Exploring treatment options in cancer: tumor treatment strategies
Life Expectancy And Survival Rates For Metastatic Lung Cancer
Life expectancy for people with metastatic or metastasized lung cancer is low. The 5-year survival rate for small cell lung cancer is 3%, and 8% for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). 25-30% of people with metastatic NSCLC have a life expectancy of under 3 months.
Survival rates for metastatic lung cancer are estimates. Several factors, including age and overall health, can affect a person's outlook.
Learn more about the survival rates for metastatic lung cancer here.
Researchers base cancer survival rates on the type of cancer, the subtype of cancer, and the stage at diagnosis. When considering the 5-year survival rate for metastatic lung cancer, looking at the subtype of the cancer can also help determine the overall survival rate.
Across NSCLC and small cell lung cancer (SCLC), data from the American Cancer Society from 2012 to 2018 shows that there is a 23% relative survival rate across sites, races, genders, and other demographic factors.
Improvements in survival rates are notable in both types of lung cancer, but mostly in NSCLC.
Absolute improvements in lung cancer 2-year survival rates are about 1.4% each year from 2019 to 2024. This shows outcomes for this condition are improving with every year.
Sex, age, and race differences
Lung cancer death rates are not equal across sexes and races. The ALA states that Black people die from lung cancer at a higher rate than other racial groups. The age-adjusted mortality rate for Black men is also higher than that for white men.
These disparities may be due to inequities in healthcare.
A person's age at diagnosis may also influence survivability rates. According to the ACS, doctors diagnose the majority of cases in people who are age 65 years or older. The average age of diagnosis is 70 years.
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, representing about 80–85% of all cases.
There are several subtypes of NSCLC. These include:
These subtypes are grouped together as NSCLC due to having similar outlooks, treatments, and survivability rates.
The 5-year relative survival rate for metastatic NSCLC is about 9%. If the cancer only spreads to nearby tissue, the rate improves to 37%. People with localized lung cancer, which has not spread at all, have a 65% survival rate.
Small cell lung cancer
Small cell lung cancer accounts for 10–15% of all lung cancer cases. In 70% of cases, the cancer has already spread to other areas of the body by the time of diagnosis.
According to the ACS, the 5-year relative survival rate for metastasized small cell lung cancer is about 3%. The rate improves to 18% if it only has spread locally and to 30% if it has not spread at all.
Lung cancer that spreads to the bones
The location of metastasis may also affect a person's survival rate.
For example, in one 2018 study, researchers looked at the survival rates for lung cancer that had spread to the bones. They found that the median survival time following diagnosis was about 148 days.
Survival rates are generalized markers that indicate the likelihood that a person will live after a set period of time. Often, doctors and other researchers look at the 5-year survival rate.
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), the relative survival rate is a percentage comparison of survival in those with the cancer compared to those who have never had it. These relative survival rates are based on prior years' data, which may not reflect advances in treatments or diagnosis.
These rates may help a person better understand how well the treatment may work for them, but they cannot tell a person exactly how long they will live.
The National Cancer Institute further clarifies that survival rates vary on a person's current diagnosis. The cancer may be a new diagnosis or a recurrence.
In other words, if a person receives a diagnosis of stage 1 lung cancer first and then metastatic lung cancer later, their survival rate relates to their new diagnosis.
Lung cancer has a relatively low 5-year survival rate compared with other cancers, and it is the leading cause of death from cancer. Age, sex, and health inequities related to race can affect the numbers.
It is important to remember that the survival rate does not mean a person will live or die in 5 years. A person should talk with a doctor about their outlook. They can explain the factors affecting them and recommend treatments to prolong survival.
First-line Rybrevant Combo Extends Survival In Advanced Lung Cancer
First-line Rybrevant plus Lazcluze significantly extended overall survival versus Tagrisso in mutated, advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.
Rybrevant plus Lazcluze significantly extended overall survival versus Tagrisso in EGFR+ advanced or metastatic NSCLC: © SciePro - stock.Adobe.Com
Among patients with mutated, locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, first-line treatment with Rybrevant (amivantamab-vmjw) plus Lazcluze (lazertinib) significantly extended overall survival compared with Tagrisso (osimertinib) therapy, according to data from the phase 3 MARIPOSA study.
Findings from MARIPOSA, which were shared in a presentation at the 2025 European Lung Cancer Congress, as well as published in a news release from Johnson & Johnson, specifically evaluated patients whose disease had epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletions (ex19del) or L858R substitution mutations.
The median overall survival, according to the news release, is expected to extend more than one year beyond the previously observed median of three years with Tagrisso, though the exact duration has not yet been reached. Moreover, this is the first and only study to demonstrate a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival compared with Tagrisso.
Glossary:Progression-free survival: the length of time during and after treatment that a patient lives with the disease, but it does not get worse.
Overall survival: the length of time from either the date of diagnosis or the start of treatment that patients are still alive.
Overall response rate: the proportion of patients who have a partial or complete response to therapy.
Duration of response: the length of time that a tumor continues to respond to treatment without the cancer growing or spreading.
"Rybrevant plus Lazcluze helps patients live longer, and the benefit keeps growing over time," trial investigator, Dr. Nicolas Girard, said in the news release. "We see the gap between the survival curves continue to widen, which is exactly what we want to see in lung cancer treatment to improve outcomes for patients. These results reinforce that we are entering a new era for EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer; with this evidence in hand, we need to ensure every patient gets the most effective treatment in the first line for the best possible chance at longer survival."
Girard, who also presented these data at the meeting, is the head of Medical Oncology at the Institut Curie and a professor of Thoracic Oncology and Respiratory Medicine at the Paris-Saclay University, in France.
Overall survival — unlike progression-free survival, which tracks the time a treatment keeps a patient's cancer from progressing —helps patients recognize how a therapy may impact their lifespan from the beginning of treatment. Increasing life expectancy is the most significant measure of a treatment's effectiveness, the news release emphasizes.
Delving Into the Data: What Does it Mean?At a median follow-up of 37.8 months, in the head-to-head comparison of data, patients who received the chemotherapy-free combination lived significantly longer than those treated with Tagrisso. The median overall survival for patients on Rybrevant plus Lazcluze has not yet been determined, indicating that survival benefits continue beyond the follow-up period. In contrast, the median overall survival for patients treated with Tagrisso was 36.7 months, which aligns with previous studies of the agent. Additionally, 56% of patients on Rybrevant plus Lazcluze were still alive at three and a half years compared with 44% of those receiving Tagrisso.
This combination therapy also improved multiple secondary outcomes versus Tagrisso, including better control of cancer spread to the brain (intracranial progression-free survival), longer duration of response in the brain and a higher response rate in brain metastases. Importantly, Rybrevant plus Lazcluze also delayed the onset of lung cancer symptoms by more than 14 months compared with Tagrisso (43.6 months versus 29.3 months).
In the news release, Dr. Joshua Bauml, vice president and Lung Cancer Disease Area Stronghold Leader of Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, said: "Right now, only 20% of patients with EGFR-positive non-small cell lung cancer survive beyond five years. These MARIPOSA results suggest that Rybrevant plus Lazcluze can change this dire statistic that has been stagnant for far too long. This regimen isn't just extending survival, it's offering hope. By using Rybrevant plus Lazcluze first, we're delaying the need for chemotherapy and giving patients and their families more time."
More Information on the Combination and its SafetyRegarding safety, Rybrevant plus Lazcluze was consistent with the primary analysis of data from MARIPOSA, with side effect rates comparable with other Rybrevant regimens. With the longer-term follow-up, no new safety concerns were observed, and most side effects associated with the combination occurred early on in treatment. Research suggests that taking preventive measures during the first four months of therapy may significantly lower the risk of skin reactions, infusion-related reactions and blood clots.
The randomized phase 3 study has enrolled 1,074 patients and is examining treatment with Rybrevant plus Lazcluze versus Tagrisso and versus Lazcluze alone in the first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with mutations. The primary endpoint of the study is progression-free survival, while secondary end points include overall survival, as well as overall response rate, duration of response and intracranial progression-free survival.
In October 2023, the MARIPOSA study met its primary end point, the news release concluded, showing a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival with the investigative agent versus Tagrisso.
Rybrevant plus Lazcluze is approved in the United States, Europe and other markets around the world for patients with first-line EGFR-mutated NSCLC. These OS results will be shared with health authorities globally.
In the United States, Europe and other markets around the world, treatment with Rybrevant plus Lazcluze is approved for the first-line treatment of patients with mutated NSCLC.
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BNT327 With Chemotherapy Elicits Strong Results In ES-SCLC
BNT327 combined with chemotherapy showed an overall response rate of 85.4% when used as a first-line treatment for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.
Small tumor cancer cells: © Yuriy - stock.Adobe.Com
The PD-L1 and VEGF-A bispecific antibody BNT327 demonstrated encouraging clinical activity and had a tolerable safety profile when combined with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC), according to a phase 2 trial (NCT05844150) presented at the 2025 European Lung Cancer Congress (ELCC).1
As of the cutoff date of December 20, 2024, 48 patients had completed at least 1 tumor evaluation, and 5 patients remained on treatment. The median treatment exposure was 5.7 months (95% CI, 4.4-7.2). At a median follow-up of 14.5 months (95% CI, 13.4-15.3), the confirmed overall response rate (ORR) was 85.4% (95% CI, 72.2%-93.9%) and the unconfirmed ORR was 87.5% (95% CI, 74.8%-95.3%).
The disease control rate (DCR) was 97.9% (95% CI, 88.9%-100%). The 6-month and 12-month OS rates were 91.7% (95% CI, 79.3%-96.8%) and 72.7% (95% CI, 57.6%-83.1%), respectively. The median OS was not yet mature.
"BNT327 combined with platinum-based chemotherapy as a [first-line] treatment for ES-SCLC demonstrated encouraging efficacy," wrote investigators in the poster. "BNT327 in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy exhibited an acceptable tolerability profile, with a low discontinuation rate and no treatment-related deaths reported."
For safety, at a data cutoff date of December 20, 2024, all patients had at least 1 adverse event (AE) related to treatment with BNT327 and/or chemotherapy, and 43 patients (86%) experienced grade 3 or higher treatment-related AEs (TRAEs). Neutrophil count decrease (90%), anemia (80%), white blood cell count decrease (76%), and platelet count decrease (62%) were the most common TRAEs.
All TRAEs of special interest were grade 1 to 3, including hypertension (26%), proteinuria (16%), and various forms of hemorrhage (6%). Immune-related AEs were seen in 42% of patients, with grade 3 or higher in 10%. Further, 3 patients (6%) discontinued treatment due to TRAEs and there were no treatment-related deaths reported in the study.
BNT327 is an investigational bispecific antibody that targets PD-L1 and VEGF-A in the tumor and tumor microenvironment. The dual targeting of PD-L1 and VEGF-A combines 2 complementary modalities, which works to improve efficacy and safety.1
In the open-label, single-arm, multisite phase 2 trial of BNT327, patients aged 18 years and older with histologically or cytologically confirmed ES-SCLC were enrolled.2 Patients must have received no prior systemic therapy for ES-SCLC, are required to have a life expectancy of at least 12 weeks, an ECOG performance status of 0 or 1, and adequate organ function.
The study completed enrollment on November 21, 2023, with 50 patients enrolled in the trial.1 The median age of patients was 59 years (range, 46-75), most patients were male (68%), had an ECOG performance status of 1 (80%), and 3 or more metastatic sites (54%). Five patients (10%) had metastases of the brain and 15 (30%) had metastases of the liver. Further, 33 patients (66%) were smokers.
Patients were treated with BNT327 at a dose of 30 mg/kg via intravenous (IV) infusion plus IV etoposide 100 mg/m2 on days 1 to 3, and IV platinum once every 3 weeks for 4 cycles.
The primary end point was ORR and secondary end points were OS, PFS, DCR, duration of response, time to response per RESIST v1.1, and safety,
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