Journal Article

Chemotherapy Plus Best Supportive Care versus Best Supportive Care in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Zhong, Chenxi, Yao, Feng, Jiang, Liyan, Liu, Hongcheng, Zhang, Wei

2013

Overview

The use of chemotherapy has been proposed to increase the effectiveness of best supportive care (BSC) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Previous trials reported inconsistent findings regarding the efficacy and safety of chemotherapy on overall survival (OS) and treatment-related mortality. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of chemotherapy plus BSC versus BSC alone on survival of patients with NSCLC. We systematically searched PubMed, EmBase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for relevant literature. All eligible studies included patients with NSCLC who had received chemotherapy and BSC or BSC alone. All eligible studies measured at least 1 of the following outcomes: OS or treatment-related mortality. Overall, patients that received chemotherapy plus BSC had significant longer OS than those that received BSC alone (HR, 0.76; 95%CI, 0.69-0.84; P<0.001). Additionally, chemotherapy plus BSC as compared to BSC alone resulted in a 28% RR reduction (95%CI: 12-40; P = 0.001) in 6-month mortality, 11% RR reduction (95%CI: 8-15; P<0.001) in 12-month mortality, and 5% RR reduction (95%CI: 1-8; P = 0.02) in 2-year mortality. Toxicity was greater in patients that received chemotherapy plus BSC. Chemotherapy plus BSC increased the OS and reduced the 6-month, 12-month, and 2-year mortality of NSCLC patients.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Analysis / Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use / Cancer / Cancer therapies / Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - mortality / Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - therapy / Care and treatment / Chemotherapy / Clinical trials / Complications and side effects / Disease-Free Survival / Female / Hospitals / Humans / Lung cancer / Lung diseases / Lung Neoplasms - mortality / Lung Neoplasms - therapy / Male / Medical research / Medicine / Meta-analysis / Metastasis / Mortality / Non-small cell lung cancer / Non-small cell lung carcinoma / Patients / Quality of life / Radiation therapy / Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Reduction / Small cell lung cancer / Studies / Surgery / Survival / Survival Rate / Systematic review / Thoracic surgery / Toxicity