Efficacy and safety of amrubicin therapy after chemoimmunotherapy in small cell lung cancer patients.

BACKGROUND

Although the addition of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) to platinum-doublet chemotherapy has improved the efficacy of first-line therapy in extensive-disease small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients, the best treatment option for patients with recurrent SCLC has not yet been determined. We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of amrubicin (AMR) therapy after treatment with ICIs.

METHODS

We retrospectively assessed patients with recurrent SCLC who received AMR after chemoimmunotherapy at the Niigata Lung Cancer Treatment Group from August 2019 to February 2021.

RESULTS

This analysis included 30 patients. The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 3.8 (95% CI: 2.7-4.2) and 10 (95% CI: 7.4-14.8) months, respectively. The median PFS and OS did not significantly differ between the sensitive and refractory groups [PFS; 3.1 (95% CI: 1.1-4.0) 4.2 (95% CI: 2.3-4.8) months, P=0.1142, OS; 10.0 (95% CI: 5.2-14.8) 10.4 (95% CI: 3.8-NE) months, P=0.5525]. The most common adverse event was grade ≥3 neutropenia, which occurred in 22 of 30 patients (73%), and 2 patients (7%) discontinued AMR due to adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

AMR after chemoimmunotherapy shows good clinical efficacy and safety in patients with recurrent SCLC.