Opdivo seen to improve quality of life

August 23, 2016

Abstract

Background 

Nivolumab has shown significant survival benefit and a favorable safety profile compared with dacarbazine chemotherapy among treatment-naïve patients with metastatic melanoma in the CheckMate 066 phase 3 study. Results from the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) analyses from CheckMate 066 are presented.

Patients and Methods 

HRQoL was evaluated at baseline and every 6 weeks while on treatment using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Care (EORTC) Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30) and the EuroQoL Five Dimensions Questionnaire (EQ-5D). Via a multi-step statistical plan, data were analyzed descriptively, cross-sectionally, and longitudinally, adjusting for baseline covariates, in patients having baseline plus ≥1 post-baseline assessment.

Results 

Baseline-adjusted completion rates for all HRQoL questionnaires across treatment arms were 65% and 70% for dacarbazine and nivolumab, respectively, and remained similar throughout treatment. Mean baseline HRQoL scores were similar for patients treated with nivolumab and dacarbazine. Baseline HRQoL levels with nivolumab were maintained over time. This exploratory analysis showed a between-arm difference in favor of nivolumab on the EQ-5D utility index and clinically meaningful EQ-5D improvements from baseline at several time points for patients receiving nivolumab. Patients treated with nivolumab did not show increased symptom burden as assessed by the EORTC QLQ-C30. No HRQoL change was noted with dacarbazine patients up to Week 43, although the high attrition rate after Week 13 did not allow any meaningful analyses. Patients receiving nivolumab deteriorated significantly later than those receiving dacarbazine on several EORTC QLQ-C30 scales and the EQ-5D utility index.

Conclusions 

In addition to prolonged survival, these exploratory HRQoL results show that nivolumab maintains baseline HRQoL levels to provide long-term quality of survival benefit, compared with dacarbazine in patients with advanced melanoma.

Source:

Long, GV. Effect of nivolumab on health-related quality of life in patients with treatment-naïve advanced melanoma: results from the phase 3 checkmate 066 study.  Ann Oncol (2016) doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdw265  (Full text free)
http://annonc.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/07/12/annonc.mdw265.short?rss=1

See also:

Melanoma News Today:  https://melanomanewstoday.com/...