Re-administration of Chemotherapy in Patients with Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Who Recovered from Chemotherapy-induced Interstitial Lung Disease

[Pulmonary manifestations induced by osimertinib]

INTRODUCTION

The third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) osimertinib is recommended as a first-line treatment in advanced non-small cell lung cancer harboring an activating mutation of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR). Adverse pulmonary events related to osimertinib exposure have been reported, primarily in Japanese patients. They rarely occur in the Caucasian population.

OBSERVATION

Herein we report two clinical cases of osimertinib-induced lung toxicities in patients diagnosed with advanced lung adenocarcinoma harboring an EGFR mutation. In the first case, interstitial pneumonia was asymptomatic and evolved favorably after osimertinib discontinuation. The second patient presented a more extensive form of lung injuries and despite systemic corticosteroid therapy, the evolution was fatal.

CONCLUSION

Osimertinib-related lung toxicities remain exceptional. While most forms are mild, consideration of TKI treatment discontinuation may be necessitated. Introduction of another TKI or rechallenge with osimertinib might be considered along with corticosteroid therapy if necessary. Diffuse alveolar damage is a pejorative prognostic factor.

Subsequent systemic therapy for non-small cell lung cancer patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor-related interstitial lung disease

Background

Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are effective for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), ICIs may cause interstitial lung disease (ILD), which results in treatment discontinuation and is sometimes fatal. Despite the high incidence of ICI-related ILD, there are few cancer treatment options for patients. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of subsequent systemic cancer therapy in NSCLC patients with ICI-related ILD.

Methods

We retrospectively assessed NSCLC patients who received programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors as first- to third-line therapy at participating institutions of the Niigata Lung Cancer Treatment Group from January 2016 to October 2017.

Results

This analysis included 231 patients, 32 (14%) of whom developed ICI-related ILD. Of these patients, 16 (7%) received subsequent systemic cancer treatments. The median overall survival (OS) tended to be longer in the systemic cancer therapy group than in the no systemic cancer therapy group [22.2 months (95% CI: 1–NE) vs. 4.5 months (95% CI: 1–NE); P=0.067]. ICI-related ILD recurred in half of the patients who received systemic cancer therapy, and the median OS tended to be shorter in patients with recurrent ICI-related ILD [22.0 months (95% CI: 1–NE) vs. 7.0 months (95% CI: 1–NE); P=0.3154].

Conclusions

According to the current study, systemic cancer treatment is effective in patients with ICI-related ILD; however, its safety is uncertain because of the high risk of ICI-related ILD recurrence and poor survival outcome following ILD recurrence.