Currently the investigators have two different classes of second-line treatment options in recurrent non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). In chemotherapy, docetaxel and pemetrexed produced similar treatment efficacy outcomes, while pemetrexed had a better tolerability. In recent analysis of pemetrexed clinical studies, a strong treatment-by-histology interaction in overall survival and progression free survival that indicated better efficacy for non-squamous patients treated with pemetrexed. These data supports that pemetrexed could be a preferable chemotherapy drug especially in adenocarcinoma NSCLC patients.
Name: erlotinib (Tarceva)
Description: chemotherapy with erlotinibType: DrugA, erlotinib
Name: pemetrexed (Alimta)
Description: Chemotherapy with pemetrexedType: DrugB, pemetrexed
Parallel Assignment
There is one SNP
Since typical EGFR gene mutations (i.e., the deletion of typically five amino acids at codons 746-750 (ELREA) in exon 19 and a leucine-to-arginine mutation at codon 858 (L858R)) are a good predictor for tumor response to tyrosine kinase inhibitor, this present study is to tailor the patient's treatment according to his/her EGFR gene mutation status. --- L858R ---