Multicenter randomized trial of berzosertib plus topotecan versus topotecan alone in patients with relapsed small cell lung cancer

Patients with relapsed small cell lung cancer (SCLC) have poor prognoses and few therapeutic options. A phase 2 randomized trial at 16 US centers recruited 60 SCLC patients with relapsed SCLC after one or more previous therapies. Patients were randomized to berzosertib plus topotecan or topotecan alone. Progression-free survival was not improved with berzosertib plus topotecan over topotecan alone (median 3.9 versus 3.0 months; HR 0.80; p=0,44), but overall survival was longer with the combination than with topotecan monotherapy (median 8.9 versus 5.4 months; HR 0.53; p=0.03). Adverse events profiles were similar between the two groups.