Randomized phase II multicenter trial of two schedules of lapatinib as first- or second-line monotherapy in patients with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
This randomized phase II study was initially designed to test the activity of two dose schedules of lapatinib (GW572016H), an oral, reversible, dual tyrosine kinase inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and human EGFR-2 (HER2/neu; HER2), in chemotherapy-naive patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); it was later amended to target patients with bronchioloalveolar carcinoma or no smoking history.


METHODS
Patients with good performance status and recurrent or metastatic NSCLC were randomized to lapatinib (orally, 1,500 mg once daily or 500 mg twice daily) until progression or intolerance. Patients could have had a maximum of one prior systemic therapy (chemotherapy or biological therapy) for NSCLC. Safety and activity were assessed every 4 and 8 weeks, respectively. Tumors were analyzed for EGFR and HER2 mutations and/or amplifications.


RESULTS
Of 75 patients in the nontargeted population, 1 (1.3%) had partial response and 16 (21%) had stable disease of >or=24 weeks. No complete or partial responses were observed in 56 patients in the targeted population; 14 (25%) had stable disease of >or=24 weeks. No responses were seen in three patients with EGFR mutations and five with EGFR gene amplification. No mutations in HER2 were found. One of two patients with HER2 amplification had a 51% decrease in tumor size; however, this response was unconfirmed. The most common adverse events were grade 1 or 2 diarrhea, rash, fatigue, nausea, and anorexia. Adverse events were similar across dosing regimens.


CONCLUSIONS
Lapatinib was well tolerated, with no notable difference in toxicity between treatment groups. Lapatinib monotherapy did not induce a significant number of tumor regressions in NSCLC. Further studies may be warranted to determine whether lapatinib is active in combination with other agents in the treatment of NSCLC.
Ross
Helen J
HJ
Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona 85259, USA. Ross.Helen@mayo.edu
Blumenschein
George R
GR
Aisner
Joseph
J
Damjanov
Nevena
N
Dowlati
Afshin
A
Garst
Jennifer
J
Rigas
James R
JR
Smylie
Michael
M
Hassani
Habib
H
Allen
Kimberly E
KE
Leopold
Lance
L
Zaks
Tal Z
TZ
Shepherd
Frances A
FA
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002282:Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077341:Lapatinib; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D000077341:Lapatinib; D011799:Quinazolines; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; C512478:EGFR protein, human; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human