Advanced non-small cell lung cancer management in patients progressing after first-line treatment: results of the cross-sectional phase of the Italian LIFE observational study

Purpose LIFE (non-small cell Lung cancer management In patients progressing after First-linE of treatment in the metastatic setting) is a multicentre Italian observational study, including a cross-sectional and a longitudinal phase, with the aim of describing the therapeutic approach in clinical practice for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, progressing after first-line treatment. Methods In this paper, the cross-sectional phase is outlined, with the primary endpoint of describing the proportion of patients receiving second-line treatment among those progressed during or after first-line treatment according to clinical practice. Results From July 2011 to January 2012, 603 patients were enrolled and 541 (90 %) were evaluable. A total of 464 (86 %) patients received a second-line therapy outside clinical trials. Chemotherapy and targeted therapies were administered to 65 and 34 % of patients, respectively (1 % both). No tissue collection was required within the observational trial, and biomarkers analysis was performed at diagnosis or later in 314 patients (58 %). In details, activating epidermal growth factor receptor mutations were detected in 21 % of 311 evaluable patients, Kirsten rat sarcoma 2 viral oncogene homolog mutation in 22 % of the 77 evaluable patients and anaplastic lymphoma kinase translocations analysis was performed in 74 patients and resulted positive in 23 % of cases. These high proportions were probably due to enriched patient population tested. Conclusions These results showed a pattern of care for NSCLC second-line therapy which reflects international guidelines recommendations and current expected clinical practice. Interestingly, biomarkers analyses were performed in a higher percentage than expected.