[A phase II study of weekly cisplatine plus oral vinorelbine with concomittant radiotherapy in non-dependent elderly patients with localized inoperable non small cell lung carcinoma (Essai GFPC 08-06, Raccosa)]

Abstract

A phase II study of weekly cisplatine plus oral vinorelbine with concomittant radiotherapy in non-dependent elderly patients with localized inoperable non small cell lung carcinoma (Essai GFPC 08-06, Raccosa).

Background: Non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in elderly patients is an important problem because of the increasing incidence of NSCLC and the aging of the population. Elderly patients constitute a heterogeneous population including a significant group of relatively fit patients who ought to benefit from the conventional treatment. The standard treatment for a locally advanced NSCLC (inoperable IIIA and IIIB) is concomitant radiochemotherapy, however studies evaluating this treatment to the old subject are few.

Methods: This phase II study aims to evaluate tolerance of concomitant radiochemotherapy in fit elderly patients (more than 70 years old) with locally advanced NSCLC (inoperable IIIAN2 or IIIB). The treatment is oral vinorelbine (30 mg/m(2) per week) and intravenous cisplatine (30 mg/m(2) per week) during 6 weeks in conjunction with radiotherapy (66 Gy, 33 fraction, six and a half weeks). The main criterion of evaluation is acute toxicity. Late toxicity, quality of life, global response, time to progression and overall survival will also be estimated. With a Simon's optimal plan in two steps, the total number of patients to be included is 59 with an intermediate analysis after the inclusion of 19 patients.

Expected results: Our study aims to demonstrate that fit elderly patients can benefit from concomitant radiochemotherapy. It will permit an improvement in the care available for fit elderly patients with locally advanced NSCLC by allowing them to benefit from the reference treatment.