Addition of Trilaciclib May Mitigate Myelosuppression in Patients With Small Cell Lung Cancer

Trilaciclib combined with Hycamtin (topotecan) — the standard-of-care for patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) over the past 20 years — alleviated chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression, one study suggested.

One of the main side effects of Hycamtin can be myelosuppression, a common side effect in which bone marrow activity is decreased, resulting in fewer red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, lead study author Dr. Lowell Hart explained.

“It causes big drops in the white counts and platelets and in the red cells,” he said. “(Treatment with trilaciclib is meant) to preserve the bone marrow from the toxic effects of chemotherapy.”

Hart and colleagues also found that trilaciclib improved tolerability of Hycamtin, compared with those who did not receive the intravenous CDK4/6 inhibitor, suggesting this treatment option may be clinically beneficial.

During the 2019 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Hart, who is from Florida Cancer Specialists, discussed the latest advancements in SCLC treatment as well as his recent study findings.