Aim: This study examined real-world treatment patterns for extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) after immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) became available for frontline use. Methods: Adult patients with ES-SCLC initiating 1L systemic treatment were identified from electronic health records. Results: Among patients with recurrent/progressive ES-SCLC, the most common treatment classes were platinum-based chemotherapy (81.1% of 228) and ICI monotherapy (35.1% of 191) in 1L and 2L, respectively. Among patients with de novo ES-SCLC, the most common treatment classes were ICI + platinum-based chemotherapy (64.4% of 1268) and other chemotherapy (44.9% of 512) in 1L and 2L, respectively. Among patients who received no ICI in 1L, 62.6%-70.3% received it in 2L and 62.6-68.5% in 3L. Some who received 1L ICI were re-treated with ICI in subsequent lines (14.5-18.8% in 2L, 18.2-50.0% in 3L). Conclusion: Real-world ICI utilization in ES-SCLC, particularly ICI re-challenge, demonstrates high unmet needs in this patient population.
Keywords: extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer; immune checkpoint inhibitor; real-world data; systemic therapy; treatment pattern.
Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a type of lung cancer that is highly lethal. About 70% of patients have advanced SCLC when they first get their diagnosis and most die within 5 years. This study focused on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), a type of treatments that can help the immune system to fight cancer and has only been approved to treat SCLC in the past 4–5 years. We studied 1496 patients with advanced SCLC treated at community cancer practices in USA between October 2018 and February 2020. Patients averaged about 68 years old when they started treatment. By looking at the types and sequences of treatments, we found that although ICI are often used to treat SCLC, patients with this aggressive cancer still need other effective treatment choices.