Abstract
Nimotuzumab, a humanized IgG1 monoclonal anti-EGFR antibody, is approved and widely used in patients (pts) with head and neck cancer or malignant glioma in combination with radiotherapy (RT) in several countries. On in-vitro and in-vivo experiments using NSCLC cell lines, nimotuzumab showed a radio-sensitizing effect. This phase II study evaluated the tolerability and efficacy of nimotuzumab in combination with concurrent CRT in pts with unresectable locally advanced NSCLC. All eligible pts received concurrent thoracic RT (60 Gy, 2 Gy/day, 6 weeks from day 1) and 4 cycles of chemotherapy (cisplatin 80 mg/m2 on day 1, vinorelbine 20 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8) once every 4 weeks as scheduled. Nimotuzumab (200 mg) was administrated once a week from cycle 1 to 4. The primary endpoint was tolerability in combination with concurrent CRT, which was measured by the percentage of pts who completed 60 Gy of RT within 8 weeks, completed 2 cycles of chemotherapy and received more than 75% of nimotuzumab. Of 40 pts enrolled between June 2009 and May 2010, 39 eligible pts received the study treatment. The pts characteristics were as follows: 62 years (median); male/female, 34/5; stage IIIA/B, 21/18; PS0/1, 25/14. Thirty-four pts met the criteria for treatment tolerability, and 38 pts completed 60 Gy of RT within 8 weeks. Infusion reaction, ≥grade 3 skin rash, ≥grade 3 radiation pneumonitis, or ≥grade 4 nonhematological toxicity were not observed. The 3-year and 5-year overall survival rates for the 39 pts were 66.4% and 58.4%, respectively. The median PFS was 16.9 months, and the 5-year PFS rate for pts with squamous cell carcinoma (Sq; n = 16) was 50%, while that for pts with non-squamous cell carcinoma (non-Sq; n = 23) was 13.7%. In terms of the first relapse site, in-field relapse rates were low for both Sq (4/16; 25%) and non-Sq (4/23; 17%). However, the distant relapse rate was significantly higher for non-Sq (15/23; 65%) than that for Sq (4/16; 25%). Cytologic or histologic specimens were examined for the expression of EGFR protein/mutations using the EGFR IHC/FISH methods in 20 pts. EGFR 2+/3+ expression was shown more frequently in sq (8/10) than non-sq (4/10). EGFR mutation was observed in only 2 pts with non-sq. Addition of nimotuzumab to the concurrent CRT in this setting was well tolerated with clinical benefit to the patients. The low in field relapse rates may be attributed to the radio-sensitizing effect of nimotuzumab.
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