Back to Search Start Over

Maintenance treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: Results of an International Expert Panel Meeting of the Italian Association of Thoracic Oncology

Authors :
Massimo Di Maio
Federico Cappuzzo
Francesco Perrone
Luigi De Petris
Filippo de Marinis
Fortunato Ciardiello
Robert Pirker
Rolf A. Stahel
Panagiotis Fidias
Luis Paz-Ares
Chandra P. Belani
Andrea Ardizzoni
Cesare Gridelli
University of Zurich
Gridelli, Cesare
Gridelli, C
de Marinis, F
Di Maio, M
Ardizzoni, A
Belani, Cp
Cappuzzo, F
Ciardiello, Fortunato
Fidias, P
Paz Ares, L
Perrone, F
Pirker, R
De Petris, L
Stahel, R.
de Marinis, Filippo
Di Maio, Massimo
Ardizzoni, Andrea
Belani, Chandra P.
Cappuzzo, Federico
Fidias, Panagioti
Paz-Ares, Lui
Perrone, Francesco
Pirker, Robert
De Petris, Luigi
Stahel, Rolf
Source :
Lung Cancer. 76:269-279
Publication Year :
2012
Publisher :
Elsevier BV, 2012.

Abstract

Several randomized trials have recently investigated the role of maintenance treatment for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with responding or stable disease after completion of first-line chemotherapy. Maintenance strategy has relevant implications in terms of potential toxicity, logistics and costs, and all of these aspects should be taken into account, together with the magnitude of benefit for the patient. In order to assess the strengths and limitations of available evidence, to help clinical practice, and to suggest priorities for future clinical research, the Italian Association of Thoracic Oncology (AIOT) organized an International Experts Panel Meeting on maintenance treatment of advanced NSCLC, which took place in Sperlonga (Italy) in May 2011. Based on the available evidence, panelists agreed that maintenance therapy represents a treatment option in advanced NSCLC. Maintenance should be discussed with patients not progressed after 4-6 cycles of first-line chemotherapy, who are fit (performance status 0-1) and without persistent chemotherapy-induced toxicity. Patients need to be well informed about potential advantages and disadvantages of accepting additional therapy without a "treatment-free period" Two different strategies, switch or continuation maintenance, are supported by available evidence. At the moment, there is no direct comparison between switch maintenance and continuation maintenance. For future trials, the panel recommends the use of overall survival as the primary endpoint, with pre-defined second-line treatment. Translational research is essential to identify predictive factors, and should be performed, whenever feasible, in order to achieve treatment optimization with proper patient selection. © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Details

ISSN :
01695002
Volume :
76
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Lung Cancer
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....71c04cbdb04bb2a56e080667992d4681