Table 4 Gain in response rate vs gain in survival for anticancer drugs approved by FDA 2002-2012

Oxaliplatin [156, 171]

Colorectal

48% vs 32%

0.006

5.6

<0.001

Pemetrexed [157]

Mesothelioma

41.3% vs 16.7%

<0.0001

2.8

0.02

Bevacizumab [152]

Colorectal

44.8% vs 34.8%

0.004

4.7

<0.0001

Gemcitabine [158]

Breast

41.4% vs 26.2%

0.0002

2.8

0.0489

Erlotinib [37]

Pancreas

8.6% vs 8%

NS^a

0.33

0.038

Docetaxel [159]

Gastric

37% vs 25%

0.01

1.9

<0.001

Topotecan [160]

Cervix

27% vs 13%

0.004

2.9

0.017

Bevacizumab [153]

Colorectal

22.7% vs 8.6%

<0.0001

2.1

0.0011

Gemcitabine [161]

Ovary

42.7% vs 30.9%

0.0016

0.7

0.83^b

Bevacizumab [151]

NSCLC

35% vs 15%

<0.001

2

0.003

Docetaxel [162]

Head and Neck

68% vs 54%

0.006

3.3

0.02

Lapatinib [163]

Breast

22% vs 14%

0.09

NA^c

0.72 ^b

Lapatinib [164]

Breast

23.7% vs 13.9%

0.017

0.3

0.18 ^b

Temsirolimus [165]

Renal

8.1% vs 4.8%

NS

1.1

0.70 ^b

Ixabepilone [166, 167]

Breast

35% vs 14%

<0.0001

1.8

0.19 ^b

Bevacizumab [154, 155]

Renal

31% vs 13%

0.0001

2.0

0.33 ^b

Lapatinib [168]

Breast (Her-2/neu +ve)

28% vs 15%

0.021

1.0

0.11 ^b

Trastuzumab [169]

Gastroesophageal

47% vs 35%

0.0017

2.7

0.0046

Cetuximab [170]

Head and neck

36% vs 20%

<0.001

2.7

0.04