24-Month Overall Survival from KEYNOTE-021 Cohort G: Pemetrexed and Carboplatin with or without Pembrolizumab as First-Line Therapy for Advanced Nonsquamous Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

Hossein Borghaei, Corey J. Langer, Shirish Gadgeel, Vassiliki A. Papadimitrakopoulou, Amita Patnaik, Steven F. Powell, Ryan D. Gentzler, Renato G. Martins, James P. Stevenson, Shadia I. Jalal, Amit Panwalkar, James Chih Hsin Yang, Matthew Gubens, Lecia V. Sequist, Mark M. Awad, Joseph Fiore, Sanatan Saraf, Steven M. Keller, Leena Gandhi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

158 Scopus citations

Abstract

Introduction: Cohort G of KEYNOTE-021 (NCT02039674) evaluated the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab plus pemetrexed-carboplatin (PC) versus PC alone as first-line therapy for advanced nonsquamous NSCLC. At the primary analysis (median follow-up time 10.6 months), pembrolizumab significantly improved objective response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS); the hazard ratio (HR) for overall survival (OS) was 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.42‒1.91). Herein, we present an updated analysis. Methods: A total of 123 patients with previously untreated stage IIIB/IV nonsquamous NSCLC without EGFR and/or ALK receptor tyrosine kinase gene (ALK) aberrations were randomized 1:1 to four cycles of PC with or without pembrolizumab, 200 mg every 3 weeks. Pembrolizumab treatment continued for 2 years; maintenance pemetrexed was permitted in both groups. Eligible patients in the PC-alone group with radiologic progression could cross over to pembrolizumab monotherapy. p Values are nominal (one-sided p < 0.025). Results: As of December 1, 2017, the median follow-up time was 23.9 months. The ORR was 56.7% with pembrolizumab plus PC versus 30.2% with PC alone (estimated difference 26.4% [95% CI: 8.9%‒42.4%, p = 0.0016]). PFS was significantly improved with pembrolizumab plus PC versus PC alone (HR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.33‒0.86, p = 0.0049). A total of 41 patients in the PC-alone group received subsequent anti‒programmed death 1/anti‒programmed death ligand 1 therapy. The HR for OS was 0.56 (95% CI: 0.32‒0.95, p = 0.0151). Forty-one percent of patients in the pembrolizumab plus PC group and 27% in the PC-alone group had grade 3 to 5 treatment-related adverse events. Conclusions: The significant improvements in PFS and ORR with pembrolizumab plus PC versus PC alone observed in the primary analysis were maintained, and the HR for OS with a 24-month median follow-up was 0.56, favoring pembrolizumab plus PC.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)124-129
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Thoracic Oncology
Volume14
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2019

Keywords

  • Chemotherapy
  • Combination therapy
  • Nonsquamous non‒small cell lung cancer
  • Pembrolizumab

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

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