Chinese researchers have reported that the addition of benmelstobart (TQB2450) to anlotinib (AL3818) and etoposide plus carboplatin chemotherapy delayed cancer progression and prolonged survival compared to standard chemotherapy alone when used as the initial treatment of patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC).1
About Small Cell Lung Cancer
Small cell lung cancers (SCLC) account for roughly 13% of all lung cancers and are primarily diagnosed in smokers or former smokers. They differ from other types of lung cancer in that they spread very quickly throughout the body via the blood and lymphatic system.2
Benmelstobart a novel PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor was combined with anlotinib, an antivascular agent, plus standard chemotherapy and evaluated in 738 patients with ES-SCLC who were between the ages of 18 years and 75 years and who had not previously received systemic treatment.
The addition of benmelstobart improved the average survival duration without cancer progression from 4 to 7 months. The 12-month cancer progression free survival rates were improved to 28% from 2% and 42% of patients survived 2 years compared with 24% of those not treated with benmelstobart.
The most common side effects were decreased blood cell counts, weight loss, and increased thyroid hormone levels.
“As you all know, seeing separation of survival curves in SCLC like that is quite remarkable and simply something we don’t see often in lung cancer, so hopefully this presentation will be robustly discussed,” Brendon M. Stiles, MD, moderator and chair of the IASLC Communications Committee said during the briefing. Stiles is also professor and chief of Thoracic Surgery and Surgical Oncology in the Department of Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery at Montefiore-Einstein, and associate director of Surgical Services in the Montefiore-Einstein Cancer Center.
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Benmelstobart is not currently available in the United States.
References
- Cheng Y, Yang R, Chen J, et al. Benmelstobart with anlotinib plus chemotherapy as first-line therapy for ES-SCLC: a randomized, double-blind, phase III trial (ETER701). Presented at: 2023 World Lung Cancer Conference; September 9-12, 2023; Singapore, Republic of Singapore. OA01.03
- Govindan R, Page N, Morgensztern D et al. Changing epidemiology of small-cell lung cancer in the United States over the last 30 years: analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiologic, and End Results database. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2006; 24:4539-44.
