Acceptability, Compliance, and Safety of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Cachectic Participants Continuing Compassionate Access in the ACCeRT Clinical Study

Objective: Cancer cachexia is defined as: a ‘multifactorial syndrome’, and it has been suggested that a multitargeted approach is required in its management. High prevalence is seen within non-small cell lung cancer, and patients may continue to experience cachexia post end of anti-cancer treatment, and in the late/end stage. Material and Methods: Participants who had completed week 20/End of Trial visit in the main Auckland’s Cancer Cachexia evaluating Resistance Training (ACCeRT) study were invited to continue with treatment under compassionate use. Participants could continue with 2.09 g of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), 300 mg COX-2 inhibitor (celecoxib), once daily; plus two sessions per week of progressive resistance training (PRT), and 20 g oral essential amino acids (EAA); high in leucine, in a split dose over three days post each session. Data was collected on the acceptability, compliance and adherence to medication/PRT sessions. Secondary endpoints included: change in body weight and fat free mass, handgrip and leg strength, the Functional Assessment of Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy, Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory-Short Form, World Health Organization Quality of Life — BREF, Glasgow prognostic score, and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Results: All six participants, who completed the main ACCeRT study, opted to continue with compassionate use. Acceptability remained high, with overall compliance to last study/PRT visit of 81.0% for EPA, 98.8% for celecoxib, 78.9% for PRT and 77.2% for EAA. Participants continued to lose body weight and Fat-Free Mass, along with reduced albumin and increased C-Reactive protein levels. Mean time on compassionate study treatment was 78 days, and with a mean overall survival of 257 days (140 + 117). Conclusion: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cachectic patients are willing to be enrolled onto a multi-targeted treatment regimen, and may benefit from cachexia symptom management even during their late/refractory stage.