Toxicity Profile and Efficacy of Docetaxel Following Paclitaxel- or Pemetrexed-Platinum Chemotherapy Alone or in Combination With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in NSCLC Patients: A Single Institution Retrospective Analysis

BackgroundDocetaxel alone or in combination with ramucirumab or nintedanib is recommended as second-line treatment in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients after progression on first-line platinum-base chemotherapy in combination with immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). The purpose of our study was to compare the toxicity profile and efficacy of docetaxel after paclitaxel- or pemetrexed-platinum chemotherapy alone or in combination with ICI.Patients und MethodsMetastatic NSCLC patients treated with docetaxel after pemetrexed or paclitaxel-platinum with chemotherapy with or without ICI were included in our retrospective analysis.ResultsWe included in our analyses a total of 53 patients (median age 60.3 years (SD 9.35) in the paclitaxel-group, and 62 years (SD 12) in the pemetrexed-group) treated at our Institution with docetaxel following either paclitaxel or pemetrexed chemotherapy. No treatment-related deaths and no new safety signals were observed.ConclusionDocetaxel alone or in combination with ramucirumab or nintedanib demonstrated encouraging antitumor activity with a manageable safety profile in patients who have progressed on previous paclitaxel-or pemetrexed platinum-based chemotherapy. The results of this analysis can be a helpful reference in conducting further trials of new second-line treatment options.