Phase III trial of paclitaxel plus carboplatin with or without tirapazamine in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: Southwest Oncology Group Trial S0003.
OBJECTIVE
Tumor hypoxia confers chemotherapy resistance. Tirapazamine is a cytotoxin that selectively targets hypoxic cells. We conducted a phase III clinical trial to determine whether the addition of tirapazamine to paclitaxel and carboplatin offered a survival advantage when used in the treatment of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).


METHODS
Of 396 patients registered, 367 eligible patients were randomly assigned to either arm 1 (n = 181), which consisted of treatment every 21 days with paclitaxel 225 mg/m2/3 h, carboplatin (area under the curve = 6), and tirapazamine 260 mg/m2 in cycle 1 (which was escalated, if tolerable, to 330 mg/m(2) in cycle 2), or arm 2 (n = 186), which consisted of paclitaxel and carboplatin as in arm 1 with no tirapazamine.


RESULTS
Patient characteristics were similar between the two arms. There were no statistically significant differences in response rates, progression-free survival, or overall survival. Patients on arm 1 had significantly (P < .05) more abdominal cramps, fatigue, transient hearing loss, febrile neutropenia, hypotension, myalgias, and skin rash and were removed from treatment more often as a result of toxicity than patients in arm 2 (26% v 13%, respectively; P = .003). More than 40% of patients did not have the tirapazamine dose escalated, primarily because of toxicity. The trial was closed early after an interim analysis demonstrated that the projected 37.5% improvement in survival (8 v 11 months median survival) in arm 1 was unachievable (P = .003).


CONCLUSIONS
The addition of tirapazamine to paclitaxel and carboplatin does not result in improved survival in advanced NSCLC compared with paclitaxel and carboplatin alone but substantially increases toxicity.
Williamson
Stephen K
SK
University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.
Crowley
John J
JJ
Lara
Primo N
PN
McCoy
Jason
J
Lau
Derick H M
DH
Tucker
Robert W
RW
Mills
Glenn M
GM
Gandara
David R
DR
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016019:Survival Analysis; D000077704:Tirapazamine; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014227:Triazines / Q000008:administration & dosage
D014227:Triazines; D000077704:Tirapazamine; D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel