Health-related quality of life in the phase III ASCENT trial of sacituzumab govitecan versus standard chemotherapy in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer

Eur J Cancer. 2023 Jan:178:23-33. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2022.10.003. Epub 2022 Oct 18.

Abstract

Background: The antibody-drug conjugate sacituzumab govitecan (SG) prolongs progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with refractory/relapsed metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC). Here, we investigated its effect on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Methods: This analysis was based on the open-label phase III ASCENT trial (NCT02574455). Adults with refractory/relapsed mTNBC who had received ≥2 prior systemic therapies (≥1 in the metastatic setting) were randomised 1:1 to SG or treatment of physician's choice (TPC; capecitabine, eribulin, vinorelbine, or gemcitabine). HRQoL was assessed on day 1 of each treatment cycle using the EORTC QLQ-C30. Score changes from baseline were analysed using linear mixed-effect models for repeated measures. Stratified Cox regressions evaluated time to first clinically meaningful change of HRQoL.

Results: The analysis population comprised 236 patients randomised to SG and 183 to TPC. For global health status (GHS)/QoL, physical functioning, fatigue, and pain, changes from baseline were superior for SG versus TPC. Compared with TPC, SG was inferior regarding changes from baseline for nausea/vomiting and diarrhoea but non-inferior for other QLQ-C30 domains. Median time to first clinically meaningful worsening was longer for SG than for TPC for physical functioning (22.1 versus 12.1 weeks, P < 0.001), role functioning (11.4 versus 7.1 weeks, P < 0.001), fatigue (7.7 versus 6.0 weeks, P < 0.05), and pain (21.6 versus 9.9 weeks, P < 0.001).

Conclusions: SG was generally associated with greater improvements and delayed worsening of HRQoL scores compared with TPC. This supports the favourable profile of SG as an mTNBC treatment.

Keywords: Antibody–drug conjugate; Clinical trial; EORTC QLQ-C30; Phase III; Quality of life; Sacituzumab govitecan; Triple-negative breast neoplasms.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Fatigue / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Immunoconjugates* / adverse effects
  • Pain / drug therapy
  • Quality of Life
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms* / drug therapy

Substances

  • sacituzumab govitecan
  • Immunoconjugates