Nick Thatcher

Gefitinib plus best supportive care in previously treated patients with refractory advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: Results from a randomised, placebo-controlled, multicentre study (Iressa Survival Evaluation in Lung Cancer)

BACKGROUND This placebo-controlled phase III study investigated the effect on survival of gefitinib as second-line or third-line treatment for patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer. METHODS 1692 patients who were refractory to or intolerant of their latest chemotherapy regimen were randomly assigned in a ratio of two to one either gefitinib (250 mg/day) or placebo, plus best supportive care. The primary endpoint was survival in the overall population of patients and those with adenocarcinoma. The primary analysis of the population for survival was by intention to treat. This study has been submitted for registration with ClinicalTrials.gov, number 1839IL/709. FINDINGS 1129 patients were assigned gefitinib and 563 placebo. At median follow-up of 7.2 months, median survival did not differ significantly between the groups in the overall population (5.6 months for gefitinib and 5.1 months for placebo; hazard ratio 0.89 [95% CI 0.77-1.02], p=0.087) or among the 812 patients with adenocarcinoma (6.3 months vs 5.4 months; 0.84 [0.68-1.03], p=0.089). Preplanned subgroup analyses showed significantly longer survival in the gefitinib group than the placebo group for never-smokers (n=375; 0.67 [0.49-0.92], p=0.012; median survival 8.9 vs 6.1 months) and patients of Asian origin (n=342; 0.66 [0.48-0.91], p=0.01; median survival 9.5 vs 5.5 months). Gefitinib was well tolerated, as in previous studies. INTERPRETATION Treatment with gefitinib was not associated with significant improvement in survival in either coprimary population. There was pronounced heterogeneity in survival outcomes between groups of patients, with some evidence of benefit among never-smokers and patients of Asian origin.

Randomized Phase III Study of Temozolomide Versus Dacarbazine in the Treatment of Patients With Advanced Metastatic Malignant Melanoma

PURPOSE To compare, in 305 patients with advanced metastatic melanoma, temozolomide and dacarbazine (DTIC) in terms of overall survival, progression-free survival (PFS), objective response, and safety, and to assess health-related quality of life (QOL) and pharmacokinetics of both drugs and their metabolite, 5-(3-methyltriazen-1-yl)imidazole-4-carboximide (MTIC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients were randomized to receive either oral temozolomide at a starting dosage of 200 mg/m(2)/d for 5 days every 28 days or intravenous (IV) DTIC at a starting dosage of 250 mg/m(2)/d for 5 days every 21 days. RESULTS In the intent-to-treat population, median survival time was 7.7 months for patients treated with temozolomide and 6.4 months for those treated with DTIC (hazards ratio, 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.92 to 1.52). Median PFS time was significantly longer in the temozolomide-treated group (1.9 months) than in the DTIC-treated group (1.5 months) (P =.012; hazards ratio, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.75). No major difference in drug safety was observed. Temozolomide was well tolerated and produced a noncumulative, transient myelosuppression late in the 28-day cycle. The most common nonhematologic toxicities were mild to moderate nausea and vomiting, which were easily managed. Temozolomide therapy improved health-related QOL; more patients showed improvement or maintenance of physical functioning at week 12. Systemic exposure (area under the curve) to the parent drug and the active metabolite, MTIC, was higher after treatment with oral temozolomide than after IV administration of DTIC. CONCLUSION Temozolomide demonstrates efficacy equal to that of DTIC and is an oral alternative for patients with advanced metastatic melanoma.

Phase I/II study of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in patients receiving intensive chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer

Twelve patients with advanced small cell carcinoma of the bronchus were treated by continuous infusion of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) at the following dose levels: 1 microgram, 5 micrograms, 10 micrograms, 20 micrograms and 40 micrograms kg-1 day-1 for 5 days. No toxicities resulted from the treatment and in all 12 patients the number of peripheral neutrophils increased rapidly to a maximum of 100 x 10(9) l-1 at 10 micrograms kg-1 day-1. The neutrophils were shown to be functionally normal in tests of their mobility and bactericidal activity. During the phase II part of the study the patients were treated by a combination of intravenous adriamycin 50 mg m-2, ifosfamide 5 g m-2 by i.v. infusion with mesna 8 g m-2 on day 1, and etoposide 120 mg m-2 on days 1, 2 and 3 also intravenously. The chemotherapy regime was repeated every 3 weeks. RhG-CSF was given to each patient for 14 days on alternate cycles of chemotherapy and reduced the period of absolute neutropenia considerably (median of 80%), with a return to normal, or above normal, neutrophil counts within 2 weeks after day 1 of chemotherapy. Six severe infective episodes were observed during the cycles of chemotherapy which did not include rhG-CSF, while no infective episodes occurred when patients were treated with rhG-CSF. These results demonstrate the utility of rhG-CSF in restoring functional neutrophils to patients undergoing intensive chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy in addition to supportive care improves survival in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data from 16 randomized controlled trials

PURPOSE Since our individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis (MA) of supportive care and chemotherapy for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), published in 1995, many trials have been completed. An updated, IPD MA has been carried out to assess newer regimens and determine conclusively the effect of chemotherapy. METHODS Systematic searches for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were undertaken, followed by central collection, checking, and reanalysis of updated IPD. Results from RCTs were combined to calculate individual and pooled hazard ratios (HRs). RESULTS Data were obtained from 2,714 patients from 16 RCTs. There were 1,293 deaths among 1,399 patients assigned supportive care and chemotherapy and 1,240 among 1,315 assigned supportive care alone. Results showed a significant benefit of chemotherapy (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.71 to 0.83; P <or= .0001), equivalent to a relative increase in survival of 23% or an absolute improvement in survival of 9% at 12 months, increasing survival from 20% to 29%. There was no clear evidence that this effect was influenced by the drugs used (P = .63) or whether they were used as single agents or in combination (P = .40). Despite changes in patient demographics, the effect of chemotherapy in recent trials did not differ from those included previously (P = .77). There was no clear evidence of a difference or trend in the relative effect of chemotherapy across patient subgroups. CONCLUSION This MA of chemotherapy in the supportive care setting demonstrates conclusively that chemotherapy improves overall survival in all patients with advanced NSCLC. Therefore, all patients who are fit enough and wish to receive chemotherapy should do so.

Single-agent activity of weekly gemcitabine in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a phase II study.

PURPOSE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine, a pyrimidine antimetabolite with activity against solid tumours. PATIENTS AND METHODS Eighty-two patients with unresectable stage IIIa to IV non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were entered. The first 54 patients received gemcitabine 800 mg/m2, and subsequent patients 1,000 mg/m2, as a 30-minute intravenous infusion on days 0, 7, and 14. Courses of therapy were repeated every 28 days. Twenty percent dosage escalation was permitted after course no.1 if World Health Organization (WHO) toxicity was < or = 1. RESULTS Sixteen (20%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 12% to 31%) of 79 patients assessable for response had independently validated partial responses, with a median duration of 7 months. The overall median survival duration was 7 months. Gemcitabine improved disease-related symptoms (70% patients) and increased WHO performance status (44%). Toxicity was generally mild and reversible. Patients experienced little WHO grade 3 and 4 toxicity, with anemia in four (5%), thrombocytopenia in one (1%), leukopenia in six (7%), and neutropenia in 18 (22%). Infection occurred in nine patients (12%) during the study (four were neutropenic), but there were no episodes of WHO grade 3 or 4 infection. WHO grade 3 and 4 biochemical toxicity occurred with transient elevations of transaminases in 10 patients (12%). Two patients had transient WHO grade 3 elevation of serum creatinine levels, and two developed acute renal failure 4 and 6 weeks after the last dose of gemcitabine. There was no WHO grade 4 symptomatic toxicity. WHO grade 3 vomiting occurred in 31 patients (38%) and grade 3 alopecia in one (1%). Flu-like symptoms were associated with gemcitabine administration in 36 patients (44%). Twenty-six patients (32%) experienced fever (1% WHO grade 3), 33 (40%) ankle edema not associated with cardiac failure, 31 (38%) lethargy, and 11 (13%) dyspnea. CONCLUSION Gemcitabine is an active new agent in the treatment of NSCLC. This schedule was associated with little alopecia or myelosuppression. Gemcitabine warrants further investigation in other malignancies and in combination with other agents.

Gemcitabine plus best supportive care (BSC) vs BSC in inoperable non-small cell lung cancer--a randomized trial with quality of life as the primary outcome. UK NSCLC Gemcitabine Group. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Three hundred patients with symptomatic, locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC not requiring immediate radiotherapy were enrolled into this randomized multicentre trial comparing gemcitabine + BSC vs BSC alone. Patients allocated gemcitabine received 1000 mg/m2on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle, for a maximum of six cycles. The main aim of this trial was to compare patient assessment of a predefined subset of commonly reported symptoms (SS14) from the EORTC QLQ-C30 and LC13 scales. The primary end-points were defined as (1) the percentage change in mean SS14 score between baseline and 2 months and (2) the proportion of patients with a marked (≥ 25%) improvement in SS14 score between baseline and 2 months sustained for ≥4 weeks. The secondary objectives were to compare treatments with respect to overall survival, and multidimensional QL parameters.The treatment groups were balanced with regard to age, gender, Karnofsky performance status (KPS) and disease stage (40% had metastatic disease). The percentage change in mean SS14 score from baseline to 2 months was a 10% decrease (i.e. improvement) for gemcitabine plus BSC and a 1% increase (i.e. deterioration) for BSC alone (P = 0.113, two-sample t -test). A sustained (≥ 4 weeks) improvement (≥25%) on SS14 was recorded in a significantly higher proportion of gemcitabine + BSC patients (22%) than in BSC alone patients (9%) (P = 0.0014, Pearsons chi-squared test). The QLQ-C30 and L13 subscales showed greater improvement in the gemcitabine plus BSC arm (in 11 domains) than in the BSC arm (one symptom item). There was greater deterioration in the BSC alone arm (six domains/items) than in the gemcitabine + BSC arm (three QL domains). Tumour response occurred in 19% (95% CI 13–27) of gemcitabine patients. There was no difference in overall survival: median 5.7 months (95% CI 4.6–7.6) for gemcitabine + BSC patients and 5.9 months (95% CI 5.0–7.9) (log-rank, P = 0.84) for BSC patients, and 1-year survival was 25% for gemcitabine + BSC and 22% for BSC. Overall, 74 (49%) gemcitabine + BSC patients and 119 (79%) BSC patients received palliative radiotherapy. The median time to radiotherapy was 29 weeks for gemcitabine + BSC patients and 3.8 weeks for BSC. Patients treated with gemcitabine + BSC reported better QL and reduced disease-related symptoms compared with those receiving BSC alone. These improvements in patient-assessed QL were significant in magnitude and were sustained.

Cancer Research Campaign phase II trial of temozolomide in metastatic melanoma.

PURPOSE Sixty patients with metastatic melanoma were treated in a phase II study with the imidazotetrazine derivative temozolamide to assess further the efficacy demonstrated in previous phase I studies. PATIENTS AND METHODS Fifty-five of 56 eligible patients were assessable for toxicity and 49 for response. The patients received temozolomide 150 mg/m2/d over 5 successive days orally (total dose, 750 mg/m2) in the first course. Courses were repeated every 4 weeks and the dose was escalated to 200 mg/m2/d x 5 (total dose, 1 g/m2) after the first course if toxicity was acceptable. Patients were all chemotherapy-naive, except for two who had previously received interferon alfa and one who had received interleukin-2 (the latter patient had also received two phase I drugs some time previously). RESULTS A complete response (CR) was documented in three patients (all with lung metastases) and a partial response (PR) in nine patients (21% CR plus PR rate). Seven of 56 patients were not assessable for response because of early death or deterioration. The overall response rate excluding these patients is 12 of 49 (24%). The median response duration was 6 months (range, 2.5 to 22+). Toxicity of the regimen, which was mainly hematopoietic, was low. The median survival duration for all patients was 5.5 months (range, 0.5 to 29.5). For responders, the median survival duration was 14.5 months (range, 3 to 28+), with four patients still alive. CONCLUSION Temozolomide in the schedule used has as good activity in chemotherapy-naive metastatic melanoma as the other most active agents currently in use. Further studies of the drug on its own and in combination with other agents is recommended.

Tecemotide (L-BLP25) versus placebo after chemoradiotherapy for stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (START): a randomised, double-blind, phase 3 trial

BACKGROUND Effective maintenance therapies after chemoradiotherapy for lung cancer are lacking. Our aim was to investigate whether the MUC1 antigen-specific cancer immunotherapy tecemotide improves survival in patients with stage III unresectable non-small-cell lung cancer when given as maintenance therapy after chemoradiation. METHODS The phase 3 START trial was an international, randomised, double-blind trial that recruited patients with unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer who had completed chemoradiotherapy within the 4-12 week window before randomisation and received confirmation of stable disease or objective response. Patients were stratified by stage (IIIA vs IIIB), response to chemoradiotherapy (stable disease vs objective response), delivery of chemoradiotherapy (concurrent vs sequential), and region using block randomisation, and were randomly assigned (2:1, double-blind) by a central interactive voice randomisation system to either tecemotide or placebo. Injections of tecemotide (806 μg lipopeptide) or placebo were given every week for 8 weeks, and then every 6 weeks until disease progression or withdrawal. Cyclophosphamide 300 mg/m(2) (before tecemotide) or saline (before placebo) was given once before the first study drug administration. The primary endpoint was overall survival in a modified intention-to-treat population. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00409188. FINDINGS From Feb 22, 2007, to Nov 15, 2011, 1513 patients were randomly assigned (1006 to tecemotide and 507 to placebo). 274 patients were excluded from the primary analysis population as a result of a clinical hold, resulting in analysis of 829 patients in the tecemotide group and 410 in the placebo group in the modified intention-to-treat population. Median overall survival was 25.6 months (95% CI 22.5-29.2) with tecemotide versus 22.3 months (19.6-25.5) with placebo (adjusted HR 0.88, 0.75-1.03; p=0.123). In the patients who received previous concurrent chemoradiotherapy, median overall survival for the 538 (65%) of 829 patients assigned to tecemotide was 30.8 months (95% CI 25.6-36.8) compared with 20.6 months (17.4-23.9) for the 268 (65%) of 410 patients assigned to placebo (adjusted HR 0.78, 0.64-0.95; p=0.016). In patients who received previous sequential chemoradiotherapy, overall survival did not differ between the 291 (35%) patients in the tecemotide group and the 142 (35%) patients in the placebo group (19.4 months [95% CI 17.6-23.1] vs 24.6 months [18.8-33.0], respectively; adjusted HR 1.12, 0.87-1.44; p=0.38). Grade 3-4 adverse events seen with a greater than 2% frequency with tecemotide were dyspnoea (49 [5%] of 1024 patients in the tecemotide group vs 21 [4%] of 477 patients in the placebo group), metastases to central nervous system (29 [3%] vs 6 [1%]), and pneumonia (23 [2%] vs 12 [3%]). Serious adverse events with a greater than 2% frequency with tecemotide were pneumonia (30 [3%] in the tecemotide group vs 14 [3%] in the placebo group), dyspnoea (29 [3%] vs 13 [3%]), and metastases to central nervous system (32 [3%] vs 9 [2%]). Serious immune-related adverse events did not differ between groups. INTERPRETATION We found no significant difference in overall survival with the administration of tecemotide after chemoradiotherapy compared with placebo for all patients with unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer. However, tecemotide might have a role for patients who initially receive concurrent chemoradiotherapy, and further study in this population is warranted. FUNDING Merck KGaA (Darmstadt, Germany).

Safety and efficacy of first-line bevacizumab-based therapy in advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (SAiL, MO19390): a phase 4 study

BACKGROUND Results of two phase 3 trials have shown first-line bevacizumab in combination with chemotherapy improves clinical outcomes in patients with advanced or recurrent non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The SAiL (MO19390) study was undertaken to assess the safety and efficacy of first-line bevacizumab combined with standard chemotherapy regimens in clinical practice. METHODS Between August, 2006, and June, 2008, patients with untreated locally advanced, metastatic, or recurrent non-squamous NSCLC were recruited to this open-label, single group, phase 4 study from centres in 40 countries. Eligible patients had histologically or cytologically documented inoperable, locally advanced, metastatic, or recurrent disease (stage IIIB-IV); an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2; and adequate haematological, hepatic, and renal function. Patients received bevacizumab (7.5 or 15 mg/kg every 3 weeks) plus standard chemotherapy for up to six cycles, followed by single-agent bevacizumab until disease progression. The primary endpoint was safety; analysis was by intention to treat (ITT). This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00451906. FINDINGS At the final data cutoff (July 24, 2009), an ITT population of 2212 patients was assessed. The incidence of clinically significant (grade > or = 3) adverse events of special interest was generally low; thromboembolism occurred in 172 (8%) patients, hypertension in 125 (6%), bleeding in 80 (4%), proteinuria in 67 (3%), and pulmonary haemorrhage in 15 (1%). 57 (3%) patients died because of these adverse events, with thromboembolism (26 patients, 1%) and bleeding (17, 1%) as the most common causes. The most common grade 3 or higher serious adverse events deemed by investigators to be associated with bevacizumab were pulmonary embolism (28 patients; 1%) and epistaxis, neutropenia, febrile neutropenia, and deep vein thrombosis (all of which occurred in 13 patients [1%]). Bevacizumab was temporarily interrupted after 28 (2%) of 1347 bleeding events and 72 (7%) of 1025 hypertension events, and permanently discontinued after 110 (8%) bleeding events and 40 (4%) hypertension events. No new safety signals were reported. INTERPRETATION Our results confirm the manageable safety profile of first-line bevacizumab in combination with various standard chemotherapy regimens for treatment of advanced non-squamous NSCLC. FUNDING F Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

Adjuvant Interferon in High-Risk Melanoma: The AIM HIGH Study—United Kingdom Coordinating Committee on Cancer Research Randomized Study of Adjuvant Low-Dose Extended-Duration Interferon Alfa-2a in High-Risk Resected Malignant Melanoma

PURPOSE To evaluate low-dose extended duration interferon alfa-2a as adjuvant therapy in patients with thick (> or = 4 mm) primary cutaneous melanoma and/or locoregional metastases. PATIENTS AND METHODS In this randomized controlled trial involving 674 patients, the effect of interferon alfa-2a (3 megaunits three times per week for 2 years or until recurrence) on overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) was compared with that of no further treatment in radically resected stage IIB and stage III cutaneous malignant melanoma. RESULTS The OS and RFS rates at 5 years were 44% (SE, 2.6) and 32% (SE, 2.1), respectively. There was no significant difference in OS or RFS between the interferon-treated and control arms (odds ratio [OR], 0.94; 95% CI, 0.75 to 1.18; P =.6; and OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.75 to 1.10; P =.3; respectively). Male sex (P =.003) and regional lymph node involvement (P =.0009), but not age (P =.7), were statistically significant adverse features for OS. Subgroup analysis by disease stage, age, and sex did not show any clear differences between interferon-treated and control groups in either OS or RFS. Interferon-related toxicities were modest: grade 3 (and in only one case, grade 4) fatigue or mood disturbance was seen in 7% and 4% respectively, of patients. However, there were 50 withdrawals (15%) from interferon treatment due to toxicity. CONCLUSION The results from this study, taken in isolation, do not indicate that extended-duration low-dose interferon is significantly better than observation alone in the initial treatment of completely resected high-risk malignant melanoma.