The recent endorsement by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to utilize AstraZeneca’s Imfinzi (durvalumab) in combination with chemotherapy as a treatment for adults with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) marks a significant milestone in cancer care. This recommendation, based on the encouraging outcomes from the AEGEAN phase 3 trial, provides a new therapeutic option across the National Health Service (NHS) in England and Wales. The AEGEAN trial demonstrated that the combination of durvalumab with neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgery, followed by durvalumab as adjuvant monotherapy post-surgery, considerably reduced the risk of disease recurrence, progression, or death by 32% compared to chemotherapy alone. Impressively, 63.3% of patients receiving the combination were event-free at 24 months, compared to 52.4% in the placebo group.
Dr. John Conibear, the Clinical Director of Thoracic Oncology at Barts Cancer Centre, emphasized the substantial challenge of high disease recurrence rates in NSCLC patients within five years following surgery. He highlighted the essential role that combining surgery with systemic therapies can play in transforming patient outcomes. Notably, the treatment regimen was well-tolerated, with adverse event rates similar between the groups and no new safety signals emerging. Most patients were able to complete surgery successfully, indicating a positive safety profile for the combination treatment. Tom Keith-Roach, President of AstraZeneca UK, underscored the critical importance of early cancer diagnosis and the expansion of treatment options to tackle this life-limiting condition effectively.
The current recommendation comes in the wake of the European Commission’s 2018 approval of durvalumab for patients with unresectable NSCLC, reflecting continued confidence in the drug’s efficacy and safety. In the UK, lung cancer remains a significant health issue with high annual diagnosis rates and a considerable economic burden on the healthcare system. AstraZeneca’s ambition to enhance survival rates and mitigate the impact of lung cancer aligns with the broader goals of healthcare providers and policymakers. This latest development points toward a promising direction in lung cancer therapy, offering renewed hope and improved clinical outcomes for patients facing this challenging disease.
