Comparison of gemcitabine/carboplatin versus paclitaxel/cisplatin for the management of non-small cell lung cancer

Purpose: To determine the comparative efficacy and toxicity of gemcitabine/carboplatin and paclitaxel/cisplatin in patients with completely resected stage IIa -IIIa non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods: Sixty eligible NSCLC patients treated in Funan County People's Hospital were enrolled and assigned to two groups by randomization (n = 30 each). One group (CG group) received the combination of gemcitabine and carboplatin, while the second group (CP group) received a combination of cisplatin and paclitaxel. Efficacy was assessed based on 2-year progression-free survival, while adverse reactions were recorded to assess the toxicity of the chemotherapy treatments.Results: No marked difference was found in the 2-year relapse-free survival in the two groups with similar clinical baseline characteristics after follow-up (60 % in CG group vs. 56.67 % in CP group, p = 0.826). Specifically, no significant difference was found between the two groups with regard to incidence of local metastases, distant metastases, or brain tissue metastases within 2 years, and there were no treatment-related deaths. CG group was more likely to develop leukopenia (93.33 % vs. 63.33 % for CP group, p = 0.04), but no significant difference was observed for other adverse effects such as anemia, vomiting, and nausea.Conclusion: This study shows that adjuvant treatment using carboplatin and gemcitabine produces the same therapeutic efficacy as cisplatin and paclitaxel, but exhibits higher toxicity levels than the latter.