[Adjuvant chemotherapy of non-small cell lung cancer: Tolerance of combined cisplatin-pemetrexed therapy]

RATIONALE

Adjuvant chemotherapy is standard for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after surgical resection. In this context, the tolerance of the treatment is an essential criterion in the choice of chemotherapy. This exploratory study evaluated, in the situation of adjuvant chemotherapy, the tolerance of combined cisplatin-pemetrexed. The study analyzed a cohort of non-squamous NSCLC patients treated in an adjuvant setting by combined cisplatin (75 mg/m(2)) and pemetrexed (500 mg/m(2)), under vitamin B12 and folic acid cover, 4 cycles at 21-day intervals.

RESULTS

The analysis included 23 patients (age: 58.7 ± 5 years, men: 56%, average creatinin clearance (Clea): 94 ± 22 mL/min, average haemoglobin: 13.8 ± 1.6g/dL). Over 92 planned courses, 7.6% are postponed (neutropenia), 4.3% were not given (asthenia). We noted 7 episodes of vomiting (4 grade 3), with two hospitalizations in the same patient; 5 episodes of anaemia grade 1-2 not requiring EPO prescription or transfusion and no febrile neutropenia. At the end of the treatment, three patients had a Clea<50 mL/mn and 5 a haemoglobin between 9 and 11 g/dL.

CONCLUSION

Combined cisplatin-pemetrexed in an adjuvant situation has a satisfactory tolerance.

Customized adjuvant phase II trial in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer: IFCT-0801 TASTE

PURPOSE

Surgical resection plus adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy is considered standard care for stage II to III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but its efficacy is limited, and it involves toxic risks, justifying patient-tailored treatment. Excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1) was shown to predict cisplatin-based chemotherapy response; EGFR mutations were predictive of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibition response.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This prospective randomized phase II trial enrolled 150 patients with completely resected non-squamous cell stage II or IIIA (non-N2) tumors. Patients in the control arm (n = 74) were treated with four standard-dose courses of cisplatin plus pemetrexed (CP). In the customized treatment arm (n = 76), patients with activated EGFR mutations received erlotinib 150 mg for 1 year; ERCC1-negative patients received four CP courses, whereas ERCC1-positive patients underwent follow-up. The trial sought to demonstrate the feasibility of customized adjuvant chemotherapy based on timely biomarker analysis within a 2-month postsurgery delay. Secondary objectives were tolerability, compliance with adjuvant therapy, and biomarker distribution.

RESULTS

In arm A, all patients received CP; in arm B, seven received erlotinib, 53 were administered CP, and 16 underwent follow-up. Median erlotinib exposure was 344 days. Of the 127 patients allocated to CP, 82% received four cycles with good tolerability. The overall success rate of the trial (ie, percentage of patients with complete biomarker status able to start adjuvant treatment within 2 months of surgery) was 80%.

CONCLUSION

The primary end point of the trial was met, demonstrating the feasibility of a national biology-driven trial in the adjuvant NSCLC setting. Nevertheless, the phase III part was canceled because of the unreliability of the ERCC1 immunohistochemical readouts.

The place of pemetrexed in the management of non-small-cell lung cancer patients

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Chemotherapy is included in the management of the majority of NSCLC patients either in addition to a local treatment (surgery/radiotherapy) or alone. In this setting, pemetrexed has become one of the most important partners of current chemotherapy regimens for nonsquamous NSCLC patients. Indeed, pemetrexed demonstrated a comparable efficacy to other previously available drugs in NSCLC, with however a better safety profile and an easier schedule of administration. In addition, pemetrexed demonstrated a greater efficacy in nonsquamous NSCLC that lead to an exploration of the underlying potential biological background. It is now suggested that the tumor thymidylate synthase level may act as a predictor of pemetrexed efficacy, therefore potentially providing clinicians in the future with a predictor of efficacy, which it is usually lacking with standard chemotherapies.

Randomized phase 2 trial on refinement of early-stage NSCLC adjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin and pemetrexed versus cisplatin and vinorelbine: the TREAT study

BACKGROUND

Adjuvant chemotherapy is beneficial in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, balancing toxicity and efficacy mandates improvement.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with completely resected stages IB-pT3N1 NSCLC were randomly assigned to either four cycles cisplatin (C: 50 mg/m(2) day (d)1 + 8) and vinorelbine (V: 25 mg/m(2) d1, 8, 15, 22) q4 weeks or four cycles cisplatin (75 mg/m(2) d1) and pemetrexed (Px: 500 mg/m(2) d1) q3 weeks. Primary objective was the clinical feasibility rate (no grade (G)4 neutropenia/thrombocytopenia or thrombocytopenia with bleeding, no G3/4 febrile neutropenia or non-hematological toxicity; no premature withdrawal/death). Secondary objectives were drug delivery and efficacy.

RESULTS

One hundred and thirty two patients were randomized (stages: 38% IB, 10% IIA, 47% IIB, 5% pT3pN1; histology: 43% squamous, 57% non-squamous). The feasibility rates were 95.5% (cisplatin and pemetrexed, CPx) and 75.4% (cisplatin and vinorelbine, CVb) (P = 0.001); hematological G3/4 toxic effects were 10% (CPx) and 74% (CVb) (P < 0.001), non-hematological toxic effects were comparable (33% and 31%, P = 0.798). Delivery of total mean doses was 90% of planned with CPx, but 66% (cisplatin) and 64% (vinorelbine) with CVb (P < 0.0001). The median number of cycles [treatment time (weeks)] was 4 for CPx (11.2) and 3 for CVb (9.9). Time to withdrawal from therapy differed significantly between arms favoring CPx (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Adjuvant chemotherapy with CPx is safe and feasible with less toxicity and superior dose delivery compared with CVb.