Randomized phase III study comparing etoposide and cisplatin (EP) with irinotecan and cisplatin (IP) following EP plus concurrent accelerated hyperfractionated thoracic radiotherapy (EP/AHTRT) for the treatment of limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LD-SCLC): JCOG0202.

Abstract

7028 Background: Four cycles of EP plus AHTRT is the standard treatment for LD-SCLC. IP demonstrated statistically significant overall survival (OS) improvement compared to EP for extensive-stage SCLC (JCOG9511; Noda, et al.NEJM, 2002). EP plus AHTRT followed by 3 cycles of IP is feasible with acceptable toxicities for LD-SCLC (Kubota, et al. CCR,2005). Methods: Eligibility criteria included patients with previously untreated LD-SCLC with measurable lesion, ECOG PS of 0-1, age: 20=<, =<70 years old. Eligible patients received one cycle of EP (etoposide 100 mg/m2 on days 1-3 and cisplatin 80mg/m2 on day 1) plus AHTRT (1.5 Gy b.i.d. total 45 Gy/3 weeks). Patients who achieved CR, good PR, PR or SD with induction EP/AHTRT were randomized to receive either 3 cycles of consolidation EP or IP (irinotecan 60 mg/m2 and cisplatin 60 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, 15). Patients with CR or good PR after consolidation chemotherapy received prophylactic cranial irradiation. The primary endpoint is OS after the randomization. The planned sample size for randomization is 250 with a one-sided alpha of 2.5% and at least 70% power to detect a difference between gruops, 30% in EP versus 42.5% in IP group in 3-year survival. Results: From Sep 2002 to Sep 2006, 281 patients from 36 institutions were registered. After the induction EP/AHTRT, 258 patients were randomized to consolidation EP (n=129) or IP (n=129). Patient demographics were well balanced between the two groups. At the final analysis, the superiority of IP in OS was not demonstrated (hazard ratio of IP to EP, 1.085 [95%CI: 0.80-1.46]; one sided p=0.70, stratifield log-rank test). Grade 3/4 neutropenia (95%/78%), anemia (35%/39%), thrombocytopenia (21%/5%), neutropenic fever (17%/14%), diarrhea (2%/10%) were observed in EP and IP groups, respectively. Conclusions: EP plus AHTRT followed by 3 cycles of IP failed to demonstrate survival advantage over 4 cycles of EP plus AHTRT which still is the standard treatment for LD-SCLC. [Table: see text]