Rogerio C. Lilenbaum, MD, director, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the clinical implications of the FDA approval of lurbinectedin (Zepzelca) in metastatic small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

In June 2020, the FDA granted an accelerated approval to lurbinectedin for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic SCLC with disease progression, following platinum-based chemotherapy.

The approval was based on the results of an open-label, single-arm, phase 2 basket trial (NCT2454972), in which lurbinectedin induced an overall response rate of 35.2% in this patient population, says Lilenbaum. Moreover, lurbinectedin demonstrated a tolerable safety profile, Lilenbaum adds.

Notably, the approval of lurbinectedin signifies the first novel option for patients with metastatic SCLC in two decades, Lilenbaum explains. Although the responses reported with lurbinectedin were modest, the survival and quality of life benefit observed with the agent is welcome for this patient population, for which limited options are available, concludes Lilenbaum.

Videos

Rogerio C. Lilenbaum, MD, discusses the clinical implications of the FDA approval of lurbinectedin in metastatic small cell lung cancer. 


Dr. Lilenbaum on the Clinical Implications of the FDA Approval of Lurbinectedin in SCLC 

Rogerio C. Lilenbaum, MD, director, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the challenges of integrating telehealth services in lung cancer.

In the era of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), telehealth has become a key tool in the continuum of patient care. However, despite best efforts to streamline virtual care before the COVID-19 pandemic, challenges remain in utilizing telehealth to its full potential, says Lilenbaum. 

Although many of these hurdles have been overcome over the course of the pandemic, it is not fully understood what role telemedicine will play in cancer care after the pandemic, concludes Lilenbaum. 

Rogerio C. Lilenbaum, MD, discusses the challenges of integrating telehealth services in lung cancer.  



Dr. Lilenbaum on the Challenges of Integrating Telehealth Services in Lung Cancer 

Rogerio C. Lilenbaum, MD, director, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the promising future direction of immunotherapy in patients with advanced lung cancer.

It’s clear that the introduction of immunotherapy in the field of oncology has revolutionized the treatment of patients with solid tumors, as well as some with hematologic malignancies. Notably, it has demonstrated utility in a much greater percentage of patients when compared with targeted therapy, Lilenbaum explains.

What Lilenbaum finds audacious, but also inspiring, is that the rise of immunotherapy has allowed oncologists in the melenoma space to begin discussing potential cures for patients in all disease stages. Thoracic oncologists must be extremely cautious; however, there has been encouraging results of disease-free patients several years after receiving immunotherapy.

As thoracic oncologists continue to study many treatment regimens, there is hope that, with time, there will be a cure for patients with advanced lung cancer, Lilenbaum concludes.

Rogerio C. Lilenbaum, MD, discusses the promising future direction of immunotherapy in patients with advanced lung cancer.


Dr. Lilenbaum on Future Directions With Immunotherapy in Lung Cancer

Rogerio C. Lilenbaum, MD, director, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the rise of immunotherapy in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The introduction of immunotherapy to the oncology space has revolutionized the treatment of patients with solid tumors and some hematologic malignancies, explains Lilenbaum.

Immunotherapy can lead to improved survival and quality of life compared with traditional therapies, says Lilenbaum.

According to Lilenbaum, the impact of immunotherapy in lung cancer is akin to that of actionable molecular alterations and targeted therapy.

However, immunotherapy has demonstrated utility in a larger percentage of patients compared with targeted therapy which is reserved for patients with particular markers, concludes Lilenbaum.

Rogerio C. Lilenbaum, MD, discusses the rise of immunotherapy in non–small cell lung cancer. 

Dr. Lilenbaum on the Rise of Immunotherapy in NSCLC

Rogerio C. Lilenbaum, MD, director, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses using PD-L1 as a predictive biomarker for immunotherapy and the search for additional biomarkers in lung cancer.

PD-L1 gives a broad sense of patients who are likely to benefit from immunotherapy, explains Lilenbaum. The most important part of using predictive biomarkers for immunotherapy, according to Lilenbaum, is to estimate the magnitude of benefit rather than patient selection.

Other investigative biomarkers include tumor mutational burden (TMB), although this marker currently does not influence decisions regarding immunotherapy, he says. There may be some circumstances where TMB is useful, but it should not currently be applied to the majority of patients, according to Lilenbaum.

The search for predictive biomarkers for immunotherapy is ongoing. Identifying patients who will truly benefit from immunotherapy will make the treatment much more powerful and cost effective, Lilenbaum concludes.

View more from the 2020 Winter Lung Cancer Conference

Rogerio C. Lilenbaum, MD, discusses using PD-L1 as a predictive biomarker for immunotherapy and the search for additional biomarkers in lung cancer.

Rogerio C. Lilenbaum, MD

Articles

Dr. Lilenbaum on the Clinical Implications of the FDA Approval of Lurbinectedin in SCLC

Dr. Lilenbaum on the Challenges of Integrating Telehealth Services in Lung Cancer

Dr. Lilenbaum on Future Directions With Immunotherapy in Lung Cancer

Dr. Lilenbaum on the Rise of Immunotherapy in NSCLC

Dr. Lilenbaum on PD-L1 as a Predictive Biomarker for Immunotherapy in Lung Cancer