Ramucirumab Plus Docetaxel for Patients with Non-small cell Lung Cancer with Brain Metastases: A Multicenter, Open-Label Single-Arm Phase II Trial

BACKGROUND

Ramucirumab plus docetaxel combination therapy (DOC/RAM) for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) achieves favorable outcomes; however, efficacy and safety for patients with brain metastases are still unclear.

METHODS

Eligible patients included those with advanced NSCLC with measurable asymptomatic brain metastases that progressed after chemotherapy. Patients were intravenously administered ramucirumab (10 mg/kg) and docetaxel (60 mg/m2) every 21-day cycle.

RESULTS

Due to difficulties in accumulating the planned 65 participants, enrollment was terminated early when 25 patients were enrolled. Primary endpoint: Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.9 months (95% CI, 1.8-5.3). Secondary endpoints: Median intracranial progression-free survival was 4.6 months (95% CI, 2.5-5.9); median overall survival was 20.9 months (95% CI, 6.6-not possible to estimate); objective response rate was 20% (95% CI, 6.8-40.7); disease control rate was 68% (95% CI, 46.5-85.1). The most common grade 3 or higher toxicities were neutropenia in 10 patients (40%). Neither intracranial hemorrhage nor grade 5 adverse events were observed. Patients with higher serum soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 concentrations at the start of treatment had slightly longer PFS.

CONCLUSION

No clinical concerns were identified with DOC/RAM for NSCLC with brain metastases in this study. Further investigation with a larger sample size is needed to determine the tolerability and safety of these populations (Trial Identifiers: University Hospital Medical Information Network in Japan [UMIN000024551] and Japan Registry of Clinical Trials [jRCTs071180048]).

Impact of docetaxel plus ramucirumab in a second-line setting after chemoimmunotherapy in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Chemoimmunotherapy has become a standard treatment option for patients with untreated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, numerous patients with advanced NSCLC develop disease progression. Therefore, the selection of second-line treatment after chemoimmunotherapy is crucial for improving clinical outcomes.

METHODS

Of 88 enrolled patients with advanced NSCLC who received chemoimmunotherapy, we retrospectively evaluated 33 who received second-line chemotherapy after progression of chemoimmunotherapy at six centers in Japan. Among them, 18 patients received docetaxel plus ramucirumab and 15 patients received single-agent chemotherapy.

RESULTS

The objective response rate in patients treated with docetaxel plus ramucirumab was significantly higher than that in patients treated with a single-agent chemotherapy regimen (55.6% vs. 0%, p < 0.001). The median progression-free survival (PFS) of patients who received docetaxel plus ramucirumab and single-agent chemotherapy was 5.8 months and 5.0 months, respectively (log-rank test p = 0.17). In the docetaxel plus ramucirumab regimen group, patients who responded to chemoimmunotherapy for ≥8.8 months had a significantly longer response to docetaxel plus ramucirumab than those who responded for <8.8 months (not reached vs. 4.1 months, log-rank test p = 0.003). In contrast, in the single-agent chemotherapy group, there was no significant difference in PFS between the ≥8.8- and <8.8-month PFS groups with chemoimmunotherapy (5.0 vs. 1.6 months, log-rank test p = 0.66).

CONCLUSION

Our retrospective observations suggest that the group with longer PFS with chemoimmunotherapy might be expected to benefit from docetaxel plus ramucirumab treatment in second-line settings for patients with advanced NSCLC.