Survival Analysis for Patients with ALK Rearrangement-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and a Poor Performance Status Treated with Alectinib: Updated Results of Lung Oncology Group in Kyushu 1401

Oncologist. 2020 Apr;25(4):306-e618. doi: 10.1634/theoncologist.2019-0728. Epub 2019 Oct 30.

Abstract

Lessons learned: Alectinib confers a pronounced survival benefit in patients with ALK rearrangement-positive non-small cell lung cancer and a poor performance status. Survival benefit of alectinib for patients with a poor performance status was consistent regardless of the presence of central nervous system metastases.

Background: We previously reported a marked objective response rate (ORR) and safety for alectinib treatment in patients with ALK rearrangement-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and a poor performance status (PS) in the Lung Oncology Group in Kyushu (LOGiK) 1401 study. It remained unclear, however, whether alectinib might also confer a long-term survival benefit in such patients.

Methods: Eighteen patients with ALK rearrangement-positive advanced NSCLC and a PS of 2, 3, or 4 (n = 12, 5, and 1, respectively) were enrolled in LOGiK1401 between September 2014 and December 2015 and received alectinib. We have now updated the survival data for the study.

Results: The median follow-up time for all patients was 27.3 months. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 16.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.1-30.8 months), and the median survival time (MST) and the 3-year overall survival rate were 30.3 months (95% CI, 11.5 months to not reached) and 43.8% (95% CI, 20.8-64.7%), respectively. This survival benefit was similarly manifest in patients with a PS of 2 (MST, 20.5 months) and those with a PS of ≥3 (MST, not reached). PFS did not differ between patients with or without central nervous system (CNS) metastases at baseline (median of 17.5 and 16.2 months, respectively, p = .886).

Conclusion: Alectinib showed a pronounced survival benefit for patients with ALK rearrangement-positive NSCLC and a poor PS regardless of the presence of CNS metastases, a patient population for which chemotherapy is not indicated.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase / genetics
  • Carbazoles / therapeutic use
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* / genetics
  • Crizotinib
  • Humans
  • Lung
  • Lung Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Piperidines
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Survival Analysis

Substances

  • Carbazoles
  • Piperidines
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Crizotinib
  • Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase
  • alectinib