Retrospective multicenter study of chemoimmunotherapy for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer with a poor performance status

Immune checkpoint inhibitor combined with platinum-etoposide is the standard first-line therapy for patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) but the phase 3 trials that led to the approval of chemoimmunotherapy for ES-SCLC excluded patients with a poor performance status. A retrospective study at centers of the Mayo Clinic Health System evaluated first-line chemoimmunotherapy (atezolizumab or durvalumab) for ES-SCLC in patients with an ECOG performance status 2-3. The median PFS and OS in these groups were similar to what was seen in the groups with ECOG performance status 0-1. The authors conclude that first-line chemoimmunotherapy should be considered for patients who have ES-SCLC with and ECOG performance status 2-3.