Efficacy and safety of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor plus platinum-based chemotherapy vs. platinum-based chemotherapy alone in patients with previously untreated advanced large-cell neuroendocrine cancer of the lung.

Abstract

9066 Background: Large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rare tumor with a poor prognosis and limited treatment options. The efficacy of first-line therapies for LCNEC has not yet been established. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the combination of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor and platinum-based chemotherapy in treatment-naïve patients with advanced LCNEC. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with advanced LCNEC who were treated with a PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor plus platinum-based chemotherapy (PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor group) or with platinum-based chemotherapy alone (chemotherapy group) based on data obtained from electronic databases of three participating cancer centers from January 2015 to August 2022. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), and disease control rate (DCR) were evaluated for each group. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of their assigned treatment. Results: Among the 75 enrolled patients, 25 were allocated to receive PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor plus platinum-based chemotherapy and 50 were allocated to receive platinum-based chemotherapy alone (patients were matched 1:2 on baseline characteristics). The median PFS was 15.1 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.1–23.2) in the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor group and 5.3 months (95% CI, 4.4–6.2) in the chemotherapy group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.26; 95% CI, 0.113–0.428; p < 0.0001). The 12-month OS was 88.0% (95% CI, 67.7–96.9) in the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor group and 56.0% (95% CI, 41.4–69.7) in the chemotherapy group ( p = 0.0056). The ORRs in the two groups were 40% and 16%, respectively ( p = 0.022), and the DCRs were 96% and 70%, respectively ( p = 0.010). Regarding safety, the most common incidences of grade ≥ 3 adverse events involved neutropenia, leukopenia, anemia, and fatigue. There were no significant differences between the two groups. Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor group included cutaneous hemangiomas, hypothyroidism, anaphylaxis, and pneumonitis. Grade 3 or 4 irAEs were not observed. No new safety signals were noted. Conclusions: First-line PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor plus platinum-based chemotherapy significantly improved PFS in patients with advanced LCNEC compared with platinum-based chemotherapy alone.