The
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m e dic i n e
Original Article
Nivolumab versus Docetaxel in Advanced Squamous-Cell Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer Julie Brahmer, M.D., Karen L. Reckamp, M.D., Paul Baas, M.D., Lucio Crinò, M.D., Wilfried E.E. Eberhardt, M.D., Elena Poddubskaya, M.D., Scott Antonia, M.D., Ph.D., Adam Pluzanski, M.D., Ph.D., Everett E. Vokes, M.D., Esther Holgado, M.D., Ph.D., David Waterhouse, M.D., Neal Ready, M.D., Justin Gainor, M.D., Osvaldo Arén Frontera, M.D., Libor Havel, M.D., Martin Steins, M.D., Marina C. Garassino, M.D., Joachim G. Aerts, M.D., Manuel Domine, M.D., Luis Paz‑Ares, M.D., Martin Reck, M.D., Christine Baudelet, Ph.D., Christopher T. Harbison, Ph.D., Brian Lestini, M.D., Ph.D., and David R. Spigel, M.D.
A BS T R AC T BACKGROUND
Patients with advanced squamous-cell non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have disease progression during or after first-line chemotherapy have limited treatment options. This randomized, open-label, international, phase 3 study evaluated the efficacy and safety of nivolumab, a fully human IgG4 programmed death 1 (PD-1) immune-checkpoint–inhibitor antibody, as compared with docetaxel in this patient population. METHODS
We randomly assigned 272 patients to receive nivolumab, at a dose of 3 mg per kilogram of body weight every 2 weeks, or docetaxel, at a dose of 75 mg per square meter of body-surface area every 3 weeks. The primary end point was overall survival.
The authors’ affiliations are listed in the Appendix. Address reprint requests to Dr. Brahmer at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Bunting-Blaustein Cancer Research Bldg., 1650 Orleans St., Rm. G94, Baltimore, MD 21287, or at brahmju@jhmi.edu. This article was published on May 31, 2015, at NEJM.org. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1504627 Copyright © 2015 Massachusetts Medical Society.
RESULTS
The median overall survival was 9.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.3 to 13.3) with nivolumab versus 6.0 months (95% CI, 5.1 to 7.3) with docetaxel. The risk of death was 41% lower with nivolumab than with docetaxel (hazard ratio, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.79; P
n e w e ng l a n d j o u r na l
of
m e dic i n e
Original Article
Nivolumab versus Docetaxel in Advanced Squamous-Cell Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer Julie Brahmer, M.D., Karen L. Reckamp, M.D., Paul Baas, M.D., Lucio Crinò, M.D., Wilfried E.E. Eberhardt, M.D., Elena Poddubskaya, M.D., Scott Antonia, M.D., Ph.D., Adam Pluzanski, M.D., Ph.D., Everett E. Vokes, M.D., Esther Holgado, M.D., Ph.D., David Waterhouse, M.D., Neal Ready, M.D., Justin Gainor, M.D., Osvaldo Arén Frontera, M.D., Libor Havel, M.D., Martin Steins, M.D., Marina C. Garassino, M.D., Joachim G. Aerts, M.D., Manuel Domine, M.D., Luis Paz‑Ares, M.D., Martin Reck, M.D., Christine Baudelet, Ph.D., Christopher T. Harbison, Ph.D., Brian Lestini, M.D., Ph.D., and David R. Spigel, M.D.
A BS T R AC T BACKGROUND
Patients with advanced squamous-cell non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have disease progression during or after first-line chemotherapy have limited treatment options. This randomized, open-label, international, phase 3 study evaluated the efficacy and safety of nivolumab, a fully human IgG4 programmed death 1 (PD-1) immune-checkpoint–inhibitor antibody, as compared with docetaxel in this patient population. METHODS
We randomly assigned 272 patients to receive nivolumab, at a dose of 3 mg per kilogram of body weight every 2 weeks, or docetaxel, at a dose of 75 mg per square meter of body-surface area every 3 weeks. The primary end point was overall survival.
The authors’ affiliations are listed in the Appendix. Address reprint requests to Dr. Brahmer at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Bunting-Blaustein Cancer Research Bldg., 1650 Orleans St., Rm. G94, Baltimore, MD 21287, or at brahmju@jhmi.edu. This article was published on May 31, 2015, at NEJM.org. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1504627 Copyright © 2015 Massachusetts Medical Society.
RESULTS
The median overall survival was 9.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.3 to 13.3) with nivolumab versus 6.0 months (95% CI, 5.1 to 7.3) with docetaxel. The risk of death was 41% lower with nivolumab than with docetaxel (hazard ratio, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.79; P
