Exploring the relationship between anorexia and therapeutic efficacy in advanced lung cancer treatment: a retrospective study

• Published in: Thoracic cancer Vol. 15; no. 25; pp. 1831 - 1841
• Main Authors: Doshita, Kosei, Naito, Tateaki, Matsuda, Suguru, Morita, Meiko, Sekikawa, Motoki, Miura, Keita, Kodama, Hiroaki, Yabe, Michitoshi, Morikawa, Noboru, Iida, Yuko, Mamesaya, Nobuaki, Kobayashi, Haruki, Ko, Ryo, Wakuda, Kazushige, Ono, Akira, Murakami, Haruyasu, Kenmotsu, Hirotsugu, Takahashi, Toshiaki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 01.09.2024; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Anorexia; Antiemetics; Appetite; Body mass index; Cancer therapies; Chemotherapy; Drug dosages; Eating behavior; Electronic health records; Enteral nutrition; immune checkpoint inhibitors; Lung cancer; Malnutrition; Medical records; Musculoskeletal system; Nausea; non‐small cell lung cancer; Original; Patients; Platinum; Response rates; Side effects; Survival analysis; Toxicity; treatment efficacy; Vomiting
• ISSN: 1759-7706; 1759-7714; 1759-7714
• DOI: 10.1111/1759-7714.15403

Background Chemotherapy‐induced anorexia is a common occurrence in patients undergoing treatment for advanced lung cancer. However, the relationship between chemotherapy‐induced anorexia and weight loss during platinum‐based chemotherapy combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors is unclear. This study explored the relationship between chemotherapy‐induced anorexia and therapeutic outcomes in patients with stage IV non‐small‐cell lung cancer undergoing platinum‐based chemotherapy combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Methods The study retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 106 patients with stage IV non‐small‐cell lung cancer treated with platinum‐based chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors between January 2019 and October 2022. The incidence of weight loss and its association with treatment efficacy was assessed in the chemotherapy‐induced anorexia group. Chemotherapy‐induced anorexia, nausea, and vomiting were evaluated using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v 5.0. Progression‐free and overall survival were used to measure treatment efficacy. Results Chemotherapy‐induced anorexia was observed in 13.2% of patients. These patients exhibited significant weight loss at 6 and 9 weeks after treatment initiation compared to those in the non‐chemotherapy‐induced anorexia group. Progression‐free and overall survival were shorter in the chemotherapy‐induced anorexia group than in the non‐chemotherapy‐induced anorexia group, but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions Chemotherapy‐induced anorexia was associated with significant weight loss and reduced treatment efficacy in patients with stage IV non‐small‐cell lung cancer. These results highlight the importance of implementing robust supportive care for chemotherapy‐induced anorexia to mitigate weight loss and uphold treatment effectiveness during platinum‐based chemotherapy combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors. This retrospective study explored the relationship between chemotherapy‐induced anorexia and therapeutic outcomes in patients with stage IV non‐small‐cell lung cancer undergoing platinum‐based chemotherapy combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Chemotherapy‐induced anorexia was observed in 13.2% of patients, who exhibited significant weight loss at 6 and 9 weeks after treatment initiation compared to those in the non‐chemotherapy‐induced anorexia group. Progression‐free and overall survival were shorter in the chemotherapy‐induced anorexia group, but the difference was not statistically significant. These findings underscore the importance of implementing robust supportive care for chemotherapy‐induced anorexia to mitigate weight loss and uphold treatment effectiveness.