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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Phase II study of pemetrexed (Pem) and cisplatin (Cis) plus cetuximab (Cet) followed by Pem and Cet maintenance therapy in patients (Pts) with advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

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7554 Background: A prospective, nonrandomized, multicenter study was conducted to assess the effect of adding cet to pem and cis in pts with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC. Methods: 113 Caucasian performance status 0-1 pts received 1st line pem (500 mg/m2) and cis (75 mg/m2) on day 1 (21d cycle) for 4-6 cycles and cet (400 mg/m2 loading dose followed by 250 mg/m2) weekly. Non-progressive pts received pem 500 mg/m2 on day 1 (21d cycle) plus cet (250mg/m2 weekly) until progression. Pts received vitamin B12/folic acid and dexamethasone. Primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) (RECIST 1.0). Secondary endpoints were progression free survival (PFS), 1 year survival rate, translational research (TR) and safety. Results: Pts’ characteristics: median age 59.7 years, 64% male, 50% PS 0, 92% stage IV, and 78% adenocarcinoma. All pts completed ≥ 1 cycle of induction therapy and 45% and 43% completed ≥ 1 cycle of maintenance with pem and cet, respectively. ORR (n=109) was 38.5% (80% CI 32.2-45.1), all partial responses. Disease control rate (response/stable disease) was 59.6% (80% CI: 53.1-65.9). Median PFS was 5.82 months (80% CI: 4.40-6.70). One year survival rate was 0.45 (80% CI: 0.39-0.51). Significant associations were seen between high EGFR by IHC and increased PFS (cytoplasm: HR=0.46, p=0.035; membrane: HR=0.41, p=0.008), and between high nuclear TTF-1 and increased ORR (OR=7.73, p=0.021) / PFS (HR=0.21, p<0.001) / OS (HR=0.25, p=0.035). Of 113 pts evaluated for safety, 73 (64.6%) pts had drug related CTC Grade 3/4 adverse events (AE): most frequent were neutropenia (14.2%), rash (15%), and vomiting (8.8%). Drug related serious AEs were reported in 27.4% pts: most frequent were anemia (5.3%), neutropenia (5.3%), vomiting (3.5%), and rash, renal failure, diarrhea and fatigue (1.8% each). There were 2 potential on-study drug related deaths (sudden death and large intestinal perforation). Conclusions: Pem, cis and cet appeared efficacious and tolerable. These results support further evaluation in a randomized trial. The TR outcomes are hypothesis generating given the study’s size and nonrandomized nature.