Virtual Library

Start Your Search

N. Thatcher



Author of

  • +

    MO13 - SCLC I (ID 118)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Mini Oral Abstract Session
    • Track: Medical Oncology
    • Presentations: 1
    • +

      MO13.02 - Age as a prognostic factor in small cell lung cancer. A pooled analysis of randomized clinical trials from the Manchester lung cancer group (MLCG) and the UK Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit (MRC CTU). (ID 2270)

      10:30 - 12:00  |  Author(s): N. Thatcher

      • Abstract
      • Presentation
      • Slides

      Background
      About 40% of all cases of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) occur in the over 70 year age group (70+), and 10% in patients aged over 80 years. A SEER database reports decreasing SCLC 5-year survival with age (7.1%, 3.9% and 2.2% in the <70, 70-79 and 80+ age groups, respectively). However age has been inconsistently reported as a prognostic factor in SCLC trials. Recently a series of randomized trials of chemotherapy (CT) in SCLC were pooled to analyze the prognostic impact of patient sex (Wheatley-Price et al, Annals of Oncology 2009). We used the same dataset to investigate the impact of age.

      Methods
      Five randomized phase II and III CT trials, performed by the MLCG and MRC CTU between 1993 and 2005, were pooled for analysis (one study from the previous analysis was excluded as it did not contain elderly patients). One trial investigated a dose-dense approach and 4 trials compared CT regimens. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) in limited stage (LS) and extensive stage (ES) and the rates of haematological and non-haematological toxicity.

      Results
      In total 1439 patients were included, of whom 45% were female and 36% had ES disease. The median age was 63 years (range 30-88), and 343 (24%) were 70+, and only 33 (2%) were 80+. Anthracycline-based CT was given in 61%, versus platinum-based CT in 38% of patients. More patients in the younger group had a good performance status (ECOG 0-1, Karnofsky 80-100); 65% versus 39% (p=0.0007). Baseline hyponatremia was present in 35% and did not differ by age group. Overall, median OS was significantly longer in younger patients in univariate analysis (9.3 months versus 7.4 months; HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.66-0.95, p=0.01). By disease stage, median OS in LS patients was significantly longer in younger patients (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.79-0.99, p=0.04), and a similar effect was observed in ES (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.55-1.01, p=0.06). However in multivariate analysis (age, stage, sex, hyponatremia, anemia), factors significantly associated with longer survival were LS, female sex, good PS and absence of hyponatremia, but younger age was no longer prognostic (HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.86-1.08, p=0.52). The elderly were more likely to experience grade 3 or 4 leucopenia (52% versus 40%, p=0.0035), neutropenia (36% versus 31%, p=0.045) and thrombocytopenia (34% versus 22%, p=0.0003), but less likely to experience grade 3 or 4 emesis (8% versus 14%, p=0.022) or mucositis (5% versus 11%, p=0.021). There were no differences in infection rates or blood transfusion rates, although the elderly required more platelet transfusions (p<0.0001). The dose intensity (total number of CT cycles delivered divided by the planned number of cycles) was higher in the younger group (p<0.0001).

      Conclusion
      In a large pooled analysis of CT trials in SCLC, age was not a prognostic factor for survival. However the elderly experienced higher rates of grade 3 and 4 hematological toxicity. Further analysis is ongoing.

      Only Members that have purchased this event or have registered via an access code will be able to view this content. To view this presentation, please login, select "Add to Cart" and proceed to checkout. If you would like to become a member of IASLC, please click here.

      Only Active Members that have purchased this event or have registered via an access code will be able to view this content. To view this presentation, please login or select "Add to Cart" and proceed to checkout.

  • +

    O02 - NSCLC - Combined Modality Therapy I (ID 111)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Oral Abstract Session
    • Track: Combined Modality
    • Presentations: 1
    • +

      O02.02 - Tecemotide (L-BLP25) in unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer in the phase III START study: Further endpoint and exploratory biomarker results (ID 2779)

      10:30 - 12:00  |  Author(s): N. Thatcher

      • Abstract
      • Presentation
      • Slides

      Background
      The phase III START study evaluated the mucin 1 (MUC1) antigen-specific cancer immunotherapy tecemotide (L-BLP25) vs. placebo in patients with stage III unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who did not progress following initial chemo-radiotherapy (chemo/RT). The primary objective of overall survival (OS) prolongation was not met, however, pre-defined subgroup analyses revealed a clinically meaningful prolongation of survival with tecemotide in patients previously treated with concurrent chemo/RT (p=0.016). Sensitivity analyses suggested the observed treatment effect may have been under-estimated due to a clinical hold, which resulted in a median suspension of recruitment and investigational treatment of about 4.4 months. Tecemotide was well tolerated and no safety concerns were identified.

      Methods
      From January 2007 to November 2011, 1513 patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC and stable disease or objective response following initial chemo/RT were randomized (2:1, double-blind) to subcutaneous tecemotide (806 µg lipopeptide) or placebo, weekly for 8 weeks and then 6-weekly until disease progression or withdrawal. A single dose of cyclophosphamide (300 mg/m2) or saline was given 3 days prior to first tecemotide/placebo dose. Primary endpoint, OS, and secondary endpoints progression-free-survival (PFS) and time-to-treatment-failure (TTF) used a Cox proportional hazards regression model adjusting for randomization strata. While RECIST 1.0 had to be observed for determination of disease progression, there was no formal imaging schedule to determine disease progression; this was done according to institutional practice. Exploratory analyses were done for treatment interaction for HLA-A02, -DRB4 and -B08. Baseline peripheral blood anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA), serum MUC1 (sMUC1), lymphocyte count and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio (NLR) currently are being explored.

      Results
      The primary analysis population (N=1239) was defined prospectively to account for the clinical hold and prospectively excluded 274 patients randomized within 6 months prior to onset of the hold. Median PFS was 9.6 months with tecemotide vs. 7.7 months with placebo (HR 0.865, 95%CI 0.755–0.990, p=0.036). In keeping with OS data, tecemotide treatment effects on PFS were more pronounced in patients treated with concurrent chemo/RT (N=806; HR 0.826, 95%CI 0.696–0.980, p=0.029) vs. sequential chemo/RT (N=433; HR 0.947, 95%CI 0.756–1.187, p=0.638). Median TTF was 8.9 months with tecemotide vs. 7.2 months with placebo (HR 0.887, 95%CI 0.777–1.012, p=0.075). A prolongation of TTF with tecemotide was seen in patients with prior concurrent chemo/RT (HR 0.844, 95%CI 0.715–0.996, p=0.045), which was absent in the subgroup with prior sequential chemo/RT (HR 0.977, 95%CI 0.784–1.217, p=0.835). Detailed biomarker results will be presented.

      Conclusion
      While the primary endpoint of prolongation of OS was not met, secondary endpoints PFS and TTF support the previously-reported finding of a more favorable effect of tecemotide in patients treated with concurrent but not sequential chemo/RT. Any potential further clinical investigation of tecemotide in locally advanced NSCLC should focus on patients following concurrent chemo/RT therapy.

      Only Members that have purchased this event or have registered via an access code will be able to view this content. To view this presentation, please login, select "Add to Cart" and proceed to checkout. If you would like to become a member of IASLC, please click here.

      Only Active Members that have purchased this event or have registered via an access code will be able to view this content. To view this presentation, please login or select "Add to Cart" and proceed to checkout.