Cetuximab for the treatment of advanced bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC): an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group phase II study (ECOG 1504)

Abstract

Purpose: Inhibitors of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase have demonstrated modest anticancer activity in advanced bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC). We conducted a phase II study to evaluate cetuximab for the treatment of advanced BAC.

Patients and methods: Patients with advanced-stage pure BAC or adenocarcinoma with BAC features, fewer than two prior chemotherapy regimens, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 to 2 were eligible. Those with prior EGFR inhibitor therapy were excluded. Cetuximab was given as a weekly intravenous infusion at 250 mg/m(2) after an initial loading dose of 400 mg/m(2) in week 1. The primary end point was determination of response rate. EGFR and KRAS mutations were evaluated by pyrosequencing.

Results: Seventy-two patients were enrolled and 68 met eligibility requirements. Characteristics of patients included median age, 71 years; sex, 57% females; PS 0 or 1, 88% of patients; and smoking status, 19% never-smokers. Central pathology review confirmed the diagnosis in 45 of 49 available specimens. Approximately 50% of patients received more than two cycles of therapy (> 8 weeks). Skin rash was the most common toxicity (grade 3, 15%). The confirmed response rate was 7%, and stable disease was observed in 35%. The median survival and progression-free survival were 13 and 3.3 months, respectively. Only one of the six patients with an EGFR mutation and one of the seven patients with a KRAS mutation had a partial response.

Conclusion: Cetuximab was associated with modest efficacy in patients with advanced BAC, despite a low response rate. EGFR and KRAS mutations were not predictive of response to cetuximab.

Conflict of interest statement

Authors' disclosures of potential conflicts of interest and author contributions are found at the end of this article.

Figures

Fig 1.

Overall survival in (A) pathology confirmed patients and (B) all eligible and treated patients.

Fig 2.

Time to progression (Prog) in (A) pathology confirmed patients and (B) all eligible and treated patients.