According to results presented at the 42nd annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the treatment combination consisting of Velcade (bortezomib) plus Gemzar (gemcitabine) plus Paraplatin (carboplatin) provides impressive survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Velcade is the first in a new class of anticancer agents known as proteasome inhibitors. Velcade is approved for the treatment of refractory multiple myeloma and is being evaluated for treatment of a variety of hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. A previous SWOG trial concluded that Velcade alone had insufficient activity as a single agent in platinum treated patients and suggested other drugs be added

At ASCO 2005 a multi-center phase II randomized trial determined that Velcade has significant activity as a single agent or in combination with Taxotere® (docetaxel) in patients with NSCLC who have failed at least one prior regimen (see related news).

Researchers affiliated with the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) recently conducted a multi-center clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the addition of Velcade to Gemzar/Paraplatin in the treatment of advanced NSCLC. This trial included 114 patients with advanced NSCLC who were treated with Velcade/Gemzar/Paraplatin.

• At one year, survival was 47%.
• At two years, survival was 14%.
• At 11 months, half of the patients were still alive.
• 75% of patients achieved a partial or complete regression of their cancer, or a stabilization of their cancer.
• The most common serious side effects were low levels of blood cells.

These researchers concluded that Velcade/Gemzar/Paraplatin is an effective and safe treatment regimen for advanced NSCLC, and warrants a phase III trial.

Comments: This study suggests that Velcade adds significantly to the effectiveness of this three-drug regimen, but these data will have to be confirmed by a randomized trial.

Related News

Velcade® Moderately Active in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (06/16/2005)

Reference: Davies AM, McCoy J, Lara PN, Gumerlock PH, Crowley J, Gandara DR. Bortezomib + gemcitabine (Gem)/carboplatin (Carbo) results in encouraging survival in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): results of a phase II Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) trial (S0339). Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Atlanta, Ga. June 2-6, 2006; Abstract # 7017.