Sorafenib and continued erlotinib or sorafenib alone in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer progressing on erlotinib: A randomized phase II study of the Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI).

7587 Background: Erlotinib is an oral epidermal growth factor receptor kinase inhibitor used in the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Resistance develops in patients (pts) who initially respond to erlotinib leading to progressive disease (PD). Sorafenib is an oral inhibitor of vascular endothelial and platelet-derived growth factor receptors and Raf kinases which play important roles in PD. This randomized phase II study evaluated the role of sorafenib and continued erlotinib or sorafenib alone in pts with progressive NSCLC following initial benefit with erlotinib. Methods: Eligible pts had IIIB/IV NSCLC, an ECOG PS 0-2, and had received ≤2 lines of therapy with the last being single-agent erlotinib. Pts must have PD following clinical benefit (complete/partial response/stable disease) from erlotinib for >8 weeks. Pts were randomized 1:1 to continue erlotinib at the dose administered at the time of PD with the addition of sorafenib 400 mg orally twice daily (Arm A) or to sorafenib alone (Arm B). Cycles were 28 days with restaging every 2 cycles. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Results: 52 pts were enrolled from 2/2008 to 3/2011 (A 24; B 28). Baseline characteristics were balanced between arms and included: median age 65 years (41-87); 65% female; 69% adenocarcinoma/large cell; and 96% PS <2. 41% of pts were either never smokers or smoked <100 cigarettes/lifetime. Pts received a median of 8 weeks of treatment per arm (0.6–67 weeks). The median PFS was 3.1 (95% CI 1.7-3.7) and 2.3 (1.7-3.6) months for A and B, respectively (p=.84). There were no grade 3/4 hematologic toxicities in either arm except grade 3 anemia in 1 pt (A). Severe nonhematologic toxicities in >5% included: fatigue 17%(A)/7%(B); diarrhea 17%/0; dehydration 13%/7%; hand-foot skin reaction 8%/8%, and anorexia 4%/7%. Conclusions: Sorafenib has modest activity when used in combination with erlotinib or as a single agent in pts with PD following benefit with erlotinib alone. Additional study to identify potential subsets of refractory pts who might derive the greatest benefit from sorafenib are warranted.