Docetaxel: clinical benefit in first-line treatment for NSCLC

Docetaxel ['Taxotere'] is effective as a first-line treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) according to studies presented at the 38th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) [Orlando, US; May 2002]. Two studies demonstrated that the combination of docetaxel plus cisplatin was more effective and better tolerated than the current standard treatment, vinorelbine plus cisplatin; a third study showed that docetaxel plus cisplatin was more effective than vindesine plus cisplatin. Furthermore, data presented at the meeting suggested that docetaxel monotherapy may be an option for first-line use in patients unable to tolerate platinum-containing regimens.