Abstract: AIM: To evaluate the clinical difference between gefitinib and pemetrexed in treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) patients who have failed to first-line chemotherapy.METHODS: From Feb 2009 to Oct 2011, 64 patients with NSCLC who received gefitinib or pemetrexed for second line chemotherapy were analysised retrospectively. The progression survival time and overall survival time were evaluated.RESULTS:There was no statistics difference between the gefitinib and pemetrexed group for progression free survival time( HR=1.21, 95%CI:0.68-2.16, χ²=0.41, P=0.52).But the overall survival time for patients received pemetrexed was much longer than that patients received gefinitib(HR=1.99 95%CI:1.04-3.85, χ²=4.30, P=0.04).No statistical difference between the two group in side effect(P＞0.05).CONCLUSION: For patients with advanced NSCLC who have failed to first-line chemotherapy, the overall survival time was longer for patients received pemetrexed but not for progression free time in the second line chemotherapy compared with treatment of pemetrexed. The side effect was acceptable and no statistical difference between the two groups was observed.

Key words: Gefitinib, Pemetrexed, Advanced-NSCLC