TORCH: A Study of Tarceva or Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Advanced Non Small Cell Lung Cancer

Phase 3

Completed

• Conditions: Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
• Interventions: Drug: erlotinib; Drug: cisplatin; Drug: gemcitabine

• Registration Number: NCT00349219
• Lead Sponsor: National Cancer Institute, Naples

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to compare first-line erlotinib followed at progression by second-line chemotherapy vs. first-line chemotherapy followed at progression by second-line erlotinib in the treatment of Advanced Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC).

Detailed Description

Chemotherapy for patients affected by advanced NSCLC has demonstrated only modest improvement in survival rates over best supportive care: the prognosis of patients remains poor and the side effects are considerable. Therefore, novel agents are urgently needed for this disease. One way to improve effectiveness of therapies is to use non-chemotherapeutic agents that act on biological targets and cause fewer systemic side effects. Erlotinib(Tarceva)is a biological therapy that in recent clinical trials has shown promise in first- and second-line treatment of advanced NSCLC.

In this trial, patients will be randomized to one of two treatment strategies:

- erlotinib taken by mouth daily; and, if disease progression occurs, to be followed by chemotherapy with cisplatin and gemcitabine at standard doses for 6 cycles

OR

- chemotherapy with cisplatin and gemcitabine given intravenously at standard doses for 6 cycles; and if disease progression occurs to be followed by erlotinib taken by mouth daily

The study is conducted with the partial support of Roche, S.p.A.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2006-07-04
• Study First Submitted QC: 2006-07-04
• Study First Posted: 2006-07-06
• Study Start: 2006-12
• Primary Completion: 2011-12
• Study Completion: 2012-06
• Status Verified: 2016-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2016-01-14
• Last Update Posted: 2016-01-15

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 760

Inclusion Criteria

• Diagnosis of cytologically or histologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer
• Metastatic (stage IV) or locally advanced (stage IIIB, with metastasis to supraclavicular nodes or with pleural effusion).
• Both patients at first diagnosis or those with disease recurrence after former surgery are eligible.
• At least one target or non-target lesion according to RECIST criteria
• Male or female > 18 years of age (Italy upper age limit 70 years)
• ECOG PS 0 or 1
• Life expectancy of > 3 months
• Neutrophils > 1,500 mm3, platelets > 100,000 mm3, and hemoglobin > 9 g/dL
• Bilirubin level either normal or < 1.5 x ULN
• AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) < 2.5 x ULN (< 5 x ULN if liver metastasis are present)
• Serum creatinine < 1.5 x ULN
• Effective contraception for both, male and female patients if the risk of conception exists
• Signed written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

• Prior exposure to agents directed at the HER axis (e.g. gefitinib, cetuximab, trastuzumab).
• Prior chemotherapy or therapy with systemic anti-neoplastic therapy (e.g., monoclonal antibody therapy) for advanced disease. Prior surgery and/or localised irradiation is permitted. Prior neoadjuvant chemotherapy for operable disease or adjuvant chemotherapy is permitted if it did not contain gemcitabine and if at least 1 year elapsed from the end of chemotherapy and the date of relapse.
• Any unstable systemic disease (including active infections, significant cardiovascular disease or myocardial infarction within the previous year, any significant hepatic, renal or metabolic disease), metabolic dysfunction, physical examination finding, or clinical laboratory finding that contraindicates the use of study medications or render the patient at high risk from treatment complications.
• Any other malignancies within past 5 years (except for adequately treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix or basal or squamous cell skin cancer or surgically resected prostate cancer with normal PSA).
• Patients are excluded if they have brain metastasis or spinal cord compression that has not yet been definitively treated with surgery and/or radiation; previously diagnosed and treated CNS metastases or spinal cord compression without evidence of stable disease (clinically stable imaging) for at least 2 months will also cause patients to be excluded. Patients with asymptomatic CNS metastases and not requiring steroids to control symptoms can be included, even if on anti-seizure medications.
• HIV positive patients
• Any inflammatory changes of the surface of the eye at baseline
• Patients who cannot take oral medication, who require intravenous alimentation, have had prior surgical procedures affecting absorption, or have active peptic ulcer disease.
• Nursing and/or pregnant females
• Known or suspected hypersensitivity to any of the study drugs.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
1	gemcitabine	erlotinib followed at progression by gemcitabine and cisplatin
1	erlotinib	erlotinib followed at progression by gemcitabine and cisplatin
1	cisplatin	erlotinib followed at progression by gemcitabine and cisplatin
2	cisplatin	cisplatin and gemcitabine chemotherapy for 6 cycles, followed at progression by erlotinib
2	gemcitabine	cisplatin and gemcitabine chemotherapy for 6 cycles, followed at progression by erlotinib
2	erlotinib	cisplatin and gemcitabine chemotherapy for 6 cycles, followed at progression by erlotinib

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
overall survival	one year
progression free rate of first-line treatment with erlotinib	after 9 weeks of treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
toxicity	every 3 weeks during treatment, and every 3 months thereafter
progression-free survival	one year
quality of life during the first-line therapy	every 3 weeks during first-line therapy
prognostic biologic indicators	end of study
resource utilization	every 6 weeks during first-line therapy
response rate	at 9 and 18 weeks from treatment initiation

Trial Locations

Locations (73)

Tom Baker Cancer Centre; 🇨🇦 Calgary, Alberta, Canada

University of Alberta Cross Cancer Institute; 🇨🇦 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

BC Cancer Agency Vancouver Island; 🇨🇦 Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Cancer Care Mannitoba; 🇨🇦 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

QE II Health Sciences Centre; 🇨🇦 Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Juravinski Cancer Centre; 🇨🇦 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Kingston Regional Cancer Centre; 🇨🇦 Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Credit Valley Hospital; 🇨🇦 Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Durham Regional Cancer Centre; 🇨🇦 Oshawa, Ontario, Canada

Hôpital Régional de Sudbury Regional Hospital; 🇨🇦 Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

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