Radioembolization with chemotherapy for colorectal liver metastases: A randomized, open-label, international, multicenter, phase III trial Journal Article


Authors: Mulcahy, M. F.; Mahvash, A.; Pracht, M.; Montazeri, A. H.; Bandula, S.; Martin, R. C. G. 2nd; Herrmann, K.; Brown, E.; Zuckerman, D.; Wilson, G.; Kim, T. Y.; Weaver, A.; Ross, P.; Harris, W. P.; Graham, J.; Mills, J.; Esteban, A. Y.; Johnson, M. S.; Sofocleous, C. T.; Padia, S. A.; Lewandowski, R. J.; Garin, E.; Sinclair, P.; Salem, R.; for the EPOCH Investigators
Article Title: Radioembolization with chemotherapy for colorectal liver metastases: A randomized, open-label, international, multicenter, phase III trial
Abstract: PURPOSE To study the impact of transarterial Yttrium-90 radioembolization (TARE) in combination with second-line systemic chemotherapy for colorectal liver metastases (CLM). METHODS In this international, multicenter, open-label phase III trial, patients with CLM who progressed on oxaliplatin- or irinotecan-based first-line therapy were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive second-line chemotherapy with or without TARE. The two primary end points were progression-free survival (PFS) and hepatic PFS (hPFS), assessed by blinded independent central review. Random assignment was performed using a web- or voice-based system stratified by unilobar or bilobar disease, oxaliplatin- or irinotecan-based first-line chemotherapy, and KRAS mutation status. RESULTS Four hundred twenty-eight patients from 95 centers in North America, Europe, and Asia were randomly assigned to chemotherapy with or without TARE; this represents the intention-to-treat population and included 215 patients in the TARE plus chemotherapy group and 213 patients in the chemotherapy alone group. The hazard ratio (HR) for PFS was 0.69 (95% CI, 0.54 to 0.88; 1-sided P = .0013), with a median PFS of 8.0 (95% CI, 7.2 to 9.2) and 7.2 (95% CI, 5.7 to 7.6) months, respectively. The HR for hPFS was 0.59 (95% CI, 0.46 to 0.77; 1-sided P < .0001), with a median hPFS of 9.1 (95% CI, 7.8 to 9.7) and 7.2 (95% CI, 5.7 to 7.6) months, respectively. Objective response rates were 34.0% (95% CI, 28.0 to 40.5) and 21.1% (95% CI, 16.2 to 27.1; 1-sided P = .0019) for the TARE and chemotherapy groups, respectively. Median overall survival was 14.0 (95% CI, 11.8 to 15.5) and 14.4 months (95% CI, 12.8 to 16.4; 1-sided P = .7229) with a HR of 1.07 (95% CI, 0.86 to 1.32) for TARE and chemotherapy groups, respectively. Grade 3 adverse events were reported more frequently with TARE (68.4% v 49.3%). Both groups received full chemotherapy dose intensity. CONCLUSION The addition of TARE to systemic therapy for second-line CLM led to longer PFS and hPFS. Further subset analyses are needed to better define the ideal patient population that would benefit from TARE.
Keywords: survival; bevacizumab; cetuximab; progression; outcomes; colon-cancer; criteria; location; response evaluation; microspheres
Journal Title: Journal of Clinical Oncology
Volume: 39
Issue: 35
ISSN: 0732-183X
Publisher: American Society of Clinical Oncology  
Date Published: 2021-12-10
Start Page: 3897
End Page: 3907
Language: English
ACCESSION: WOS:000730682800003
DOI: 10.1200/jco.21.01839
PROVIDER: wos
PMCID: PMC8660005
PUBMED: 34541864
Notes: Article -- Source: Wos
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