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T. Koba



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    P1.10 - Poster Session 1 - Chemotherapy (ID 204)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Poster Session
    • Track: Medical Oncology
    • Presentations: 1
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      P1.10-015 - Phase II study of pemetrexed plus intermittent erlotinib combination therapy for pretreated advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer with documentation of epidermal growth factor receptor mutation status (ID 959)

      09:30 - 09:30  |  Author(s): T. Koba

      • Abstract

      Background
      Erlotinib and pemetrexed are recommended for the second-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). With the recommended doses determined by our previous phase I study [BMC Cancer 2012;12(1):296], we conducted a phase II study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination of the two agents in patients with pretreated non-squamous NSCLC.Erlotinib and pemetrexed are recommended for the second-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). With the recommended doses determined by our previous phase I study [BMC Cancer 2012;12(1):296], we conducted a phase II study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination of the two agents in patients with pretreated non-squamous NSCLC.

      Methods
      Patients with stage III/IV or post-surgically recurrent non-squamous NSCLC whose disease had progressed after first-line chemotherapy were enrolled. Patients received 500 mg/m[2] of intravenous pemetrexed every 21 days and 150 mg of oral erlotinib on days 2–16 until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary objective was the response rate (RR). The secondary objectives were the disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and safety.

      Results
      A total of 27 patients, 16 males and 11 females, with the median age of 70 (range, 48–80) were enrolled. They included 21 stage IV diseases and 22 adenocarcinomas. The Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations were examined in all patients and only one patient was positive. The median number of treatment courses was 3 (range, 1 to over 19). The RR and DCR were 11.1% and 63.0%. The median PFS and OS were 2.8 months (95% confidence interval (CI); 1.9 to 7.5) and 15.8 months (95% CI; 9.3 to not available), respectively. As for safety, dermal, hepatic, gastrointestinal and hematological disorders were the frequently observed adverse events. Grade 3/4 toxicities observed in more than 15% patients were neutropenia (n = 10), anemia (n = 6), febrile neutropenia (n = 6), ande anorexia (n = 5). One patient experienced grade 3 drug-induced interstitial lung disease.

      Conclusion
      We could not demonstrate the add-on effect of intermittent erlotinib on pemetrexed in the second-line treatment of non-squamous NSCLC without EGFR mutations.

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    P2.10 - Poster Session 2 - Chemotherapy (ID 207)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Poster Session
    • Track: Medical Oncology
    • Presentations: 1
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      P2.10-028 - Efficacy and safety of erlotinib in elderly versus non-elderly patients: analysis of the POLARSTAR study of 9,909 Japanese non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with erlotinib. (ID 1591)

      09:30 - 09:30  |  Author(s): T. Koba

      • Abstract

      Background
      Compared with younger patients, elderly NSCLC patients are often considered unfit for standard chemotherapy due to increased chemotherapy-related toxicity, more comorbidities, and the consequent deterioration in patient quality of life. Erlotinib, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), has demonstrated survival benefits with good tolerability in previously treated NSCLC patients regardless of EGFR mutation status. Erlotinib has become a standard treatment for this indication. As it is well tolerated compared with cytotoxic agents, erlotinib is also expected to be a valid treatment option for previously treated elderly NSCLC patients. This analysis of the POLARSTAR surveillance study compared the efficacy and safety of erlotinib treatment for elderly versus non-elderly patients.

      Methods
      From December 2007 to October 2009 all recurrent/advanced NSCLC patients in Japan treated with erlotinib were enrolled onto the POLARSTAR surveillance study. Erlotinib efficacy and safety data were analyzed by age group: Group A <75 years; Group B 75–84 years; and Group C ≥85 years. Kaplan–Meier methods were used to estimate median progression-free survival (PFS). All adverse event reports were collected and graded using the NCI-CTCAE version 3.0 and coded using MedDRA version 14.1.

      Results
      Of 9,909 patients evaluated, 9,907 were eligible for safety assessment (Group A, n=7,848; Group B, n=1,911; Group C, n=148). Baseline characteristics (including histology, smoking status and performance status [PS]) were well-balanced between groups. Non-hematologic toxicities are shown (Table). Grade 1–4 hematologic toxicities (neutropenia/leukopenia/anemia/thrombocytopenia) were observed at <1.0% in each group. One patient had grade 5 anemia (Group A) and one patient had grade 5 thrombocytopenia (Group B). A total of 9,651 patients were eligible for efficacy assessment. The median PFS was 65 days for Group A (n=7,701), 74 days for Group B (n=1,815) and 72 days for Group C (n=135). In patients with clinical features associated with better EGFR TKI efficacy (adenocarcinoma/non-smoker/PS 0–2/second- or third-line setting/EGFR TKI naïve) the median PFS was 176 days (Group A, n=651), 213 days (Group B, n=180), and 341 days (Group C, n=14). Figure 1

      Conclusion
      Efficacy and tolerability of erlotinib treatment for elderly patients (≥75 years) with previously treated NSCLC was similar to that seen in younger patients. Erlotinib could be considered as standard therapy for elderly NSCLC patients in second- or later line treatment settings.