Extensive-stage Disease Small Cell Lung Research Articles

Prognostic and predictive value of circulating tumor cells and CXCR4 expression as biomarkers for a CXCR4 peptide antagonist in combination with carboplatin-etoposide in small cell lung cancer: exploratory analysis of a phase II study

SummaryBackground Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 4 (CXCR4) expression in CTCs and tumor tissue were evaluated as prognostic or predictive markers of CXCR4 peptide antagonist LY2510924 plus carboplatin-etoposide (CE) versus CE in extensive-stage disease small cell lung cancer (ED-SCLC). Methods This exploratory analysis of a phase II study evaluated CXCR4 expression in baseline tumor tissue and peripheral blood CTCs and in post-treatment CTCs. Optimum cutoff values were determined for CTC counts and CXCR4 expression in tumors and CTCs as predictors of survival outcome. Kaplan-Meier estimates and hazard ratios were used to determine biomarker prognostic and predictive values. Results There was weak positive correlation at baseline between CXCR4 expression in tumor tissue and CTCs. Optimum cutoff values were H-score ≥ 210 for CXCR4+ tumor, ≥7% CTCs with CXCR4 expression (CXCR4+ CTCs), and ≥6 CTCs/7.5 mL blood. Baseline H-score for CXCR4+ tumor was not prognostic of progression-free survival (PFS) or overall survival (OS). Baseline CXCR4+ CTCs ≥7% was prognostic of shorter PFS. CTCs ≥6 at baseline and cycle 2, day 1 were prognostic of shorter PFS and OS. None of the biomarkers at their respective optimum cutoffs was predictive of treatment response of LY2510924 plus CE versus CE. Conclusions In patients with ED-SCLC, baseline CXCR4 expression in tumor tissue was not prognostic of survival or predictive of LY2510924 treatment response. Baseline CXCR4+ CTCs ≥7% was prognostic of shorter PFS. CTC count ≥6 at baseline and after 1 cycle of treatment were prognostic of shorter PFS and OS.

CheckMate 451: A randomized, double-blind, phase III trial of nivolumab (nivo), nivo plus ipilimumab (ipi), or placebo as maintenance therapy in patients (pts) with extensive-stage disease small cell lung cancer (ED-SCLC) after first-line platinum-based doublet chemotherapy (PT-DC).

TPS8579Background: Most SCLC pts present with ED-SCLC. Initial response rates are high, but disease often rapidly recurs or progresses. Outcomes with second-line treatment are poor. No maintenance therapy has been approved for pts who respond to first-line PT-DC. Nivo, a fully human IgG4 programmed death-1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitor, is approved for previously treated metastatic NSCLC in the US and for previously treated squamous NSCLC in the EU based on 2 phase III trials demonstrating superior survival over docetaxel. Nivo monotherapy and nivo + ipi, a fully human IgG1 cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 immune checkpoint inhibitor, are being evaluated in previously treated pts with advanced or metastatic SCLC in a phase I/II trial (CheckMate 032, SCLC cohort). Nivo (vs chemotherapy) is also being evaluated in relapsed SCLC in a phase III trial (CheckMate 331). From CheckMate 032, preliminary data of nivo and nivo + ipi has shown antitumor activity with durable tumor responses and manageable safety...

CA184-156: Randomized, multicenter, double-blind, phase III trial comparing the efficacy of ipilimumab (Ipi) plus etoposide/platinum (EP) versus placebo plus EP in patients (Pts) with newly diagnosed extensive-stage disease small cell lung cancer (ED-SCLC).

TPS7608 Background: Phase III studies have not reported improvement for ED-SCLC beyond EP. Moreover, chemotherapeutic response in SCLC is short-lived, with a median survival of 8–12 months and 5-year survival rates ranging from 1%–2%. Ipi, a fully human monoclonal antibody which binds CTLA-4, augments antitumor immune responses and may potentially improve the clinical benefit of EP. A randomized phase II study of Ipi + paclitaxel/carboplatin (PC) in pts with ED-SCLC showed significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) [measured by immune-related response criteria (irRC)] over PC in pts receiving phased Ipi + PC; irRC were derived from WHO criteria to better capture response patterns observed with Ipi. Addition of Ipi trended toward prolonged overall survival (OS) and did not exacerbate PC toxicity; immune-related adverse events were managed using protocol-specific guidelines. This global (~227 sites among 34 countries), multicenter phase III study in pts with ED-SCLC (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01450761) will determine if adding Ipi to EP increases OS vs EP alone. Methods: Pts with first-line ED-SCLC and ECOG 0-1 will be eligible; pts with a history of autoimmune disease will be ineligible. Pts will be randomized (1:1 to either Arm A or Arm B) to 2 cycles of EP (etoposide [100 mg/m2, IV on Days 1-3 Q3W] and cisplatin [75 mg/m2, IV] or carboplatin [AUC=5, IV] once Q3W), followed by 4 cycles of blinded study drug (Ipi 10 mg/kg, IV in Arm A or placebo in Arm B, Q3W) with 2 concurrent cycles (during cycles 3-4) of EP and Ipi (6 cycles of total therapy). Eligible pts will receive Ipi maintenance therapy Q12W until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity; pts with a complete response will also be eligible for prophylactic cranial irradiation at investigator’s discretion. The primary endpoint is OS; secondary endpoints include OS among pts who receive blinded therapy, immune-related and mWHO PFS, best overall response rate, and duration of response. The trial will also characterize safety, and is estimated to enroll 1100 pts. Clinical trial information: NCT01450761.

Baseline quality of life and performance status as prognostic factors in patients with extensive-stage disease small cell lung cancer treated with pemetrexed plus carboplatin vs. etoposide plus carboplatin

BackgroundSmall cell lung cancer (SCLC) is associated with poor prognosis due to its early metastatic potential and lack of improved outcomes with newer cytotoxic agents. Identifying factors associated with clinical outcomes can help clinicians determine which patients are more likely to benefit from therapy. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT) subscales and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) were retrospectively analyzed as prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with extensive-stage disease (ED)-SCLC. MethodsUsing data from a Phase III trial of pemetrexed–carboplatin vs. etoposide–carboplatin, the effect of the prognostic factors on OS and PFS was analyzed via Cox models. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to estimate OS and PFS parameters for the prognostic subgroups (defined by baseline FACT scores and ECOG PS). ResultsPatients with higher baseline FACT-General (FACT-G) score (≥median) had significantly higher OS (hazard ratio [HR]=0.62, P<.0001) and PFS (HR=0.83, P=.032) compared with patients with lower FACT-G score (<median). Similar results were observed for higher baseline physical well-being (PWB) and functional well-being (FWB) scores. For OS, there was a significant interaction between PS and FACT-PWB score (P=.005). In patients with PS=2 and higher FACT-PWB scores at baseline, a 48% reduction in the risk of death (P=.025) and nearly 3-month longer median OS were estimated. ConclusionsHigher baseline FACT-G, FACT-PWB, and FACT-FWB scores were found to be favorable prognostic factors for survival in ED-SCLC. Higher FACT-PWB scores at baseline predicted better survival for patients with poorer PS.

CA184-156: A randomized, multicenter, double-blind, phase III trial comparing the efficacy of ipilimumab (Ipi) plus etoposide/platinum (EP) versus EP in subjects with newly diagnosed extensive-stage disease small cell lung cancer (ED-SCLC).

TPS7113 Background: EP (4-6 cycles) is standard of care 1st-line therapy for metastatic SCLC, and no multinational studies have reported any improvement beyond that reported for EP. Evidence of an ongoing immune response to SCLC tumors suggests that immunotherapy that enhances this immune response to SCLC may enhance the clinical benefit of EP. Ipi, a fully human monoclonal antibody which blocks CTLA-4, augments antitumor immune responses. Because some responses to Ipi may differ from those observed with cytotoxic therapies, immune-related response criteria (irRC) were derived from WHO criteria to better capture response patterns observed with Ipi. A randomized Phase 2 study of Ipi with paclitaxel/carboplatin (PC) in pts with ED-SCLC showed significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS), as measured by irRC, over PC alone in pts receiving Ipi and PC in a phased regimen (Ipi started after 2 cycles of PC). Furthermore, addition of Ipi did not exacerbate PC toxicity, and immune-related adverse events were managed using protocol-specific guidelines. This multicenter phase III study in pts with ED-SCLC (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01450761) will determine whether adding Ipi to EP increases OS vs EP alone. Methods: EP consists of 4 cycles of etoposide (100 mg/m2, IV on Days 1-3 every 3 weeks [Q3W]) and cisplatin (75 mg/m2, IV) or carboplatin (AUC=5, IV) once Q3W. Pts will be randomized to receive 4 doses of Ipi (10 mg/kg, IV) in Arm A or placebo in Arm B, Q3W during induction, starting after 2 cycles of EP (phased schedule). Eligible pts will then receive blinded study drug (Ipi in Arm A; placebo in Arm B) Q12W until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary objective is to compare OS. Secondary objectives are to compare OS in those who receive blinded study drug, compare PFS between study arms, and to estimate best overall response rate and duration of response. First-line ED-SCLC pts with ECOG performance ≤1 will be included. Pts with symptomatic CNS metastases or a history of autoimmune disease will be excluded. The study will randomize 1100 pts at a 1:1 ratio.

Pharmacogenomic analysis from a phase III study of pemetrexed plus carboplatin (PC) versus etoposide plus carboplatin (EC) in chemonaive patients (pts) with extensive-stage disease small cell lung cancer (ED-SCLC)

8030 Background: We have reported results of a randomized phase III trial in chemonaive patients with ED-SCLC comparing PC to EC. Study enrollment was closed for futility but pharmacogenomic endpoints were not reported. Here we report the results of immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis from tumor tissues and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis of selected genes implicated in pemetrexed, carboplatin, or etoposide activity. Methods: Proteins studied by validated IHC on Benchmark XT were thymidylate synthase (TS), excision repair cross complementing-1 (ERCC1), glycinamide ribonucleotide formyl transferase (GARFT), and folylpolyglutamate synthetase (FPGS). SNP data from whole blood were genotyped by massArray mass spectrometry from 611 samples. One hundred fifty-eight SNPs were genotyped for TS, FPGS, γ-glutamyl hydrolase (GGH), methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), folate receptor- α (FR-α), solute carrier 19A1 (SLC19A1) and adjacent regions. Allele frequency and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were calculated for each SNP. Results: Of 408 tissue samples (from 908 enrolled pts) available for IHC, 336 samples were assayed for &gt; 1 assay target. The IHC analyses showed improved OS in the EC arm relative to the PC arm for patients with low TSnuclear (12.9 vs 7.5 month, p &lt; 0.001, interaction p value = 0.017). There was no differential treatment effect within the PC arm for low vs. high TS. High vs low ERCC1 levels did not predict outcome following C exposure. GARFT was not associated with outcome by treatment. SNP rs2838952 (adjacent to SLC19A1) was significant for improved OS (HR = 0.590, p = 0.01) in both study arms. SNP rs12379987 (FPGS) was significantly associated with treatment for OS (interaction p value = 0.036). Exploratory analyses found associations between additional SNPs and PFS within and across treatments. Conclusions: Pharmacogenomic analyses of tumor samples show that low TSnuclear expression correlates with OS in the EC arm. Two germline SNPs in regions including FPGS and SLC19A1 were associated with better OS. Further analysis of these pharmacogenomic results is ongoing. [Table: see text]

A Phase I and Pharmacologic Study of Belotecan in Combination with Cisplatin in Patients with Previously Untreated Extensive-Stage Disease Small Cell Lung Cancer

Belotecan (Camtobell, CKD602) is a novel camptothecin derivative. This study was designed to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), toxicity profile, and dose-limiting toxicity of belotecan in combination with cisplatin in patients with previously untreated extensive-stage disease small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Furthermore, pharmacokinetics and preliminary antitumor activity against SCLC were evaluated. Belotecan was administered i.v. as intermittent 30-min infusions on days 1 to 4, starting dose of 0.40 mg/m2/d with increment of 0.05 mg/m2/d. Intrapatient dose escalation was not allowed. Cisplatin (60 mg/m2) was given on day 1. The treatments were repeated every 3 weeks. Pharmacokinetics was determined during the first cycle using noncompartmental pharmacokinetic analysis. Seventeen chemotherapy-naive patients with extensive-stage disease SCLC were treated. The MTD of belotecan was 0.50 mg/m2/d with the dose-limiting toxicity of grade 4 neutropenia with fever. A partial response was seen in 13 of 17 patients (76.5%). The most common toxicity was neutropenia but nonhematologic toxicity was very favorable. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed that, at the dose of 0.50 mg/m2/d, plasma clearance of belotecan was 5.78 +/- 1.32 L/h and terminal half-life was 8.55 +/- 2.12 h. Fraction of excreted amount in urine was 37.36 +/- 5.55%. Pharmacokinetics of belotecan was not altered by administration of cisplatin compared with historical control. The MTD and recommended dose of belotecan for phase II studies was 0.50 mg/m2/d on days 1 to 4 in combination with 60 mg/m2 cisplatin on day 1 every 3 weeks.

A phase I and pharmacologic study of belotecan in combination with cisplatin in patients with previously untreated extensive-stage disease small cell lung cancer

18053 Background: Belotecan (CKD602) is a novel camptothecin derivative antitumor agent. This phase I study was designed to determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD), toxicity profile, and dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) of belotecan in combination with cisplatin in patients with previously untreated extensive-stage disease small-cell lung cancer (ED SCLC). Furthermore, pharmacokinetics (PK) and preliminary antitumor activity of belotecan against SCLC were evaluated. Methods: Patients with ED SCLC, age 18–70, ECOG PS 0–2, no prior chemotherapy and adequate organ function were eligible. Cisplatin with fixed dose of 60 mg/m2 was administered intravenously (i.v.) over 2 hours on day 1. Belotecan was administered iv as intermittent 30-minute infusions on days 1 to 4, starting dose of 0.40 mg/m2/day with increment of 0.05 mg/m2/day. Modified Fibonacci escalation was used (3 to 6 patients per cohort) and intra-patient dose escalation was not allowed. PK of belotecan was determined during the first treatment using non-compartmental pharmacokinetic analysis. Results: Seventeen patients were treated at 4 dose levels (0.40 to 0.55 mg/m2/day). At 0.55 mg/m2/day of belotecan, the DLT of grade 4 neutropenia with fever occurred in 2 of 5 patients, and therefore the MTD was 0.50 mg/m2/day. Interestingly, out of 17 patients, there were 14 partial responses (82.4%; 95% CI, 63.4% to 100.0%). PK analysis revealed that at 0.50 mg/m2/day, plasma clearance of belotecan was 5.78 ± 1.32 L/hr and terminal half-life was 8.55 ± 2.12 hr. Fraction of excreted amount in urine was 37.36 ± 5.55 %. PK of belotecan were not altered by administration of cisplatin, as compared with historical control. Conclusions: The MTD of belotecan was 0.50 mg/m2/day for intermittent 30-min i.v. infusion for 4 days in combination with cisplatin 60 mg/m2 on day 1 every 3 weeks. Furthermore, very promising antitumor activity against SCLC was observed. The phase II study is being conducted now. No significant financial relationships to disclose.