A trial comparing the length of time spent in hospital for 2 different chemotherapy treatments for non small cell lung cancer (GEM hospitalisation)

Cancer type:

Lung cancer

Non small cell lung cancer

Status:

Results

Phase:

Phase 3

This trial looked at the length of time people spent in hospital for either gemcitabine and cisplatin or gemcitabine and carboplatin chemotherapy.

More about this trial

Chemotherapy is sometimes used to treat people who have non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Doctors usually use cisplatin or carboplatin because studies have shown that these drugs can shrink the cancer and relieve symptoms.

Early trials also showed that cisplatin or carboplatin given with a newer drug called gemcitabine may work better. As well as improving treatment, doctors want to develop treatments that cause fewer side effects and limit the time people spend in hospital.

This trial compared gemcitabine and cisplatin with gemcitabine and carboplatin. The aims of this trial were to see which combination

Needed the least number of hospital admissions
Worked best
Had the least side effects

Summary of results

The trial team found that there was not much difference between the 2 combinations.

Of the 401 people recruited to take part in this trial, the researchers were able to look at the results of 381. Of these 381 people:

191 had gemcitabine and cisplatin
190 had gemcitabine and carboplatin

The number of overnight stays in hospital to have chemotherapy for each group was about the same. But for those who had gemcitabine and carboplatin the number of stays in hospital to treat side effects from chemotherapy was significantly more.

For each group the average time people lived after treatment was about 10 months.

The main side effects people had in the gemcitabine and carboplatin group were:

The main side effect people had in the gemcitabine and cisplatin group was numbness or tingling in the hands or feet – peripheral neuropathy Open a glossary item .

The research team concluded that there was no significant difference between having cisplatin with gemcitabine and having carboplatin with gemcitabine. Cisplatin and gemcitabine is well tolerated and safe to treat people with NSCLC without the need for extra stays in hospital.

We have based this summary on information from the team who ran the trial. The information they sent us has been reviewed by independent specialists (peer reviewed Open a glossary item ) but may not have been published in a medical journal. The figures we quote above were provided by the trial team. We have not analysed the data ourselves.