P3.02a-025 PROs With Ceritinib Versus Chemotherapy in Patients With Previously Untreated ALK-rearranged Nonsquamous NSCLC (ASCEND-4): Topic: ALK Clinical

Abstract

Here, we present the patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of ceritinib versus chemotherapy as first-line treatment for advanced ALK+ NSCLC. Untreated, ALK+, advanced, nonsquamous NSCLC patients (N=376) were randomized (1:1) to ceritinib 750 mg/day (n=189) or chemotherapy (n=187; [pemetrexed 500 mg/m2 plus cisplatin 75 mg/m2 or carboplatin AUC 5-6] for 4 cycles followed by maintenance pemetrexed). PROs were assessed using EORTC quality-of-life questionnaire (QLQ-C30), the lung cancer module (QLQ-LC13), Lung Cancer Symptom Scale (LCSS), and EQ-5D. Median treatment exposure was 66.4 weeks for ceritinib and 26.9 weeks for chemotherapy. PRO compliance was high, ≥80% at most time points. Ceritinib significantly prolonged time to deterioration of lung cancer-specific symptoms (pain, dyspnea, and cough) versus chemotherapy in both LCSS and QLQ-LC13 instruments (composite endpoints for LCSS, HR=0.61 [0.41, 0.90]; and QLQ-LC13, HR=0.48 [0.34, 0.69]). Time to deterioration in LC13 questionnaire was significantly longer with ceritinib versus chemotherapy (23.6 [20.7, NE] vs 12.6 [8.9, 14.9] months) (Table). In the QLQ-C30 instrument, 4 of 5 functional domains and 6 of 9 symptom scales improved with ceritinib (P< 0.05); 2 scales related to gastrointestinal symptoms indicated deterioration for ceritinib. In agreement with most other scales showing symptom improvement, ceritinib demonstrated significant improvements in Global Health Status/QoL in the same instrument (QLQ-C30, P<0.001) as well as for EQ-5D-5L index (P<0.001) and EQ-5D-5L VAS (P<0.05 from cycle 13 until 49). Untreated ALK+ NSCLC patients experienced significantly greater improvements in lung cancer-specific symptoms on treatment with ceritinib. General health status was significantly improved with ceritinib versus chemotherapy. Overall, PRO results from all 4 instruments independently showed improvements highlighting the consistency and robustness of these findings.