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) vs. 4.2 (95% CI: 2.3-4.8) months, P=0.1142, OS; 10.0 (95% CI: 5.2-14.8) vs. 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.
Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://tlcr.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/tlcr-22-225/coif). Kohei Kushiro has received personal fees from Kyowa Kirin. SW has received personal fees from Eli Lilly, Novartis Pharma, Chugai Pharma, Boehringer Ingelheim, Ono Pharmaceutical, Taiho Pharmaceutical, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers, MSD and Daiichi Sankyo. AO has received personal fees from DAIICHI SANKYO COMPANY, Nipro Corporation and Chugai Pharma. SS has received personal fees from Chugai Pharma, Taiho Pharma, AstraZeneca and MSD. KN has received personal fees from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, MSD and Taiho Pharmaceutical. Yu Saida has received personal fees from Chugai Pharmaceutical, Nippon Kayaku and Ono Pharmaceutical. TO has received personal fees from Chugai Pharmaceutical, AstraZeneca, Taiho Pharmaceutical, Bristol-Myers and Kyowa Kirin. KI has received personal fees from AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers, Ono Pharmaceutical, Novartis International AG, Kyowa Kirin, Chugai Pharma, Boehringer Ingelheim, Taiho Pharmaceutical and Daiichi Sankyo Company. Kenichi Koyama has received personal fees from Ono Pharma, Chugai Pharma and AstraZeneca. Toshiaki Kikuchi has received grants and personal fees from Chugai Pharma, Eli Lilly, Taiho Pharmaceutical, Ono Pharmaceutical, Shionogi, KYORIN Pharmaceutical, Boehringer Ingelheim, MSD, Daiichi Sankyo, AstraZeneca, TEIJIN PHARMA and Nobelpharma; personal fees from Janssen Pharmaceutical, Insmed, AN2 Therapeutics, Bristol-Myers, Taisho Toyama Pharmaceutical, Japan BCG Laboratory, Mylan N.V., Astellas Pharma, Pfizer, Novartis and Roche Diagnostics; and participates in Janssen Pharmaceutical’s data safety oversight or advisory committee. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
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