[Clinical experience of the use of pemetrexed (PEM) combined with cisplatin (CDDP)/Carboplatin (CBDCA) followed by long-term maintenance PEM in patients with non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer].

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of pemetrexed and carboplatin (CBDCA) or cisplatin (CDDP) followed by maintenance pemetrexed for cases of advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that were treated in our hospital. Patients received pemetrexed (PEM 500mg/m²) and CBDCA(area under the curve, 5 mg/[mL/min]) or CDDP (75 mg/m²) every 21 days. For patients without disease progression after 4-6 courses, pemetrexed was continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Fourteen patients received maintenance pemetrexed(median, 11.5 courses; range, 4- 43 courses). Among the 14 patients, the median progression-free survival time from the beginning of the induction treatment was 13 months. Continuation maintenance with pemetrexed after cisplatin plus pemetrexed induction is recommended as a first-line treatment for patients who have advanced non-squamous NSCLC and as a maintenance strategy.