Concurrent Chemoradiation Therapy With or Without Nimotuzumab in Locally Advanced Squamous Cell Lung Cancer: A Phase 2 Randomized Trial

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) combined with nimotuzumab in patients with unresectable stage III squamous cell lung cancer (SqCLC). A prospective, single-center, open-label, randomized phase 2 trial was performed in patients with unresectable stage III SqCLC. Patients were randomized to receive 65 Gy thoracic radiation over 5 weeks concurrent with docetaxel and cisplatin or the same CCRT regimen combined with 200 mg of nimotuzumab (NIMO-CCRT), administered weekly by intravenous infusion. The primary endpoint was overall survival. The secondary endpoints were progression-free survival, objective response rate, failure patterns, and treatment-related toxicity. From August 2015 to June 2020, 126 patients with SqCLC were randomized. Four patients withdrew consent before the start of treatment, and 122 patients were included for analysis, including 57 in the NIMO-CCRT group and 65 in the CCRT group. The median OS was 24.9 months in the NIMO-CCRT group and 23.5 months in the CCRT group (P=.655). The median PFS was 12.1 months in the NIMO-CCRT group and 13.7 months in the CCRT group (P=.968). The NIMO-CCRT group had a significantly lower risk of brain metastasis, with adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio of 0.099 (95% confidence interval, 0.012-0.81; P=.031). The incidence of grade ≥3 pneumonitis (P=.894) and esophagitis (P=.974) was similar between the 2 arms. There was no grade 2 or higher skin toxicity in NIMO-CCRT group. The coincident application of nimotuzumab with CCRT was well tolerated for locally advanced SCCL. The NIMO-CCRT group had an OS and PFS similar to that in the CCRT group, but a lower risk of brain metastasis. Further investigations are warranted.