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Findings from the phase 3 First-Line ErbituX in lung cancer (FLEX) study showed that the addition of cetuximab to first-line chemotherapy significantly improved overall survival compared with chemotherapy alone (hazard ratio [HR] 0·871, 95% CI 0·762–0·996; p=0·044) in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). To define patients benefiting most from cetuximab, we studied the association of tumour EGFR expression level with clinical outcome in FLEX study patients. We used prospectively collected tumour EGFR expression data to generate an immunohistochemistry score for FLEX study patients on a continuous scale of 0–300. We used response data to select an outcome-based discriminatory threshold immunohistochemistry score for EGFR expression of 200. Treatment outcome was analysed in patients with low (immunohistochemistry score <200) and high (≥200) tumour EGFR expression. The primary endpoint in the FLEX study was overall survival. We analysed patients from the FLEX intention-to-treat (ITT) population. The FLEX study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00148798. Tumour EGFR immunohistochemistry data were available for 1121 of 1125 (99·6%) patients from the FLEX study ITT population. High EGFR expression was scored for 345 (31%) evaluable patients and low for 776 (69%) patients. For patients in the high EGFR expression group, overall survival was longer in the chemotherapy plus cetuximab group than in the chemotherapy alone group (median 12·0 months [95% CI 10·2–15·2] vs 9·6 months [7·6–10·6]; HR 0·73, 0·58–0·93; p=0·011), with no meaningful increase in side-effects. We recorded no corresponding survival benefit for patients in the low EGFR expression group (median 9·8 months [8·9–12·2] vs 10·3 months [9·2–11·5]; HR 0·99, 0·84–1·16; p=0·88). A treatment interaction test assessing the difference in the HRs for overall survival between the EGFR expression groups suggested a predictive value for EGFR expression (p=0·044). High EGFR expression is a tumour biomarker that can predict survival benefit from the addition of cetuximab to first-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC. Assessment of EGFR expression could offer a personalised treatment approach in this setting. Merck KGaA.

Vandetanib is a once-daily oral inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and rearranged during transfection (RET) tyrosine kinases. In a randomised phase 2 study in patients with previously treated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), adding vandetanib 100 mg to docetaxel significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) compared with docetaxel alone, including a longer PFS in women. These results supported investigation of the combination in this larger, definitive phase 3 trial (ZODIAC). Between May, 2006, and April, 2008, patients with locally advanced or metastatic (stage IIIB–IV) NSCLC after progression following first-line chemotherapy were randomly assigned 1:1 through a third-party interactive voice system to receive vandetanib (100 mg/day) plus docetaxel (75 mg/m 2 intravenously every 21 days; maximum six cycles) or placebo plus docetaxel. The primary objective was comparison of PFS between the two groups in the intention-to-treat population. Women were a coprimary analysis population. This study has been completed and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00312377. 1391 patients received vandetanib plus docetaxel (n=694 [197 women]) or placebo plus docetaxel (n=697 [224 women]). Vandetanib plus docetaxel led to a significant improvement in PFS versus placebo plus docetaxel (hazard ratio [HR] 0·79, 97·58% CI 0·70–0·90; p<0·0001); median PFS was 4·0 months in the vandetanib group versus 3·2 months in placebo group. A similar improvement in PFS with vandetanib plus docetaxel versus placebo plus docetaxel was seen in women (HR 0·79, 0·62–1·00, p=0·024); median PFS was 4·6 months in the vandetanib group versus 4·2 months in the placebo group. Among grade 3 or higher adverse events, rash (63/689 [9%] vs 7/690 [1%]), neutropenia (199/689 [29%] vs 164/690 [24%]), leukopenia (99/689 [14%] vs 77/690 [11%]), and febrile neutropenia (61/689 [9%] vs 48/690 [7%]) were more common with vandetanib plus docetaxel than with placebo plus docetaxel. The most common serious adverse event was febrile neutropenia (46/689 [7%] in the vandetanib group vs 38/690 [6%] in the placebo group). The addition of vandetanib to docetaxel provides a significant improvement in PFS in patients with advanced NSCLC after progression following first-line therapy. AstraZeneca.

The randomised phase 3 First-Line Erbitux in Lung Cancer (FLEX) study showed that the addition of cetuximab to cisplatin and vinorelbine significantly improved overall survival compared with chemotherapy alone in the first-line treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The main cetuximab-related side-effect was acne-like rash. Here, we assessed the association of this acne-like rash with clinical benefit. We did a subgroup analysis of patients in the FLEX study, which enrolled patients with advanced NSCLC whose tumours expressed epidermal growth factor receptor. Our landmark analysis assessed if the development of acne-like rash in the first 21 days of treatment (first-cycle rash) was associated with clinical outcome, on the basis of patients in the intention-to-treat population alive on day 21. The FLEX study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00148798. 518 patients in the chemotherapy plus cetuximab group—290 of whom had first-cycle rash—and 540 patients in the chemotherapy alone group were alive on day 21. Patients in the chemotherapy plus cetuximab group with first-cycle rash had significantly prolonged overall survival compared with patients in the same treatment group without first-cycle rash (median 15·0 months [95% CI 12·8–16·4] vs 8·8 months [7·6–11·1]; hazard ratio [HR] 0·631 [0·515–0·774]; p<0·0001). Corresponding significant associations were also noted for progression-free survival (median 5·4 months [5·2–5·7] vs 4·3 months [4·1–5·3]; HR 0·741 [0·607–0·905]; p=0·0031) and response (rate 44·8% [39·0–50·8] vs 32·0% [26·0–38·5]; odds ratio 1·703 [1·186–2·448]; p=0·0039). Overall survival for patients without first-cycle rash was similar to that of patients that received chemotherapy alone (median 8·8 months [7·6–11·1] vs 10·3 months [9·6–11·3]; HR 1·085 [0·910–1·293]; p=0·36). The significant overall survival benefit for patients with first-cycle rash versus without was seen in all histology subgroups: adenocarcinoma (median 16·9 months, [14·1–20·6] vs 9·3 months [7·7–13·2]; HR 0·614 [0·453–0·832]; p=0·0015), squamous-cell carcinoma (median 13·2 months [10·6–16·0] vs 8·1 months [6·7–12·6]; HR 0·659 [0·472–0·921]; p=0·014), and carcinomas of other histology (median 12·6 months [9·2–16·4] vs 6·9 months [5·2–11·0]; HR 0·616 [0·392–0·966]; p=0·033). First-cycle rash was associated with a better outcome in patients with advanced NSCLC who received cisplatin and vinorelbine plus cetuximab as a first-line treatment. First-cycle rash might be a surrogate clinical marker that could be used to tailor cetuximab treatment for advanced NSCLC to those patients who would be most likely to derive a significant benefit. Merck KGaA.

In a randomized study of second-line therapy, treatment with nivolumab, an anti–PD-1 antibody, resulted in responses in more people and in better overall survival than did docetaxel. Squamous-cell carcinoma represents approximately 30% of all cases of non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). 1 Treatment for advanced squamous-cell NSCLC remains an unmet need; little therapeutic progress has been made since the approval of docetaxel for second-line treatment in 1999. 2 – 4 Most new agents for the treatment of NSCLC are not indicated for this subtype because of their toxicity or lack of efficacy or because their activity is limited to tumors with specific genetic alterations that are rarely found in squamous-cell NSCLC. 5 – 7 Furthermore, no single-agent therapy has resulted in better survival than that seen with docetaxel. The programmed death 1 (PD-1) . . .

Immune checkpoint inhibition, especially the blockade of PD-1 and PD-L1, has become one of the most thriving therapeutic approaches in modern oncology. Immune evasion caused by altered tumor epitope processing (so-called processing escapes) may be one way to explain immune checkpoint inhibition therapy failure. In the present study, we aim to demonstrate the effects of processing escapes on immunotherapy outcome in NSCLC patients. Whole exome sequencing data of 400 NSCLC patients (AdC and SCC) were extracted from the TCGA database. The ICB cohort was composed of primary tumor probes from 48 NSCLC patients treated with nivolumab. Mutations were identified by targeted amplicon-based sequencing including hotspots and whole exomes of 22 genes. The effect of mutations on proteasomal processing was evaluated by deep learning methods previously trained on 1260 known MHC-I ligands. Cox regression modelling was used to determine the influence on overall survival. In the TCGA cohort, processing escapes were associated with decreased overall survival (p= 0.0140). In the ICB cohort, patients showing processing escapes in combination with high levels of PD-L1 (n=8/48) also showed significantly decreased overall survival, independently of mutational load or PD-L1 status. The concept of altered epitope processing may help to understand immunotherapy failure. Especially when combined with PD-L1 status, this method can be used as a biomarker to identify patients not suitable for immunotherapy.

Improved chemo radio therapy can be an alternative way to increase the effectiveness of conservative treatment for stage III NSCLC by adequately improving local control. [...] decisions made on the basis of the risks to the patient, extent of mediastinal involvement, and location of the primary tumour could provide a solution for technically resectable tumours in the future.

To assess the utility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI parameters in the demonstration of early antiangiogenic effects and as prognostic biomarkers in second-line treatment of advanced-stage non-small-cell lung cancer with vatalanib. The transfer constant (K ) and the initial area under the contrast concentration-time curve at 60 s (AUC ) were assessed in 46 patients. Changes were compared with response evaluation from computed tomography imaging and Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors guidelines. Statistically significant mean reductions in K (38.4%; p < 0.0001) and AUC (24.9%; p < 0.0001) were found at day 2. After 12 weeks, 16 patients (35%) demonstrated stable disease and 30 (65%) demonstrated progressive disease. No statistically significant differences in day 2 K and AUC reductions between stable disease and progressive disease patients were found. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI can demonstrate a statistically significant reduction in vascular parameters of non-small-cell lung cancer, but does not predict patient outcome.