Induction with four cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy was the standard of care for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) until the approval of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) in the first-line setting. Switch maintenance therapy has shown promise in improving survival by exposing patients to novel, non-cross–resistant agents earlier in their treatment course.
We performed this open-label, three-arm, randomized phase II study (NCT02684461) to evaluate three sequences of consolidation with pembrolizumab and nab-paclitaxel in patients without progressive disease post induction chemotherapy. Consolidation was either sequential with pembrolizumab for four cycles followed by nab-paclitaxel for four cycles (P→A), nab-paclitaxel followed by pembrolizumab (A→P), or concurrent nab-paclitaxel and pembrolizumab for four cycles (AP).
Twenty patients were randomized before the study was closed early due to the approval of first-line checkpoint inhibitors. We found that consolidation is feasible and well tolerated, with 30% of patients experiencing grade 3 toxicity. The median progression-free survival and OS in months (95% CI) in P→A were 10.1 (1.5–NR), 27.6 (1.7–NR); 8.4 (1.2–9.0), 12.7 (4.4–NR) in A→P; and 10.2 (5.1–NR), NR. Quality of life as measured by FACT-L improved in the majority of patients during the course of the study.
Sequential and concurrent consolidation regimens are well tolerated and have encouraging overall survival in patients with metastatic NSCLC.