scholarly journals How patients being treated for non-small cell lung cancer value treatment benefit despite side effects

Author(s):  
Mona L. Martin ◽  
Julia Correll ◽  
Andrew Walding ◽  
Anna Rydén

Abstract Purpose To describe symptoms and side effects experienced by patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), assess how patients allocate sensations (i.e. symptoms or side effects) to either the disease or its treatment, and evaluate how patients balance side effects with treatment benefits. Methods Qualitative sub-studies were conducted as part of two clinical trials in patients treated for advanced NSCLC (AURA [NCT01802632]; ARCTIC [NCT02352948]). Results Interviews were conducted with 23 patients and 19 patients in the AURA and ARCTIC sub-studies, respectively. The most commonly experienced symptoms/side effects were respiratory (81% of patients), digestive (76%), pain and discomfort (76%), energy-related (71%), and sensory (62%). Patients identified a sensation as a treatment side effect if they had not experienced it before, if there was a temporal link between the sensation and receipt of treatment, and/or if their doctors consistently told or asked them about it in relation to side effects. Themes that emerged when patients talked about their cancer treatment and its side effects related to the serious nature of their advanced disease and their treatment expectations. Patients focused on treatment benefits, wanting a better quality of life, being hopeful, not really having a choice, and not thinking about side effects. Conclusions In these two qualitative sub-studies, patients with advanced NSCLC valued the benefits of their treatment regardless of side effects that they experienced. Patients weighed their options against the seriousness of their disease and expressed their willingness to tolerate their side effects in return for receiving continued treatment benefits.

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A466-A466
Author(s):  
Guo Gui Sun ◽  
Jing Hao Jia ◽  
Peng Gao ◽  
Xue Min Yao ◽  
Ming Da Chen ◽  
...  

BackgroundEffective options are limited for patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose disease progresses after first-line chemotherapy. Camrelizumab is a potent anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody and has shown promising activity in NSCLC. We assessed the activity and safety of camrelizumab for patients with previously treated, advanced NSCLC patients with negative oncogenic drivers.MethodsPatients who progressed during or following platinum-based doublet chemotherapy were enrolled. All patients received camrelizumab(200 mg)every 3 weeks or in combination with chemotherapy until loss of clinical benefit. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR), other endpoints included disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS) and safety.ResultsBetween Aug 5, 2019, and Jun 19, 2020, we enrolled 29 patients, 25 patients were available evaluated, ORR and DCR was 36% (9/25) and 92% (23/25), respectively. 25 of 29 patients were still receiving the treatment, the median PFS was not yet achieved. Compared with those without reactive cutaneous capillary endothelial proliferation (RCCEP), patients with RCCEP had higher ORR (60% vs. 28.6%). Treatment-related adverse events (AEs) occurred in 69.0% of patients (all Grade), and the most common were RCCEP (37.9%), pneumonitis (6.9%), and chest congestion (6.9%). Treatment-related grade 3 to 4 adverse events occurred in 10.3% of patients.ConclusionsIn patients with previously treated advanced NSCLC, camrelizumab demonstrated improved ORR and DCR, compared with historical data of the 2nd line chemotherapy, with a manageable safety profile. While patients with RCCEP derived greater benefit from camrelizumab. Further studies are needed in large sample size trials.


2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (26) ◽  
pp. 4274-4280 ◽  
Author(s):  
George R. Blumenschein ◽  
Ulrich Gatzemeier ◽  
Frank Fossella ◽  
David J. Stewart ◽  
Lisa Cupit ◽  
...  

PurposeSorafenib is an oral multikinase inhibitor that targets the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK mitogenic signaling pathway and the angiogenic receptor tyrosine kinases, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 and platelet-derived growth factor receptor β. We evaluated the antitumor response and tolerability of sorafenib in patients with relapsed or refractory, advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), most of whom had received prior platinum-based chemotherapy.Patients and MethodsThis was a phase II, single-arm, multicenter study. Patients with relapsed or refractory advanced NSCLC received sorafenib 400 mg orally twice daily until tumor progression or an unacceptable drug-related toxicity occurred. The primary objective was to measure response rate.ResultsOf 54 patients enrolled, 52 received sorafenib. The predominant histologies were adenocarcinoma (54%) and squamous cell carcinoma (31%). No complete or partial responses were observed. Stable disease (SD) was achieved in 30 (59%) of the 51 patients who were evaluable for efficacy. Four patients with SD developed tumor cavitation. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 2.7 months, and median overall survival was 6.7 months. Patients with SD had a median PFS of 5.5 months. Major grades 3 to 4, treatment-related toxicities included hand-foot skin reaction (10%), hypertension (4%), fatigue (2%), and diarrhea (2%). Nine patients died within a 30-day period after discontinuing sorafenib, and one patient experienced pulmonary hemorrhage that was considered drug related.ConclusionContinuous treatment with sorafenib 400 mg twice daily was associated with disease stabilization in patients with advanced NSCLC. The broad activity of sorafenib and its acceptable toxicity profile suggest that additional investigation of sorafenib as therapy for patients with NSCLC is warranted.


2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (36) ◽  
pp. 4501-4507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Ardizzoni ◽  
Marcello Tiseo ◽  
Luca Boni ◽  
Andrew D. Vincent ◽  
Rodolfo Passalacqua ◽  
...  

Purpose To compare efficacy of pemetrexed versus pemetrexed plus carboplatin in pretreated patients with advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients and Methods Patients with advanced NSCLC, in progression during or after first-line platinum-based chemotherapy, were randomly assigned to receive pemetrexed (arm A) or pemetrexed plus carboplatin (arm B). Primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). A preplanned pooled analysis of the results of this study with those of the NVALT7 study was carried out to assess the impact of carboplatin added to pemetrexed in terms of overall survival (OS). Results From July 2007 to October 2009, 239 patients (arm A, n = 120; arm B, n = 119) were enrolled. Median PFS was 3.6 months for arm A versus 3.5 months for arm B (hazard ratio [HR], 1.05; 95% CI, 0.81 to 1.36; P = .706). No statistically significant differences in response rate, OS, or toxicity were observed. A total of 479 patients were included in the pooled analysis. OS was not improved by the addition of carboplatin to pemetrexed (HR, 90; 95% CI, 0.74 to 1.10; P = .316; P heterogeneity = .495). In the subgroup analyses, the addition of carboplatin to pemetrexed in patients with squamous tumors led to a statistically significant improvement in OS from 5.4 to 9 months (adjusted HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.37 to 0.91; P interaction test = .039). Conclusion Second-line treatment of advanced NSCLC with pemetrexed plus carboplatin does not improve survival outcomes as compared with single-agent pemetrexed. The benefit observed with carboplatin addition in squamous tumors may warrant further investigation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 94 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Pabani ◽  
C.A. Butts

For patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (nsclc) lacking a targetable molecular driver, the mainstay of treatment has been cytotoxic chemotherapy. The survival benefit of chemotherapy in this setting is modest and comes with the potential for significant toxicity. The introduction of immunotherapeutic agents targeting the programmed cell death 1 protein (PD-1) and the programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) has drastically changed the treatment paradigms for these patients. Three agents—atezolizumab, nivolumab, and pembrolizumab—have been shown to be superior to chemotherapy in the second-line setting. For patients with tumours strongly expressing PD-L1, pembrolizumab has been associated with improved outcomes in the first-line setting.Demonstration of the significant benefits of immunotherapy in nsclc has focused attention on new questions. Combination checkpoint regimens, with acceptable toxicity and potentially enhanced efficacy, have been developed, as have combinations of immunotherapy with chemotherapy. In this review, we focus on the published trials that have changed the treatment landscape in advanced nsclc and on the ongoing clinical trials that offer hope to further improve outcomes for patients with advanced nsclc.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Al-Baimani ◽  
H. Jonker ◽  
T. Zhang ◽  
G.D. Goss ◽  
S.A. Laurie ◽  
...  

Background Advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (nsclc) represents a major health issue globally. Systemic treatment decisions are informed by clinical trials, which, over years, have improved the survival of patients with advanced nsclc. The applicability of clinical trial results to the broad lung cancer population is unclear because strict eligibility criteria in trials generally select for optimal patients.Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of all consecutive patients with advanced nsclc seen in outpatient consultation at our academic institution between September 2009 and September 2012, collecting data about patient demographics and cancer characteristics, treatment, and survival from hospital and pharmacy records. Two sets of arbitrary trial eligibility criteria were applied to the cohort. Scenario A stipulated Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ecog ps) 0–1, no brain metastasis, creatinine less than 120 μmol/L, and no second malignancy. Less-strict scenario B stipulated ecog ps 0–2 and creatinine less than 120 μmol/L. We then used the two scenarios to analyze treatment and survival of patients by trial eligibility status.Results The 528 included patients had a median age of 67 years, with 55% being men and 58% having adenocarcinoma. Of those 528 patients, 291 received at least 1 line of palliative systemic therapy. Using the scenario A eligibility criteria, 73% were trial-ineligible. However, 46% of “ineligible” patients actually received therapy and experienced survival similar to that of the “eligible” treated patients (10.2 months vs. 11.6 months, p = 0.10). Using the scenario B criteria, only 35% were ineligible, but again, the survival of treated patients was similar in the ineligible and eligible groups (10.1 months vs. 10.9 months, p = 0.57).Conclusions Current trial eligibility criteria are often strict and limit the enrolment of patients in clinical trials. Our results suggest that, depending on the chosen drug, its toxicities and tolerability, eligibility criteria could be carefully reviewed and relaxed.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
You-Lung Chang ◽  
Yen-Fu Chen ◽  
Ying-Yin Chen ◽  
Shih-Chieh Chang ◽  
Cheng-Yu Chang ◽  
...  

Abstract Backgrounds: Astrocyte-elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) functions as an oncogene and regulates angiogenesis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this prospective study, we assessed the values of plasma AEG-1 mRNA expression by liquid biopsy associated with tumor response and survival in NSCLC patients treated with pemetrexed. Methods: Patients diagnosed advanced NSCLC were enrolled to be treated with pemetrexed combined platinum as first-line chemotherapy. All patients underwent blood sampling before any cancer treatment (C0) and at first response evaluation after two cycles (C2) treatments. Response to chemotherapy and survival were assessed. Plasma mRNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and quantification of RNA was performed by real-time PCR.Results: A total of 50 patients with advanced NSCLC were included and 13 of 50 patients combined with bevacizumab. In patient groups of SD (n = 13) and PD (n = 10), the plasma mRNA of AEG-1, thymidylate synthase (TS) and CK19 were elevated significantly at C2 compared to patients in treatment response group (PR, n = 27) (PR v.s. SD or PD, AEG-1: 1.22 ± 0.80 v.s. 4.51 ± 15.45, p = 0.043). NSCLC patients had elevated AEG-1 (AEG-1 ≥ 2) after 2-cycle chemotherapy had shorter PFS and OS (high AEG-1 v.s. low AEG-1, median, PFS: 5.5 v.s. 11.9 months, p = 0.021; OS: 25.9 v.s. 40.8 months, p = 0.019, respectively). In Cox regression analysis, increased plasma mRNA expression of AEG-1indicated poor prognosis in survival.Conclusion: Circulating mRNA concentration of AEG-1 could be a predictive and prognostic biomarker in NSCLC patients treated with pemetrexed. Increased expression of AEG-1 contributed to the chemoresistance and caused lung cancer progression.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 175883591877281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Griet Deslypere ◽  
Dorothée Gullentops ◽  
Els Wauters ◽  
Johan Vansteenkiste

Over the last decade, several steps forward in the treatment of patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NCSLC) were made. Examples are the use of pemetrexed, pemetrexed maintenance therapy, or bevacizumab for patients with nonsquamous NSCLC. A big leap forward was the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in patients selected on the basis of an activating oncogene, such as epidermal growth factor receptor ( EGFR) activating mutations or anaplastic lymphoma kinase ( ALK) translocations. However, all of these achievements could not be translated into survival benefits when studied in randomized controlled trials in patients with nonmetastatic NSCLC. Aside from chemotherapy and targeted therapy, immunotherapy has become the third pillar in the treatment armamentarium of advanced NSCLC. Antigen-specific immunotherapy (cancer vaccination) has been disappointing in large phase III clinical trials in stages I–III NSCLC. Based on the recent breakthroughs with immune checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy in metastatic NSCLC, much hope currently rests on the use of this approach in patients with stage I–III NSCLC as well. Here we give a brief overview of how most new therapeutic approaches for advanced NSCLC failed in other stages, and then elaborate on the role of immunotherapy in patients with stage I–III NSCLC.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin J Solomon ◽  
Todd M Bauer ◽  
Filippo de Marinis ◽  
Enriqueta Felip ◽  
Yasushi Goto ◽  
...  

This is a summary of a research study (known as a clinical trial) called CROWN. The study tested two medicines called lorlatinib and crizotinib in participants with untreated non-small cell lung cancer that had spread to other parts of their body. All those who took part had changes in a gene called ALK, which is involved in cell growth. In total, 296 participants from 23 countries took part. Half the participants took lorlatinib and half took crizotinib. After participants started taking lorlatinib or crizotinib, they were checked regularly to see if their tumors had grown or spread to other parts of their body (known as tumor progression) and to monitor any side effects. After 1 year of treatment, the participants who took lorlatinib were twice as likely to be alive with no tumor growth as the participants who took crizotinib. More participants who took lorlatinib had cancer that shrank (76%) compared with the participants who took crizotinib (58%). This was also true of the participants whose cancer had spread to their brain. The most common side effects in participants who took lorlatinib were increases in the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides (a type of fat) in their blood, swelling, weight gain, nerve damage, unclear thoughts, and diarrhea. Among the participants who took crizotinib, the most common side effects were diarrhea, feeling like you want to throw up, sight problems, swelling, vomiting, changes in liver function, and feeling tired. Overall, the CROWN study showed that fewer participants with advanced ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer died or had tumor growth with lorlatinib compared with crizotinib treatment. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT number: NCT03052608 .


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taichi Miyawaki ◽  
Tateaki Naito ◽  
Michitoshi Yabe ◽  
Hiroaki Kodama ◽  
Naoya Nishioka ◽  
...  

Abstract PurposeProgrammed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors plus chemotherapy has become the standard first-line treatment in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, few studies have explicitly focused on the impact of cancer cachexia on the efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy. Thus, we evaluated the clinical implications of cancer cachexia on the survival outcomes in patients who received this treatment.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective review of medical records of patients with advanced NSCLC treated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy from December 2018 to December 2020. Cancer cachexia was diagnosed as an unintentional weight loss of 5% or more over six months. We evaluated the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for patients with or without cancer cachexia who received PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy.ResultsAmong the 80 included patients, 37 (46%) had cancer cachexia. Cachectic patients had a lower objective response rate (30 vs 51%, P <0.05), poorer PFS (2.3 vs 12.0 months, P <0.05), and poorer OS (10.8 vs 23.9 months, P <0.05) than non-cachectic patients. The Cox proportional-hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) of cancer cachexia were 1.77 (1.01–3.10) for PFS and 2.90 (1.40–6.00) for OS, with adjustments for Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, PD-L1 tumour proportion score, histology, and central nervous system metastases. ConclusionPre-treatment cancer cachexia may reduce treatment efficacy and shorten survival time in patients receiving PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy. Early evaluation and intervention for cancer cachexia might improve oncological outcomes in patients with advanced NSCLC.


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