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 well-being (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.