Combination Therapy Shows Promise in Extending Survival for Lung Cancer Patients

The use of maintenance therapy combining lurbinectedin and atezolizumab has been found to significantly improve survival rates for patients suffering from extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC), according to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

In a study involving 660 treatment-naive patients diagnosed with ES-SCLC, participants initially underwent standard induction therapy that included atezolizumab, carboplatin, and etoposide over four cycles. Those who did not experience disease progression were then randomly assigned to receive either a combination of lurbinectedin (administered at a dosage of 3.2 mg/m² with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor prophylaxis) along with atezolizumab (at 1,200 mg) or atezolizumab alone. The maintenance treatment was administered every three weeks until the disease progressed, the patient experienced unacceptable side effects, or chose to withdraw from the study.

After a median follow-up of 15 months, the study's independent review indicated that patients receiving the combination therapy experienced a notable improvement in progression-free survival compared to those on atezolizumab alone, with a stratified hazard ratio of 0.54. Furthermore, overall survival rates also showed significant enhancement with the combined therapy, marked by a stratified hazard ratio of 0.73.

Patients in the combination therapy group had a median treatment duration of 4.1 months with lurbinectedin and 4.2 months with atezolizumab, while those on atezolizumab alone had a median duration of 2.1 months.

However, it is essential to note that treatment-related adverse events were reported in 83.5% of patients receiving the combination therapy, in contrast to 40.0% in the atezolizumab-only group. Discontinuation of treatment due to adverse events occurred in 6.2% of patients in the combination group compared to 3.3% in the atezolizumab cohort.

This study's findings represent a significant advancement in the treatment landscape for this aggressive form of lung cancer, offering new hope and options for patients battling ES-SCLC.