The efficacy and safety of albumin-bound paclitaxel plus carboplatin as neoadjuvant therapy for potentially resectable lung squamous cell carcinoma: a real-world retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: In early and locally advanced stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), surgery is the cornerstone of curative-intent treatments. And the addition of neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy can prolong overall survival (OS), albumin-bound paclitaxel plus carboplatin (ab-PC) as neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) has showed favorable effect for resectable lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) with IIIA. However, to date, no study has investigated the efficacy of ab-PC as neoadjuvant chemotherapy in potentially resectable LSCC with IIIA–IIIB. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the regimen in potentially resectable LSCC. METHODS: Enrolled patients with stage IIIA and IIIB potentially resectable LSCC treated with neoadjuvant albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-P; 100 mg/m(2), days 1, 8, and 15) and carboplatin (6 mg/mL/min, day 1) for two 21-day cycles at the Hunan Cancer Hospital between December 2017 and December 2019. The primary endpoint was the surgery conversion rate (SCR). Secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR), margin-free (R0) resection, major pathological response (mPR), and safety. RESULTS: In total, 49 patients were included in the study, with an overall response rate (ORR) of 67% (33/49). The SCR was 67% (33/49). Only 31 patients underwent surgery eventually, and R0 resection was achieved in 30 patients. Further, 4 (13%) and 11 (35%) of the 31 patients had a pathological complete response (pCR) and mPR, respectively. In total, 23 patients experienced treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). The most common TRAE was liver disfunction (9 patients, 18%). Only 1 patient (2%) experienced a grade ≥3 TRAE of leukopenia. There were no treatment-related deaths or treatment discontinuations. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found a high SCR (67%) and mPR (35%) after ab-PC treatment for stage IIIA and IIIB potentially resectable LSCC. ab-PC maybe considered a neoadjuvant chemotherapy option for potentially resectable LSCC patients.