A combination of chemotherapy produces no additional benefit in older people with lung cancer and leads to more toxic effects.

The drugs vinorelbine and gemcitabine are known to be reasonably well tolerated and are effective in older people who have non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The elderly sometimes miss out on chemotherapy because it is feared the drugs may not be well tolerated.

Researchers in Italy wondered whether a combination of vinorelbine and gemcitabine might be more effective than either drug alone. They assigned a group of 698 patients aged 70 and older to either vinorelbine or gemcitabine, or a combination of the two. They found that the combination was no more effective than the single drugs. The combination also had more severe side effects, like vomiting. The researchers suggest that it may be worthwhile investigating other combinations of chemotherapy drugs to see if these work better.

Source

Journal of the National Cancer Institute 5th March 2003