Phase II combination of gefitinib and docetaxel for advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: clinical results and biological monitoring

Abstract

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib and the cytotoxic agent docetaxel are both used for the second-line treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of gefitinib in combination with docetaxel within this disease setting, and to evaluate the predictive value of assessing pre-treatment levels of soluble serum EGFR and HER2. In this open-label, noncomparative, multicenter, phase II trial, patients with nonresectable advanced or metastatic NSCLC were treated with oral gefitinib (250 mg/day) in combination with docetaxel (75 mg/m 2 IV every 3 weeks). Forty-eight patients were enrolled: 30 had progressed during or after platinum-based chemotherapy (Group A) and 18 were unsuitable for platinum-based chemotherapy (Group B). Anti-tumor activity was seen with objective response rates of 23.3% (Group A) and 11.8% (Group B). The most frequent adverse events considered to be gefitinib-related were diarrhea (57.4%) and skin-related events (dry-skin: 31.9%; rash: 29.8%; pruritus: 12.8%), and those considered to be docetaxel-related were alopecia (21.3%), nausea (19.1%), and diarrhea (17.0%). The addition of gefitinib did not seem to affect the hematological toxicity seen with docetaxel. Serum biomarker investigations revealed that patients who responded had lower serum EGFR levels than non-responders, although this association was not significant (p=0.07). In conclusion, the combination of gefitinib with docetaxel was feasible, generally well tolerated, and has activity for the treatment of advanced NSCLC. Soluble serum EGFR (and HER2 levels) did not appear to be predictive for response. Although this study confirms that the combination of gefinitib and docetaxel appears promisingly effective and tolerable, it should not be recommended as a standard option for second-line therapy in non-small cell lung cancer until results from phase III trials showing a significant superiority over docetaxel alone are available.