For Small Cell Lung Cancer, Rechallenge Chemotherapy Not Superior to Other Regimens

the Cancer Therapy Advisor take:

Rechallenge chemotherapty is not superior to other chemotherapies for patients with sensitive-relapse small cell lung cancer (SCLC), according to a Japanese study published in the American Journal of Clinical Oncology. Therefore, monotherapy such as amrubicin may be a reasonable form of second-line chemotherapy.

Researchers led by Kazushige Wakuda, PhD, from the Shizuoka Cancer Center Hospital in Japan looked at 65 patients who were assessable for efficacy and safety evaluation in order to evaluate the effect of rechallenge chemotherapy compared to those treated with other regimens in sensitive-relapse SCLC.

Endpoints were overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and toxicity. Sensitive-relapse was defined as treatment-free intervals of 90 days or more.

They found no significant difference in OS between the rechallenge group (14.4 months) and those that were treated with other regimens (13.1 months), including amrubicin.

The researchers also found no difference in response to first-line treatment, although treatment-free intervals were significantly longer in the rechallenge group.