524P - A study in recurrent small cell lung cancer patients, comparing weekly paclitaxel, irinotecan and temozolomide in second-line: A prospective study from a south Indian tertiary cancer hospital

Background

Recurrence is a rule after 1st line therapy in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Patients who would not tolerate platinum or who recur within 6 months of 1st line therapy; choice of 2nd line is not well defined in them.

Methods

SCLC patients, who progressed within 6 months after 1st line, or at anytime but who are not candidates for platinum, were non-randomly assigned to receive Paclitaxel 80mg/m² weekly or Irinotecan 100mg/m² weekly, till progression or for 12 cycles, or Temozolomide 75mg/m² 21days, every 4 weekly for 6 cycles in patients with brain metastasis. Response, toxicities, survival durations were noted.

Results

In Irinotecan arm 1(12.5%) had PR, 2(25%) had SD and 3(37.5%) had PD (Response rate[RR]=37.5%). In the Taxane arm, 2(9.5%) had CR, 8(38.0%) had PR, 5(23.8%) had SD, and 6(28.5%) had PD (RR = 71.4%). 2(33.3%) had PR, 1(16.6%) had SD (RR = 50%) in the Temozolomade arm. Mean and median PFS after 2nd line after a min follow up of 18 months was 2.27 and 1.5 months for the whole cohort. Same for Taxane, Irinotecan and Temozolomide were (3.04 and 3 months), (0.81 and 0 months) and (1.5 and 0 months) respectively (p = 0.035). HR for progression for Taxane and Irinotecan were (0.565 p = 0.24, 95% CI [0.218-1.464]) and (1.358 p = 0.575, 95% CI [0.466-3.957]) respectively. Avg grade ¾ haematologic toxicities, febrile neutropenia, GI and hepatotoxicities were lowest for Taxane (0.81/patient p = 0.001, 0.48/patient p = 0.047, 1.14/patient p = 0.137 and 0.19/patient p = 0.08 respectively). Hypersensitivity (all grades) were more common for Irinotecan than taxane (0.62 vs 0.33/patient, p = 0.196). 3 patients died of causes attributed to therapy (2 out of 8 [25%] of Irinotecan arm, 1 out of 21 [4.7%] of Taxane arm). Median OS for the whole cohort was 11.5 months; highest for Taxane 12.5 months> 11 months for Temozolomide>9.5 months for Irinotecan, p = 0.185. HR for death for Taxane and Irinotecan were (0.643 p = 0.376, 95% CI [0.242-1.710]) and (1.383 p = 0.550, 95% CI [0.477-4.009]) respectively.

Conclusions

Weekly Paclitaxel in 2nd line may have favourable toxicity profile and response rate comparable to Irinotecan or Temozolomide; may translate into better quality of life and OS.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The authors.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.