Impact of TG4010 Vaccine on Health-Related Quality of Life in Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Results of a Phase IIB Clinical Trial

Background This study describes the effect of TG4010 vaccine on Health related Quality of Life (HRQOL) in patients with stage IIIb and IV non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods 148 patients with advanced NSCLC expressing MUC1 were randomly assigned to receive TG4010 plus chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone. HRQOL was assessed with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung (FACT-L) at baseline and every 6 weeks until disease progression. Time until definitive deterioration (TUDD) of the four well-being dimensions of the FACT-L physical (PWB), functional (FWB), emotional (EWB) and social wellbeing (SWB) and the Lung Cancer Subscale (LCS) domains were analyzed for a 5-point minimal clinically important difference. Results No difference of TUDD of HRQOL has been found between treatment arms. No prognostic factors have been found to have a significant impact on the TUDD of PWB, SWB and LCS domains. The gender, the performance status and the smoking habits seemed to be associated with a shorter TUDD of EWB domain. The smokers and the former smokers seemed to present a shorter TUDD of FWB domain. Conclusion This study suggests that adding therapeutic vaccination with TG4010 to standard chemotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC is associated with a similar evolution in HRQOL compared to chemotherapy alone.