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Last Modified: 6/21/2007     First Published: 1/26/2003  
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Phase III Randomized Study of Gemcitabine and Carboplatin Versus Gemcitabine and Paclitaxel Versus Paclitaxel and Carboplatin in Patients With Stage IIIB or IV or Recurrent Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Alternate Title
Basic Trial Information
Objectives
Entry Criteria
Expected Enrollment
Outcomes
Outline
Published Results
Trial Contact Information
Registry Information

Alternate Title

Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Stage IIIB, Stage IV, or Recurrent Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Basic Trial Information

PhaseTypeStatusAgeSponsorProtocol IDs
Phase IIITreatmentClosed18 and overNCI, Pharmaceutical / IndustryALPHA-A1-99002L
NCT00054392

Objectives

  1. Compare the overall survival of patients with stage IIIB or IV or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer treated with gemcitabine and carboplatin vs gemcitabine and paclitaxel vs paclitaxel and carboplatin.
  2. Compare the overall response rate and time to progression in patients treated with these regimens.
  3. Compare the toxic effects of these regimens in these patients.
  4. Compare the quality of life of patients treated with these regimens.

Entry Criteria

Disease Characteristics:

  • Histologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) of 1 of the following types:
    • Squamous cell
    • Adenocarcinoma
    • Large cell anaplastic
    • Bronchoalveolar
    • Non-small cell carcinoma not otherwise specified

     [Note: Mixed tumors are categorized by the predominant cell type (tumors with small-cell anaplastic elements are ineligible)]



  • Evidence of at least 1 of the following:
    • Clinically documented recurrent disease after prior radiation or surgery
    • Stage IV disease (distant metastases)
    • Stage IIIB disease presenting with 1 of the following:
      • Pleural or pericardial effusion by CT scan or chest x-ray
      • Pleural implants documented pathologically or seen on CT scan or x-ray


  • Measurable or evaluable disease


  • No brain metastases unless clinically stable after surgery and/or radiotherapy


Prior/Concurrent Therapy:

Biologic therapy

  • Not specified

Chemotherapy

  • No prior chemotherapy for advanced NSCLC

Endocrine therapy

  • Not specified

Radiotherapy

  • See Disease Characteristics
  • Recovered from prior radiotherapy
  • No prior radiotherapy to the only site of measurable disease, unless the site had subsequent progression of disease documented by physical exam, radiography, or pathology
  • No concurrent radiotherapy (except for brain metastases)

Surgery

  • See Disease Characteristics

Other

  • No concurrent aminoglycoside antibiotics

Patient Characteristics:

Age

  • 18 and over

Performance status

  • ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy

  • Not specified

Hematopoietic

  • Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm3
  • Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3

Hepatic

  • Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
  • AST less than 5 times upper limit of normal

Renal

  • Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

    OR

  • Creatinine clearance at least 40 mL/min

Other

  • Not pregnant or nursing
  • Negative pregnancy test
  • Fertile patients must use effective contraception
  • No hypersensitivity to agents that contain Cremophor EL (polyoxyethylated castor oil)

Expected Enrollment

1134

A total of 1,134 patients (378 per treatment arm) will be accrued for this study within 2 years.

Outcomes

Primary Outcome(s)

Survival

Secondary Outcome(s)

Tumor response rate
Time to disease progression
Quality of life as measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer -Lung (FACT-L) questionnaire at baseline, every 6 weeks during study treatment, and then every 3 months thereafter

Outline

This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to weight loss within the past 6 months (less than 5% vs at least 5%), disease stage (IIIB vs IV), and brain metastases (present vs absent). Patients are randomized to 1 of 3 treatment arms.

  • Arm I: Patients receive gemcitabine IV over 30 minutes on days 1 and 8 and carboplatin IV over 15-30 minutes on day 1.


  • Arm II: Patients receive gemcitabine IV over 30 minutes on days 1 and 8 and paclitaxel IV over 3 hours on day 1.


  • Arm III: Patients receive paclitaxel IV over 3 hours and carboplatin IV over 15-30 minutes on day 1.


In all arms, treatment repeats every 3 weeks for up to 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Quality of life is assessed at baseline, every 6 weeks during study treatment, and then every 3 months until progressive disease is documented.

Patients are followed every 3 months.

Published Results

Treat J, Belani CP, Edelman MJ, et al.: A randomized phase III trial of gemcitabine (G) in combination with carboplatin (C) or paclitaxel (P) versus paclitaxel plus carboplatin in advanced (Stage IIIB, IV) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): update of the Alpha Oncology trial (A1-99002L). [Abstract] J Clin Oncol 23 (Suppl 16): A-LBA7025, 627s, 2005.

Trial Contact Information

Trial Lead Organizations

Fox Chase Cancer Center CCOP Research Base

Joseph Treat, MD, Protocol chair
Ph: 215-707-8030

Registry Information
Official Title A Randomized, Phase III Multicenter Trial Of Gemcitabine In Combination With Carboplatin Or Paclitaxel Plus Carboplatin In Patients With Metastatic (Stage IIIB, IV) Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Trial Start Date 2001-09-14
Registered in ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00054392
Date Submitted to PDQ 2002-12-31
Information Last Verified 2006-12-13
NCI Grant/Contract Number CA16056

Note: The purpose of most clinical trials listed in this database is to test new cancer treatments, or new methods of diagnosing, screening, or preventing cancer. Because all potentially harmful side effects are not known before a trial is conducted, dose and schedule modifications may be required for participants if they develop side effects from the treatment or test. The therapy or test described in this clinical trial is intended for use by clinical oncologists in carefully structured settings, and may not prove to be more effective than standard treatment. A responsible investigator associated with this clinical trial should be consulted before using this protocol.

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