Showing papers by "Dariusz M. Kowalski published in 2023"

Pembrolizumab Plus Chemotherapy in Squamous Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer: 5-Year Update of the Phase III KEYNOTE-407 Study

Abstract: Clinical trials frequently include multiple end points that mature at different times. The initial report, typically based on the primary end point, may be published when key planned co-primary or secondary analyses are not yet available. Clinical Trial Updates provide an opportunity to disseminate additional results from studies, published in JCO or elsewhere, for which the primary end point has already been reported. We report 5-year efficacy and safety outcomes from the phase III KEYNOTE-407 study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02775435). Eligible patients with previously untreated, metastatic squamous non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were randomly assigned 1:1 to pembrolizumab 200 mg or placebo plus carboplatin and paclitaxel/nab-paclitaxel once every 3 weeks for four cycles, followed by pembrolizumab or placebo for up to 35 cycles. Primary end points were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) per RECIST version 1.1 by blinded independent central review (BICR). Five hundred fifty-nine patients were randomly assigned in the intention-to-treat population (pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy, n = 278; placebo plus chemotherapy, n = 281). The median time from random assignment to data cutoff was 56.9 (range, 49.9-66.2) months. OS and PFS were improved with pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy versus placebo plus chemotherapy (hazard ratio [95% CI], 0.71 [0.59 to 0.85] and 0.62 [0.52 to 0.74]), with 5-year OS rates of 18.4% versus 9.7%, respectively. Toxicity was manageable. Among 55 patients who completed 35 cycles of pembrolizumab, the objective response rate was 90.9% and the 3-year OS rate after completion of 35 cycles (approximately 5 years after random assignment) was 69.5%. Pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy maintained an OS and PFS benefit versus placebo plus chemotherapy in previously untreated, metastatic squamous NSCLC and is a standard-of-care first-line treatment option for metastatic squamous NSCLC regardless of programmed death ligand 1 expression.

Overall Survival with Osimertinib in Resected EGFR-Mutated NSCLC.

Abstract: BACKGROUND Among patients with resected, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated, stage IB to IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), adjuvant osimertinib therapy, with or without previous adjuvant chemotherapy, resulted in significantly longer disease-free survival than placebo in the ADAURA trial. We report the results of the planned final analysis of overall survival. METHODS In this phase 3, double-blind trial, we randomly assigned eligible patients in a 1:1 ratio to receive osimertinib (80 mg once daily) or placebo until disease recurrence was observed, the trial regimen was completed (3 years), or a discontinuation criterion was met. The primary end point was investigator-assessed disease-free survival among patients with stage II to IIIA disease. Secondary end points included disease-free survival among patients with stage IB to IIIA disease, overall survival, and safety. RESULTS Of 682 patients who underwent randomization, 339 received osimertinib and 343 received placebo. Among patients with stage II to IIIA disease, the 5-year overall survival was 85% in the osimertinib group and 73% in the placebo group (overall hazard ratio for death, 0.49; 95.03% confidence interval [CI], 0.33 to 0.73; P<0.001). In the overall population (patients with stage IB to IIIA disease), the 5-year overall survival was 88% in the osimertinib group and 78% in the placebo group (overall hazard ratio for death, 0.49; 95.03% CI, 0.34 to 0.70; P<0.001). One new serious adverse event, pneumonia related to coronavirus disease 2019, was reported after the previously published data-cutoff date (the event was not considered by the investigator to be related to the trial regimen, and the patient fully recovered). Adjuvant osimertinib had a safety profile consistent with that in the primary analysis. CONCLUSIONS Adjuvant osimertinib provided a significant overall survival benefit among patients with completely resected, EGFR-mutated, stage IB to IIIA NSCLC. (Funded by AstraZeneca; ADAURA ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02511106.).

Overall survival analysis from the ADAURA trial of adjuvant osimertinib in patients with resected EGFR-mutated (EGFRm) stage IB–IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Abstract: LBA3 Background: Osimertinib is a third-generation, central nervous system (CNS) active EGFR-TKI, that potently and selectively inhibits EGFR-TKI sensitizing and EGFR T790M resistance mutations. In the primary analysis from the Phase III ADAURA study (NCT02511106), adjuvant osimertinib demonstrated a clinically meaningful, statistically significant, and practice-changing disease-free survival (DFS) benefit vs placebo in patients with completely resected EGFRm (ex19del/L858R) NSCLC ± adjuvant chemotherapy. In an updated DFS analysis, with 2 years additional follow-up, DFS and CNS DFS benefit with adjuvant osimertinib were sustained (stage II–IIIA DFS hazard ratio [HR] 0.23; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.18, 0.30; stage IB–IIIA DFS HR 0.27; 95% CI 0.21, 0.34; stage II–IIIA CNS DFS HR 0.24; 95% CI 0.14, 0.42), with a tolerable safety profile observed over the extended treatment duration. Here, we report the planned final overall survival (OS) analysis from ADAURA. Methods: Eligible patients (aged ≥18 years [≥20 in Japan and Taiwan], WHO PS 0/1 with completely resected EGFRm (ex19del/L858R) stage IB, II or IIIA [AJCC/UICC 7th edition] NSCLC; adjuvant chemotherapy allowed) were randomized 1:1 to osimertinib 80 mg once daily or placebo until disease recurrence, treatment completion (3 years), or a discontinuation criterion was met. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed DFS in stage II–IIIA. Key secondary endpoints: DFS in stage IB–IIIA, OS and safety. Data cut-off: January 27, 2023. Results: Globally, 682 patients were randomized; osimertinib n=339, placebo n=343. Adjuvant osimertinib significantly improved OS vs placebo. In patients with stage II–IIIA disease, OS HR was 0.49 (95% CI 0.33, 0.73; p=0.0004; 100/470 events, 21% maturity); 5-year OS rate was 85% with osimertinib vs 73% with placebo. Median follow-up for OS in stage II–IIIA was 59.9 months (osimertinib) and 56.2 months (placebo). In the overall population (stage IB–IIIA), OS HR was 0.49 (95% CI 0.34, 0.70; p<0.0001; 124/682 events, 18% maturity); 5-year OS rate was 88% with osimertinib vs 78% with placebo, with a median follow-up for OS of 60.4 months (osimertinib) and 59.4 months (placebo). Median OS was not reached in either population or treatment group. Conclusions: Adjuvant osimertinib demonstrated an unprecedented, highly statistically significant and clinically meaningful OS benefit in patients with EGFRm stage IB–IIIA NSCLC after complete tumor resection, with or without adjuvant chemotherapy. ADAURA is the first global Phase III study to demonstrate a statistically significant DFS and OS benefit with targeted treatment for patients with EGFRm stage IB–IIIA NSCLC. Clinical trial information: NCT02511106 .

Savolitinib for non-small cell lung cancer.

Abstract: Savolitinib is a highly selective MET tyrosine kinase inhibitor. MET is involved in numerous cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation and the formation of distant metastases. MET amplification and MET overexpression are quite common in many cancers, but MET exon 14 skipping alteration is most common in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The role of MET signaling as a bypass pathway in the development of acquired resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) therapy in cancer patients with EGFR gene mutation was documented. Potential beneficiaries of savolitinib therapy are patients with NSCLC and initial diagnosis of MET ex 14 skipping mutation. Savolitinib therapy can be effective in NSCLC patients with EGFR-mutant MET with progression during first-line treatment with an EGFR-TKI. Antitumor activity of savolitinib in combination with osimertinib is very promising as first-line therapy of patients with advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC, initially with MET expression. The safety profile of savolitinib as monotherapy and in combination with osimertinib or gefitinib is so favorable in all available studies that this drug has become a very promising therapeutic option and is being intensively investigated in ongoing clinical trials.

Beta Blockers with Statins May Decrease All-Cause Mortality in Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases and Locally Advanced Unresectable Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer after Chemoradiotherapy

Abstract: Simple Summary Concurrent platinum-based chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by maintenance treatment with the PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab is the most effective therapy in unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, severe toxicity of this approach may lead to an unsatisfactory outcome. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) may justify the use of sequential CRT to avoid severe adverse events and maintain satisfactory effectiveness. Ensuring that patients with CVD do not have a worse prognosis than patients without CVD is one of the goals of cardio-oncology. It is important that, after sequential CRT as personalized for patients with CVD, there is no increased mortality, and this is the first achievement of this study. Patients receiving beta-blockers and statins had lower all-cause mortality over 2, 3, and 4 years. The clear benefit of treatment with beta-blockers (in possible combination with statin) was confirmed in a subgroup of patients with CVD. The patients with CVD and indications for different cardiac therapy could live significantly longer if they received beta-blockers with or without statins during long-term follow-up. It may be a time to consider beta-blockers and statins as prevention strategy in patients undergoing CRT for NSCLC. Abstract The study was conducted in the era when maintenance immunotherapy with durvalumab was not available in clinical practice after chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in unresectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The main aim of the study was to check whether the presence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and their pharmacotherapy affects the overall survival (OS) in such NSCLC patients undergoing sequential CRT. The group of 196 patients were analyzed: 101 patients with CVD (51.53%) and 95 patients with other reasons of qualification for sequential CRT (decreased performance status, older age, and other non-cardiovascular co-morbidities). Although patients with CVD were more often in older age, and they more often experienced cardiac and nephrological complications (p < 0.05 for all), there was a statistically nonsignificant trend for lower all-cause mortality in patients with CVD. The lowest all-cause mortality was observed in patients treated with beta-blockers and statins after two (HR = 0.31; 95%CI: 0.1–0.98; p = 0.047), three (HR = 0.33; 95%CI: 0.13–0.81; p = 0.015) and even four (HR = 0.45; 95%CI: 0.22–0.97; p = 0.027) years of follow-up. The benefit in OS remained significant in 101 patients with CVD treated with beta-blockers (HR = 0.65; 95%CI: 0.43–0.99; p = 0.045), and eventually statin, throughout the whole follow-up (log-rank p < 0.05). Further prospective studies are necessary to confirm the role of beta-blockers and statins in reduction of mortality in NSCLC patients undergoing radical CRT.

Performance-Status Deterioration during Sequential Chemo-Radiotherapy as a Predictive Factor in Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract: The role of sequential chemoradiotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who are not eligible for concurrent therapy has not been clearly defined. The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of Karnofsky performance status (KPS) monitoring and to define the factors determining clinical deterioration during sequential chemoradiotherapy in patients treated from July 2009 to October 2014. The study included 196 patients. The clinical stage was defined as III A in 94 patients (48%) and III B in 102 patients (52%). Reduced KPS was found in 129 patients (65.8%). Baseline KPS had no significant prognostic significance. Deterioration of KPS during chemoradiotherapy was observed in 53 patients (27%) and had a negative predictive value for both worse-progression free survival (HR = 1.44; 95% CI: 1.03–1.99; p = 0.03) and overall survival (HR = 1.42; 95% CI: 1.02–1, 99; p = 0.04). The deterioration of KPS correlated with the disease control rate 6 weeks after the end of chemoradiotherapy (p = 0.0085). The risk of KPS worsening increased with each subsequent day between the end of chemotherapy and the start of radiotherapy (OR = 1.03; 95%CI: 1.01–1.05; p = 0.001), but decreased with each year of older age of patients (OR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.9–0.98, p = 0.009). The time between the end of chemotherapy and the start of radiotherapy determined the prognosis of NSCLC after chemoradiotherapy. It should be adjusted to the age of patients.

Nivolumab or Atezolizumab in the Second-Line Treatment of Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer? A Prognostic Index Based on Data from Daily Practice

Abstract: Background: The efficacy of nivolumab and atezolizumab in advanced pre-treated NSCLC was documented in prospective trials. We aim to confirm the benefits and indicate predictive factors for immunotherapy in daily practice. Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis. The median PFS and OS were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The log-rank test was used for comparisons. Multivariate analyses were performed using the Cox regression method. Results: A total of 260 patients (ECOG 0-1) with advanced NSCLC (CS III-IV) were eligible to receive nivolumab or atezolizumab as second-line treatment. Median PFS and OS were three months (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.57–3.42) and 10 months (95% CI 8.03–11.96), respectively, for the overall population. The median OS for the atezolizumab arm was eight months (95% CI 5.89–10.1), while for the nivolumab group, it was 14 months (95% CI 10.02–17.97) (p = 0.018). The sum of all measurable changes >100.5 mm (p = 0.007; HR = 1.003, 95% CI 1.001–1.005), PLT > 281.5 G/l (p < 0.001; HR = 1.003, 95% CI 1.001–1.003) and bone metastases (p < 0.004; HR = 1.58, 95% CI 1.04–2.38) were independent negative prognostic factors for OS in multivariate analysis. Based on preliminary analyses, a prognostic index was constructed to obtain three prognostic groups. Median OS in the subgroups was 16 months (95% CI 13.3–18.7), seven months (95% CI 4.83–9.17) and four months (95% CI 2.88–5.13), respectively (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Nivolumab and atezolizumab provided clinical benefit in real life. Clinical and laboratory factors may help to identify subgroups likely to benefit. The use of prognostic indices may be valuable in clinical practice.