Author(s)

Yuki Katsuya, Yuichiro Takeda^*, Go Naka, Haruhito Sugiyama

Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

Background: Pemetrexed (PEM) is an efficacious multi-targeted antifolate with acceptable toxicities for non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (non-Sq NSCLC). However, in the clinical setting, PEM has more severe adverse effects than those reported. The aim of this study was to identify the factors for the toxicities of PEM-containing chemotherapy in non-Sq NSCLC patients in the clinical setting. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the factors related to PEM toxicities in chemotherapy-naive patients with non-Sq NSCLC from September 2009 to July 2013 at our hospital. Logistic regression model was used in the univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: In total, 104 patients were analyzed. Grades 3 to 5 hematologic toxicities were frequent and included neutropenia (42%), febrile neutropenia (7%), anemia (18%), thrombocytopenia (17%), and disseminated intravascular coagulation (2%). On multivariate analyses, the predictors were poor performance status (PS) [odds ratio (OR): 4.89, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22 - 19.4] and low body mass index (OR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.05 - 1.98) for febrile neutropenia; concomitant chronic infectious disease (OR: 6.63, 95% CI: 1.59 - 27.5) and bevacizumab use (OR: 3.57, 95% CI: 1.36 - 9.32) for neutropenia; poor PS (OR: 3.02, 95% CI: 1.33 - 6.85) for thrombocytopenia; and low serum albumin level (OR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.08 - 0.63) for non-hematologic toxicities. Conclusions: In addition to the previously reported predictors of PEM toxicities, the presence of concomitant chronic infectious disease was associated with hematologic toxicities. Patient groups who are not sufficiently evaluated in clinical trials should be carefully monitored for the development of more toxicities than expected.

Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Pemetrexed, Toxicity, Clinical Settings

Katsuya, Y. , Takeda, Y. , Naka, G. and Sugiyama, H. (2017) Predictive Factors of Severe Toxicities of Pemetrexed-Containing Chemotherapy in Patients with Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Journal of Cancer Therapy, 8, 1030-1039. doi: 10.4236/jct.2017.811087.