Platinum-based chemotherapy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: optimal number of treatment cycles

Platinum-based chemotherapy remains the standard-of-care for most patients affected by advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The platinum compounds currently used in NSCLC are cisplatin and carboplatin. The availability of new generation drugs has led to the adoption of schedules with lower doses of platinum compounds leading to increased tolerability. Several data suggest that third generation cisplatin-based regimens are slightly superior to carboplatin-based chemotherapy, with a different safety profile, and so cisplatin should remain the standard reference for the treatment of selected patients with advanced NSCLC. Recent evidence emphasized that the optimal number of first-line platinum cycles should be four for any NSCLC histology. New platinum compounds and the use of functional genomics to deliver platinum drugs as personalised medicine, are being investigated. Here we review the current status of cisplatin and carboplatin regimens looking to the future role of platinum compounds in advanced NSCLC patients.