Quality of life: an important element of treatment value
Mené dans 16 pays sur 305 patients atteints d'un cancer du poumon non à petites cellules de stade avancé et surexprimant PD-L1, cet essai de phase III compare l'intérêt, du point de vue de l'amélioration ou du maintien de la qualité de vie, du pembrolizumab et d'une chimiothérapie à base de sels de platine décidée par le médecin
In the era of platinum-based chemotherapy, attempts to improve the quality of life (QOL) of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using a less toxic treatment than the existing standard therapy were often disappointing. In a randomised trial1 comparing cisplatin-based treatment to a so-called platinum-free combination chemotherapy, the goal of improving QOL was not met. The lesson learned was that in patients with a disease often associated with serious symptoms, reduction of treatment-related toxicity is not enough to improve global QOL, and more effective control of disease is needed to achieve a positive QOL balance.
The Lancet Oncology , commentaire, 2016