e19119 Background: Systemic combination chemotherapy is accepted as a standard of care for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Substantial similarities in terms of treatment efficacy and survival have emerged over the years between the different systemic chemotherapy regimens used. Quality of life (QOL) analysis will help to customize chemotherapy to improve outcome in NSCLC patients. Methods: Using PUBMED database, a review of randomized controlled phase III trials of advanced NSCLC published in last 5 years reporting comparative safety and efficacy between chemotherapeutic regimens as end points was conducted. An evaluation of end points, difference in efficacy endpoints, QOL analysis, and final conclusion was conducted. Results: The search criteria identified 51 trials (33,481 patients). Out of these 51 clinical trials, 16 trials showed difference in efficacy (13 survival endpoint, 1 ORR (objective response rate), 2 survival without grade 3/4 toxicity) and 11 trials used validated QOL instruments and were included for review. Two trials; one comparing pemetrexed/cisplatin with gemcitabine/cisplatin, and other comparing cisplatin/weekly vinoralbine with cisplatin/vinoralbine on day 1 and 8; showed difference with QOL; though not statistically significant. The QOL reporting/analysis techniques were heterogeneous. Two trials used QOL as primary endpoint. Safety reporting included percentage adverse events with treatment arms. Conclusions: Based on our review, it seems critical to have QOL as an endpoint while evaluating newer combination chemotherapeutic regimens for NSCLC. Secondly, it is unlikely that a major difference exists in the global QOL associated with standard chemotherapy regimens for NSCLC. An effort to have uniform QOL assessment across trials evaluating newer combination regimens for NSCLC will help to customize treatment.
Feasibility of quality of life assessment in a randomized phase III trial of small cell lung cancer