Prognostic factors in nonsmall cell lung cancer: insights from the German CRISP registry.

INTRODUCTION: Understanding prognosis, especially long-term outcome, in advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is crucial to inform patients, guide treatment and plan supportive and palliative care. METHODS: Prognostic factors influencing overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in 2082 patients with wild-type (WT)-NSCLC (629 M1a, 249 M1b, 1204 M1c) are reported. Patients were included in the prospective German CRISP registry recruiting in >150 centres. Analysis for pre-therapeutic factors was based on results from Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: Current M-descriptors of the Union for International Cancer Control-8 staging system were validated: M1a and M1b patients had significantly longer median time to events compared to M1c (OS/PFS 16.4/7.2 months, 17.8/6.7 months and 10.9/5.4 months, respectively). OS and PFS were influenced by number and location of metastatic organ systems. M1c and four or more metastatic organs involved had shorter OS and PFS than M1c with one to three organs (OS hazard ratio (HR) 1.69, p<0.001; PFS HR 1.81, p<0.001). M1b-liver metastases had shorter OS/PFS than M1b involving other organs (OS HR 2.70, p=0.006; PFS HR 2.48, p=0.007). Based on number of involved organs (orgsys) and liver metastases, two risk groups (low-risk: M1a, M1b-non-liver, M1c-1-3-orgsys-non-liver; high-risk: M1c-liver, M1b-liver, M1c-4+-orgsys) with significantly different prognoses could be amalgamated (median OS/PFS 14.3/6.5 months and 7.7/4.1 months, respectively). Other favourable factors were female gender and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group stage 0, with age showing no impact. Those with T1- or N0-status were associated with longer OS than T2-4 or N2-3. CONCLUSION: In this large observational dataset, we further defined factors for outcome in WT-NSCLC, including increased number of involved metastatic organ systems and liver metastases, as those with overall poorer prognosis and reduced survival chance.

Biomarker testing in non-small cell lung cancer in routine care: Analysis of the first 3,717 patients in the German prospective, observational, nation-wide CRISP Registry (AIO-TRK-0315).

OBJECTIVES: An increasing number of treatment-determining biomarkers has been identified in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and molecular testing is recommended to enable optimal individualized treatment. However, data on implementation of these recommendations in the "real-world" setting are scarce. This study presents comprehensive details on the frequency, methodology and results of biomarker testing of advanced NSCLC in Germany. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This analysis included 3,717 patients with advanced NSCLC (2,921 non-squamous; 796 squamous), recruited into the CRISP registry at start of systemic therapy by 150 German sites between December 2015 and June 2019. Evaluated were the molecular biomarkers EGFR, ALK, ROS1, BRAF, KRAS, MET, TP53, RET, HER2, as well as expression of PD-L1. RESULTS: In total, 90.5 % of the patients were tested for biomarkers. Testing rates were 92.2 % (non-squamous), 70.7 % (squamous) and increased from 83.2 % in 2015/16 to 94.2% in 2019. Overall testing rates for EGFR, ALK, ROS1, and BRAF were 72.5 %, 74.5 %, 66.1 %, and 53.0 %, respectively (non-squamous). Testing rates for PD-L1 expression were 64.5 % (non-squamous), and 58.5 % (squamous). The most common testing methods were immunohistochemistry (68.5 % non-squamous, 58.3 % squamous), and next-generation sequencing (38.7 % non-squamous, 14.4 % squamous). Reasons for not testing were insufficient tumor material or lack of guideline recommendations (squamous). No alteration was found in 37.8 % (non-squamous), and 57.9 % (squamous), respectively. Most common alterations in non-squamous tumors (all patients/all patients tested for the respective biomarker): KRAS (17.3 %/39.2 %), TP53 (14.1 %/51.4 %), and EGFR (11.0 %/15.1 %); in squamous tumors: TP53 (7.0 %/69.1 %), MET (1.5 %/11.1 %), and EGFR (1.1 %/4.4 %). Median PFS (non-squamous) was 8.7 months (95 % CI 7.4-10.4) with druggable EGFR mutation, and 8.0 months (95 % CI 3.9-9.2) with druggable ALK alterations. CONCLUSION: Testing rates in Germany are high nationwide and acceptable in international comparison, but still leave out a significant portion of patients, who could potentially benefit. Thus, specific measures are needed to increase implementation.

Treatment and outcome of 432 patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer in first, second and third line - Results from the prospective German TLK cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Despite intensive research, the therapeutic options in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) are still limited. Data from routine clinical practice, so-called "real-world data", are centrally important to assess and improve the standard of care. We present prospectively documented data on systemic first-, second- and third-line treatment, number of treatment lines and outcome parameters of patients treated by medical oncologists in Germany. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a descriptive analysis on 432 patients with extensive-stage SCLC enrolled at start of first-line therapy into the prospective German clinical cohort study TLK (Tumour Registry Lung Cancer). Patients were recruited by 87 sites between February 2010 and December 2013 and followed-up individually for 3 years. RESULTS: The majority of patients (93%) received a first-line platinum-based combination therapy. Carboplatin plus etoposide was documented more frequently than cisplatin plus etoposide (46 vs. 35%); patients receiving carboplatin were older (68 vs. 63 years) and more often presented with poorer performance status (17 vs. 11% ECOG ≥ 2). Both regimens yielded similar response and survival rates. Median first-line overall survival (OS) was 10.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 8.6-12.3) for carboplatin plus etoposide and 12.2 months (95% CI 10.1-14.7) for cisplatin plus etoposide. Most patients (77%) would have been eligible for participation in a clinical trial. 50% of the patients received a second and 22% a third line of treatment. Median second-line OS was 5.8 months (95% CI 4.8-7.5), median third-line OS 5.7 months (95% CI 3.8-7.0). CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study of prospectively documented patients with extensive-stage SCLC in routine clinical practice. We present treatment algorithms as well as outcome parameters for a large cohort in first-, second- and third-line treatment. The survival times and response rates reported in this routine setting correspond to the respective measures from large prospective trials.

Treatment, outcome and quality of life of 1239 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer - final results from the prospective German TLK cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Real-life data on advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are centrally important to complement the results from clinical trials and to improve the standard of care. We present data on the choice of systemic first- and second-line treatment, number of treatment lines, survival and longitudinal data on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients treated by medical oncologists in Germany. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 1239 patients with advanced NSCLC were recruited at start of first-line therapy into the prospective German clinical cohort study TLK (Tumour Registry Lung Cancer) by 107 sites between February 2010 and December 2013 and followed-up until January 2016. HRQOL was assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and LC13 questionnaires. RESULTS: Most patients receive carboplatin- or cisplatin-based doublet chemotherapy in first-line treatment. The choice of platinum agent did neither influence the outcome: median overall survival (OS) was 12.2 months for carboplatin combinations (95% confidence interval [CI] 10.0-13.8) and 11.9 months for cisplatin combinations (95% CI 10.2-13.8), nor did it have a marked impact on the HRQOL. Patients receiving cisplatin were younger and fitter at start of therapy than patients receiving carboplatin or mono-chemotherapy. The longitudinal HRQOL analysis revealed the main symptoms that need to be addressed in follow-up care, irrespective of the platinum agent: fatigue, nausea, dyspnoea and pain. The patients receiving targeted therapies with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) had a median OS of 22.1 months (95% CI 15.0-35.1) and considerably superior HRQOL. CONCLUSION: There was no difference in outcome between the platinum compounds cisplatin and carboplatin in first-line treatment of advanced NSCLC in routine care. This is the first report of longitudinal HRQOL data comparing treatments, showing no difference between carboplatin and cisplatin.

Treatment and pattern of bone metastases in 1094 patients with advanced breast cancer - Results from the prospective German Tumour Registry Breast Cancer cohort study.

A high proportion of patients with breast cancer develop bone metastases, yet data on routine treatment with bone-targeted agents (BTA) are rare. We report real-life outcome data of patients with breast cancer metastasised to the bone treated by office-based oncologists in Germany. The ongoing, prospective, multicentre, population-based cohort study Tumour Registry Breast Cancer (TMK) was started in 2007 in 140 centres across Germany. This interim analysis of 1094 patients with bone metastases revealed differences among the tumour subtypes: at start of first-line therapy, 36% of the patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive and only 20% of the patients with HR-negative tumours presented with bone-only metastasis. The majority of patients with bone metastases (89%, n = 976) received BTA therapy. In 2014-2015, 37% of the patients received the bisphosphonate zoledronic acid and 36% the antibody denosumab. Median duration of BTA therapy was 20 months (interquartile range 31.5 months), starting a median of 3 weeks after diagnosis of bone metastases, and ending a median of 7 weeks before death. The median overall survival (OS) also varied among the types of metastasis at start of first-line therapy ranging from 54 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 37.6-70.8), 38 months (95% CI 29.4-44.2) to 28 months (95% CI 24.2-31.0) for patients with bone-only metastases, non-visceral with or without bone metastases and visceral with or without bone metastases respectively. We show that choice and duration of BTA therapies are in conformity with guidelines applicable in Germany. To our knowledge, this is the first presentation of data on incidence, metastatic pattern, treatment and survival of patients with bone metastases in routine practice.