Calpe-Armero P, et al. - This study was planned to elucidate the effectiveness of nivolumab as second-line treatment compared to standard therapy with docetaxel in adult patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in clinical practice. Compared to NSCLC patients treated with docetaxel, patients treated with nivolumab as second-line therapy had a longer progression-free survival (PFS) in a health care environment.

Methods

• An observational, retrospective cohort study of adult patients diagnosed with NSCLC, stage III-IV, treated with docetaxel or nivolumab as second-line treatment was performed.
• Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were the assessed end points.
• Using the Kaplan-Meier method, PFS and OS were described.
• Researchers applied the Cox proportional hazards model to assess independent prognostic and predictive factors related to disease progression or death.

Results

• The study included 33 patients (i.e., 14 in the nivolumab group and 19 in the docetaxel group).
• Most frequent histological subtype was nonsquamous NSCLC.
• In this study, cohorts were homogeneous. Patients were followed up for 116 ± 87.3 days.
• For patients treated with nivolumab, the median PFS was 84 days (95% CI 39-300).
• The median PFS of 61 days (95% CI 48-76) was observed for patients treated with docetaxel.
• Compared to patients receiving docetaxel, patients treated with nivolumab indicated 60% lower risk of progression (HR 0.40; 95% CI 0.16-0.97; p = 0.043).
• The median OS was 129 days (95% CI 106-300) among the patients treated with docetaxel.
• At the end of the follow-up period, more than 50% of the patients treated with nivolumab were alive; nevertheless, the risk difference was not statistically significant (HR 0.55; 95% CI 0.20-1.51; p = 0.244).