Contribution of Enhanced Locoregional Control to Improved Overall Survival with Consolidative Durvalumab after Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in Locally Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer: Insights from Real-World Data

• DOI: 10.4143/crt.2023.1014
• Publication Date: 2024-01-16T01:24:31Z
• Authors: Jeong Yun Jang; Si Yeol Song; Young Seob Shin; Ha Un Kim; Eun Kyung Choi; Sang-We Kim; Jae Cheol Lee; Dae Ho Lee; Chang-Min Choi; Shinkyo Yoon; Su Ssan Kim
• Keywords: Male; Adult; Aged, 80 and over; Lung Neoplasms; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Chemoradiotherapy; Middle Aged; 03 medical and health sciences; Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological; 0302 clinical medicine; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Humans; Original Article; Female; Retrospective Studies; Aged

Purpose This study aimed to assess the real-world clinical outcomes of consolidative durvalumab in patients with unresectable locally advanced non–small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) and to explore the role of radiotherapy in the era of immunotherapy.Materials and Methods This retrospective study assessed 171 patients with unresectable LA-NSCLC who underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with or without consolidative durvalumab at Asan Medical Center between May 2018 and May 2021. Primary outcomes included freedom from locoregional failure (FFLRF), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS).Results Durvalumab following CCRT demonstrated a prolonged median PFS of 20.9 months (p=0.048) and a 3-year FFLRF rate of 57.3% (p=0.008), compared to 13.7 months and 38.8%, respectively, with CCRT alone. Furthermore, the incidence of in-field recurrence was significantly greater in the CCRT-alone group compared to the durvalumab group (26.8% vs. 12.4%, p=0.027). While median OS was not reached with durvalumab, it was 35.4 months in patients receiving CCRT alone (p=0.010). Patients positive for programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression showed notably better outcomes, including FFLRF, DMFS, PFS, and OS. Adherence to PACIFIC trial eligibility criteria identified 100 patients (58.5%) as ineligible. The use of durvalumab demonstrated better survival regardless of eligibility criteria.Conclusion The use of durvalumab consolidation following CCRT significantly enhanced locoregional control and OS in patients with unresectable LA-NSCLC, especially in those with PD-L1–positive tumors, thereby validating the role of durvalumab in standard care.