65 plus: A randomized phase III trial of pemetrexed and bevacizumab versus pemetrexed, bevacizumab, and carboplatin as first-line treatment for elderly patients with advanced nonsquamous, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
8013 Background: Pemetrexed (P) and bevacizumab (B) are efficacious drugs for treatment of non-squamous NSCLC. In this trial the benefit of combining PB with carboplatin (C) was investigated in elderly patients (pts) ≥ 65 years with NSCLC. Methods: In this German multicenter (27 centers), open-label phase III trial pts with stage IIIb/IV non-squamous NSCLC were recruited. Pts were randomized 1:1 to P (500 mg/m2) + B (7.5 mg/kg) or P+B+C (AUC5) d1 q3 wks for 4 to 6 cycles followed by maintenance therapy with B or P+B. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), while secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), 1-year survival rate, overall response rate (ORR) as well as tolerability (AEs/SAEs). Results: 271 pts were enrolled from Sep 2009 to Jan 2012, the ITT population consists of 251 evaluable pts, less than 10 pts are still receiving maintenance therapy. Baseline characteristics were balanced between both treatment groups (PB 118 pts, PBC 133 pts). Median age was 71 years in PB and 72 in PBC. Median PFS time was 4.8 mo in PB and 6.8 mo in PBC. Treatment comparison for ECOG performance status (PS) 0-1 subgroup (PB 112 pts, PBC 126 pts): p=0.0426 (Wilcoxon test), hazard ratio (HR) = 1.31 (95% CI 0.99-1.73). ORR was 31.4% in PB vs. 44.4% in PBC (p=0.0343). Median OS time was 11.6 mo in PB vs. 15.2 mo in PBC. Treatment comparison ECOG PS 0-1: p=0.2050, HR = 1.20 (95% CI 0.85-1.70). 1-year survival rates were 48.2% and 58.8%, respectively. Compared to this the median OS time in the small group of pts with ECOG PS 2 was 11.5 mo in PB vs. 3.8 mo in PBC. AE grade 3/4 and SAE profiles were comparable in both treatment arms, 76 pts (64.4%) with AEs grade 3/4 in PB and 87 pts (65.4%) in PBC, 58 pts (49.2%) with SAEs in PB and 64 pts (48.1%) in PBC. 46 pts (39.0%) in PB vs. 69 pts (51.9%) in PBC received maintenance therapy. Conclusions: Combination of PBC demonstrates with a median OS of 15.2 mo a strong efficacy with acceptable toxicity profile for elderly patients. Addition of carboplatin is recommended for eligible patients. However, in patients with ECOG PS 2 the administration of carboplatin must be carefully reviewed. Clinical trial information: NCT00976456.