Lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab compared to carboplatin plus paclitaxel for carboplatin and paclitaxel pretreated, recurrent, or advanced endometrial cancer.

Abstract

Background: Lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab has demonstrated improved survival compared with doxorubicin or paclitaxel monotherapy in patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancers (ECs). However, response rates to monotherapy are poor in recurrent settings. Herein, we performed a retrospective analysis using real-world data to compare the outcomes of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab, carboplatin plus paclitaxel (PT), and doxorubicin for patients with PT-pretreated, advanced, or recurrent ECs.

Methods: We performed a multi-institutional retrospective analysis using de-identified electronic health record database (TriNetX) to compare lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab, carboplatin plus paclitaxel (PT), and doxorubicin outcomes in patients with PT-pretreated, advanced, or recurrent ECs. A 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted. The primary outcome was the overall survival (OS) among treatment groups. The secondary outcome was the adverse event profile.

Results: Between January 2012 and September 2023, we identified 397 patients with PT-treated, advanced, or recurrent ECs who received lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab, and 469 patients receiving PT at a platinum-free interval of over 6 months. Following PSM, no significant difference in median OS was observed between the lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab and re-challenge PT groups (19.1 vs. 18.5 months, p = 0.60; hazard ratio: 1.08, 95% confidence interval 0.81-1.46). However, lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab provided better survival benefits than doxorubicin. Adverse event analysis showed more hypothyroidism, hypertension, and proteinuria with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab, and more hematologic toxicities in both chemotherapy groups.

Conclusions: Lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab was not associated with improved survival when compared with re-challenge PT in patients with a platinum-free interval of over 6 months. Re-challenge PT remains a valid option for PT-treated, recurrent, or advanced ECs, especially in patients with a substantially long platinum-free interval.