Gemcitabine and Carboplatin Followed By Docetaxel in Treating Patients With Stage IIIB or Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Lung Cancer Clinical Trial

Official title: A Phase III Study of Delayed vs. Immediate Second-Line Therapy With Docetaxel After Gemcitabine + Carboplatin in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as gemcitabine, carboplatin, and docetaxel, use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known which treatment regimen is more effective for stage IIIB or stage IV non-small cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of gemcitabine and carboplatin followed immediately by docetaxel with that of giving delayed docetaxel in treating patients who have stage IIIB or stage IV non-small cell lung cancer.

Clinical Trial Description

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• Compare the overall survival of patients with stage IIIB or IV non-small cell lung cancer treated with gemcitabine and carboplatin followed by immediate vs delayed docetaxel.

Secondary

• Compare the response rate and time to progression in patients treated with these regimens.

• Compare the toxicity of these regimens in these patients.

• Compare the quality of life of patients treated with these regimens.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized study. Patients are stratified according to ECOG performance status (0 or 1 vs 2).

All patients receive gemcitabine IV over 30-60 minutes on days 1 and 8 and carboplatin IV over 30-60 minutes on day 1. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Patients with stable or responding disease proceed to docetaxel therapy. Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.

• Arm I (immediate docetaxel): Patients receive immediate docetaxel IV over 1 hour on day 1.

• Arm II (delayed docetaxel): Patients are observed until first evidence of disease progression and then receive docetaxel IV over 1 hour on day 1.

In both arms, treatment repeats every 3 weeks for up to 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Quality of life (QOL) is assessed at baseline, at restaging (after completion of gemcitabine and carboplatin), before courses 2-6 of docetaxel*, and then at 1 and 3 months after study treatment.

NOTE: *For patients randomized to delayed docetaxel, QOL is assessed every 3 weeks until first disease progression and then before courses 2-6 of docetaxel

Patients are followed monthly for 3 months, every 2 months for 6 months, and then every 3 months thereafter.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 550 patients (275 per treatment arm) will be accrued for this study. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung
• Lung Cancer
• Lung Neoplasms

• NCT number: NCT00074204
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 3
• Start date: October 2003
• Completion date: April 2008