secondary outcomes are overall survival, progression-free survival, the disease control rate, and any adverse events. CONCLUSION: It will provide latest evidence to determine the efficacy and safety of CS for treatment of patients with NSCLC. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: No research ethic approval is needed in this study because this study will not analyze individual patient data. The results are expected to disseminate through peer-reviewed journals. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42019124860.