2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) - ePosters-EP.13D.07 Impact of Antiemetic Steroid Use on Survival in Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Chemotherapy Combination

EP.13D.07 Impact of Antiemetic Steroid Use on Survival in Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Chemotherapy Combination

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The study examines the impact of antiemetic steroid use on survival in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and chemotherapy. The research involved 2,116 patients who were receiving a regimen including atezolizumab, etoposide, and carboplatin, from August 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022. The patients were categorized based on their antiemetic steroid dosage: low, moderate, and high.<br /><br />Overall, the study found no significant differences in overall survival (OS) and time to next treatment (TTNT) among the different steroid dosage groups. Multivariate analysis indicated that certain factors, such as age and concurrent use of opioids, antibiotics, and PPIs/P-CABs, were linked to poorer survival outcomes. Subgroup analysis suggested that using steroids other than dexamethasone at a dose equivalent to 10 mg or more was associated with a worse survival hazard ratio.<br /><br />Despite these findings, there was no conclusive evidence to suggest that antiemetic steroid dosages directly impact survival rates in patients undergoing immunochemotherapy for SCLC. However, the study highlights the need for further prospective studies to confirm these results. It is recommended that in cases where steroids are prescribed for other purposes, the dosage should be minimized, aligning with subgroup analysis outcomes.<br /><br />The researchers utilized data from the National Health Insurance Service and focused on SCLC patients treated with a combination of ICIs and chemotherapy, which has become the new standard of care for extensive-stage SCLC. Antiemetic steroids are commonly used due to the emetogenic nature of chemotherapy, although their immunosuppressive properties potentially reduce ICI efficacy. The study concludes that the intersection of steroid use and cancer treatment efficacy warrants further exploration.

Asset Subtitle

Soh Mee Park

Meta Tag

Speaker Soh Mee Park

Topic Small Cell Lung Cancer and Neuroendocrine Tumors

Keywords

antiemetic steroids

small cell lung cancer

immune checkpoint inhibitors

chemotherapy

survival outcomes

dexamethasone

prospective studies

National Health Insurance Service

immunosuppressive properties

cancer treatment efficacy