Statins (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors) have been used to treat hypercholesterolemia. Besides the lipid lowering effects, they also act as anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agents. Recently the investigators demonstrated a synergistic cytotoxicity between Simvastatin and Irinotecan in human lung cancer cells. Simvastatin enhances Irinotecan-induced apoptosis by inhibition of proteasome activity. All of these additional actions may counteract harmful effects of smoking-induced chronic inflammation. These properties together with a high safety profile have made Statins more attractive drug for small cell lung cancer (SCLC), the highly smoking-related cancer.~Given the promising preclinical anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory effects of Simvastatin in SCLC, recently the investigators conducted a phase II study of Simvastatin and Irinotecan/Cisplatin (IP) chemotherapy in chemo-naïve- patients with Extensive disease-small cell lung cancer (ED-SCLC). The 1-year survival rate was 39.3%. The median overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) was 11.0 months and 6.1 months, respectively. Overall relative risk (RR) was 75%. The most common toxicity was neutropenia (67%). The efficacy was significantly associated with smoking-status. Compared with never-smokers, ever-smokers had higher RR (40% v 78%, P=0.01) and longer PFS (2.5 months v 6.4 months, P=0.018) and showed a trend toward improved OS (9.0 months v 11.2 months, P=0.095). The effect of smoking on survival was apparent when subdividing ever smokers according to pack-years (PY). Ever-smokers who smoked > 65 PY showed significantly longer OS compared to ever-smokers who smoked <= 65 PY or never-smokers (20.6 months v 10.6 months v 9.0 months, log-rank P=0.032). In multivariate analysis, PY > 65 was predictive for longer survival (hazard ratio) HR=0.377 [95% CI (confidence interval), 0.157-0.905]). These findings suggest that the addition of Simvastatin to Irinotecan and Cisplatin improved efficacy in ever-smokers with ED-SCLC. The survival benefit of this combination seems apparent in heavy-smokers.
The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of Simvastatin and Irinotecan/Cisplatin chemotherapy with Irinotecan/Cisplatin chemotherapy alone in Extensive disease-small cell lung cancer.