Clinical Outcomes of Chemo-Immunotherapy for Extensive Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Real-World Single Centre Study in Portugal

• Main Author: Noivo, David
• Publication Date: 2025
• Other Authors: Bragança, Maria, Vilariça, Ana Sofia, Ferro, Filipa, Lopes Machado, Andrea, Hasmucrai, Direndra, Alves, Paula
• Format: Article
• Language: eng
• Source: Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
• Download full: https://www.actamedicaportuguesa.com/revista/index.php/amp/article/view/22546
• topic: Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors; Immunotherapy; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma/drug therapy; Anticorpos Monoclonais Humanizados; Carcinoma do Pulmão de Pequenas Células/tratamento farmacológico; Imunoterapia; Inibidores de Checkpoint Imunológico

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive type of lung cancer. Recent studies have provided a new hope by adding atezolizumab to the standard treatment of extensive disease SCLC (E-SCLC). The aim of our study was to evaluate the real-life performance of atezolizumab plus chemotherapy in extensive stage SCLC in a Portuguese setting. Data was collected on twenty patients (70% were male with a mean age of 66.9 years) in treatment at a tertiary hospital in Portugal with E-SCLC treated with chemotherapy and atezolizumab between July 2022 and February 2024. All patients received a carboplatin plus etoposide regimen in combination with atezolizumab. The overall response rate was 55% (95% CI: 31.5 – 76.9) and the disease control rate was 70% (95% CI: 45.7 – 88.1). The median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) was 9.7 (95% CI:5.08 – 14.32) and 7.17 (95% CI:3.28 – 11.05) months, respectively. In total, 13 (65%) patients experienced disease progression and 10 (50%) died during follow-up from events related to the disease. Patients with a performance status score ≥ 2 had lower PFS (p = 0.003) and OS (p = 0.001). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first real-world clinical study in Portugal to evaluate real life outcomes for this combination therapy.