Gemcitabine in Combination With Either Cisplatin or Carboplatin in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Gemcitabine in Combination With Either Cisplatin or Carboplatin in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

A British Thoracic Oncology Group Phase III Trial of Gemcitabine Plus Cisplatin at 80mg/m Versus Gemcitabine Plus Carboplatin At 50 mg/m Versus Gemcitabine Plus Carboplatin AUC 6 in Stage IIIB/IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as gemcitabine, cisplatin, and carboplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known whether giving gemcitabine together with cisplatin is more effective than giving gemcitabine together with carboplatin in treating non-small cell lung cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying gemcitabine and cisplatin to see how well they work compared to gemcitabine and carboplatin in treating patients with stage III or stage IV non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Primary Compare the efficacy of gemcitabine in combination with 2 different doses of cisplatin vs carboplatin, in terms of survival time, in patients with stage IIIB or IV non-small cell lung cancer. Secondary Compare symptom control and quality of life of patients treated with these regimens. Compare response in patients treated with these regimens. Compare the dose intensity of these regimens in these patients. Compare the ratio of courses of treatment given as in-patient vs out-patient in these patients. Compare the intensity and number and duration of toxic episodes in patients treated with these regimens. Compare cost and cost-effectiveness of these regimens in these patients. OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to WHO performance status (0 vs 1 or 2), disease stage (IIIB vs IV), and participating center. Patients are randomized to 1 of 3 treatment arms. Arm I: Patients receive gemcitabine IV over 30 minutes on days 1 and 8 and cisplatin IV over 1 hour on day 1. Arm II: Patients receive gemcitabine as in arm I and cisplatin (at a lower dose than in arm I) IV over 1 hour on day 1. Arm III: Patients receive gemcitabine as in arm I and carboplatin IV over 1 hour on day 1. In all arms, treatment repeats every 21 days for 2 courses. Patients are reassessed after 2 courses. Patients with responding disease or stable disease with symptom improvement receive 2 additional courses of therapy in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients with disease progression or stable disease without symptom improvement are removed from the study. Quality of life is assessed at baseline, on day 1 of courses 2-4, at completion of study treatment, and then monthly for 6 months. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed monthly for 6 months and then periodically thereafter for survival. Peer Reviewed and Funded or Endorsed by Cancer Research UK PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 1,350 patients (450 per treatment arm) will be accrued for this study within 6 years.

Symptom control and quality of life as measured by the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 Items and Lung Cancer supplement 13 together with EuroQol-5 domain questionnaire

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), meeting 1 of the following stage criteria: Stage IIIB disease* that is not suitable for radical radiotherapy Stage IV disease* NOTE: *Radiographically verified At least 1 measurable lesion by clinical examination or radiography No mixed histologies of small cell lung cancer and NSCLC No clinically apparent brain metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age 18 and over Performance status WHO 0-2 Life expectancy At least 12 weeks Hematopoietic WBC ≥ 3,000/mm³ Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³ Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL Hepatic AST < 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN if liver metastases are present) Alkaline phosphatase < 3 times ULN Bilirubin < 1.5 times ULN Renal Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min (by Wright equation) OR ≥ 70 mL/min (by ^51Cr-EDTA clearance) Other Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception Able and willing to participate in the quality of life assessment No pre-existing neuropathy > grade 2 No other malignancy that would preclude study treatment or study comparisons No evidence of severe or uncontrolled systemic disease, significant clinical disorder, or laboratory finding that would preclude study participation No psychiatric disorder that would preclude study participation No other condition that would preclude study compliance PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy No concurrent immunotherapy Chemotherapy No prior chemotherapy, including neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy No other concurrent cytotoxic chemotherapy Endocrine therapy No concurrent hormonal therapy except contraceptives or replacement steroids Radiotherapy No prior radiotherapy Surgery Recovered from prior surgery Prior surgical resection for NSCLC allowed Other More than 12 weeks since prior investigational agents and recovered No other concurrent specific antitumor therapy No other concurrent investigational agents

Ferry D, Billingham L, Jarrett H, Dunlop D, Woll PJ, Nicolson M, Shah R, Thompson J, Spicer J, Muthukumar D, Skailes G, Leonard P, Chetiyawardana AD, Wells P, Lewanski C, Crosse B, Hill M, Gaunt P, O'Byrne K. Carboplatin versus two doses of cisplatin in combination with gemcitabine in the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: Results from a British Thoracic Oncology Group randomised phase III trial. Eur J Cancer. 2017 Sep;83:302-312. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2017.05.037. Epub 2017 Aug 4.