Gefitinib versus docetaxel in previously treated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Figures & data

Table I. Characteristics of the four trails comparing gefitinib with docetaxel in previously treated advanced NSCLC.

Trial's Name	First author/year	Journal	Jadad's quality scores	Ethnicity	Group	n	Female (%)	PS 0–1(%)	Median age	Never smoker (%)	Locally advanced (%)	AD (%)
ISTANA	Lee/2010	Clin Cancer Res	2	Korea	Gefitinib	82	32.9	92.6	57	36.6	13.4	65.9
					Docetaxe	79	43.0	93.7	58	45.6	17.7	69.6
V-15-32	Maruyama/2008	J Clin Oncol	2	Japan	Gefitinib	245	38.4	95.5	NK	29.0	19.2	78.4
					Docetaxe	244	38.1	95.9	NK	35.7	20.5	77.0
INTEREST	Kim/2008	Lancet	2	Mixed	Gefitinib	733	36.4	88.1	61	20.2	46.8	53.9
					Docetaxe	733	33.4	87.9	60	20.5	47.8	54.8
SIGN	Cufer/2006	Anticancer Drugs	3	Mixed	Gefitinib	68	31.0	63.2	63	26.5	39.7	NK
					Docetaxe	73	30.0	71.3	60	24.7	43.8	NK

n, number of the sample; PS, performance status assessed with Zubrod-ECOG-WHO; AD, adenocarcinoma; NK, not known.

Figure 1. Meta-analysis for overall survival showed no significant difference between gefitinib and docetaxe in previously treated advanced NSCLC (HR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.92–1.12, p = 0.70).

Figure 2. Meta-analysis for progression-free survival showed no significant difference between gefitinib and docetaxe in previously treated advanced NSCLC (HR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.88–1.07, p = 0.57).

Figure 3. Meta-analysis showed that gefitinib significantly improved overall response rate compared with docetaxe in previously treated advanced NSCLC (RR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.02–2.45, p = 0.04).

Table II. Results of the meta-analysis for QOL, symptom improvement and main grade 3 or 4 toxicities.

	Gefitinib		Docetaxel		Gefitinib vs Docetaxel
QOL and symptom improvement	n1	a1 (%)	n0	a0 (%)	RR (95% CI)	P	Ph
FACT-L	811	208 (25.6)	787	131 (16.6)	1.55 (1.27–1.88)	0.00	0.34
TOI	743	141 (19.0)	715	73 (10.2)	1.86 (1.43–2.42)	0.00	0.58
LCS	851	203 (23.9)	825	167 (20.2)	1.18 (0.99–1.41)	0.07	0.83
Toxicities	n1	a1 (%)	n0	a0 (%)	OR (95% CI)	P	Ph
Nausea	1122	9 (0.8)	1101	19 (1.7)	0.46 (0.21–1.02)	0.06	0.71
Vomiting	1122	9 (0.8)	1101	12 (1.1)	0.74 (0.31–1.76)	0.49	0.59
Diarrhea	1122	26 (2.3)	1101	27 (2.5)	0.95 (0.55–1.63)	0.85	0.54
Neutropenia	1036	36 (3.5)	1017	611 (60.1)	0.02 (0.01–0.03)	0.00	0.18
Fatigue	1122	38 (3.4)	1101	76 (6.9)	0.47 (0.32–0.70)	0.00	0.38
Rash	1122	21 (1.9)	1101	7 (0.6)	2.87 (1.24–6.63)	0.01	0.55

n1, total number of patients evaluable for assessment of QOL, symptom improvement or main grade 3 or 4 toxicities in gefitinib group; n0, total number of patients evaluable for assessment of QOL, symptom improvement or main grade 3 or 4 toxicities in docetaxel group; a1, total number of patients acquired QOL or symptom improvement, or developed grade 3 or 4 toxicities in gefitinib group; a0, total number of patients acquired QOL or symptom improvement, or developed grade 3 or 4 toxicities in docetaxel group; P_h, p-value for heterogeneity tests.