Publications by authors named "Steven I Blum"

Article Synopsis
  • A phase 3 trial found that neoadjuvant treatment with nivolumab plus chemotherapy improved event-free survival in patients with resectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) compared to chemotherapy alone, with 70.2% of the nivolumab group remaining event-free at 18 months, versus 50.0% in the chemotherapy group.!* -
  • Patients receiving nivolumab also had a significantly higher rate of pathological complete response (25.3%) compared to those on chemotherapy (4.7%), indicating better treatment efficacy.!* -
  • The safety profile was similar between both groups, with 32.5% of nivolumab patients experiencing grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events
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Background: In CheckMate 214 (median follow-up, 25.2 months), nivolumab plus ipilimumab yielded greater overall survival (OS) benefit than sunitinib in patients with intermediate-/poor-risk advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC). Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) assessed by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Kidney Symptom Index-19 (FKSI-19) was also more favorable for the nivolumab plus ipilimumab group than the sunitinib group.

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Purpose: In CheckMate 649, first-line nivolumab plus chemotherapy prolonged overall survival versus chemotherapy in patients with advanced/metastatic non-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive gastric/gastroesophageal junction cancer (GC/GEJC) or esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). We present exploratory patient-reported outcomes (PROs).

Methods: In patients (N = 1,581) concurrently randomly assigned 1:1 to nivolumab plus chemotherapy or chemotherapy and in those with tumor PD-L1 expression at a combined positive score (CPS) of ≥5, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed using the EQ-5D and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Gastric (FACT-Ga), which included the FACT-General (FACT-G) and Gastric Cancer subscale (GaCS).

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Background: Therapeutic advances in lung cancer have turned attention toward patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) as important clinical outcomes. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung (FACT-L) is a common endpoint in lung cancer trials. This study calculated FACT-L reference values for the United States (US) general population.

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Background: In CheckMate 9LA (NCT03215706), first-line nivolumab plus ipilimumab with chemotherapy (2 cycles) significantly improved overall survival versus chemotherapy (4 cycles) in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer and no known sensitising epidermal growth factor receptor/anaplastic lymphoma kinase alterations. We present exploratory patient-reported outcomes (PROs; minimum follow-up, 2 years).

Methods: In patients (N = 719) randomised 1:1 to nivolumab plus ipilimumab with chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone, disease-related symptom burden and health-related quality of life were assessed using the Lung Cancer Symptom Scale (LCSS) and 3-level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-3L).

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Background: The comparative efficacy and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes of nivolumab plus cabozantinib versus pembrolizumab plus axitinib as first-line treatments for advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC) have not been assessed in head-to-head trials.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and HRQoL outcomes of nivolumab plus cabozantinib versus pembrolizumab plus axitinib.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Patient-level data for nivolumab plus cabozantinib from the CheckMate 9ER trial and published data for pembrolizumab plus axitinib from the KEYNOTE-426 trial were used.

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Purpose: We present 5-year results from CheckMate 227 Part 1, in which nivolumab plus ipilimumab improved overall survival (OS) versus chemotherapy in patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer, regardless of tumor programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) status.

Methods: Adults with stage IV/recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer without mutations or alterations and with tumor PD-L1 ≥ 1% or < 1% (n = 1739) were randomly assigned. Patients with tumor PD-L1 ≥ 1% were randomly assigned to first-line nivolumab plus ipilimumab, nivolumab alone, or chemotherapy.

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Purpose: Score reproducibility is an important measurement property of fit-for-purpose patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures. It is commonly assessed via test-retest reliability, and best evaluated with a stable participant sample, which can be challenging to identify in diseases with highly variable symptoms. To provide empirical evidence comparing the retrospective (patient global impression of change [PGIC]) and current state (patient global impression of severity [PGIS]) approaches to identifying a stable subgroup for test-retest analyses, 3 PRO Consortium working groups collected data using both items as anchor measures.

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Article Synopsis
  • In the CheckMate 078 study, nivolumab showed better overall survival and safety compared to docetaxel in Chinese patients with previously treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer, with a minimum follow-up of three years.
  • Patients treated with nivolumab had a 3-year overall survival rate of 19%, significantly higher than the 12% observed with docetaxel, and fewer experienced severe treatment-related side effects over time.
  • Additionally, patients on nivolumab reported lower rates of disease-related symptom deterioration and improved quality of life, as measured by the Lung Cancer Symptom Scale.
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Background: In the CheckMate 9ER trial, patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma who received first-line nivolumab plus cabozantinib had significantly better progression-free survival compared with those given sunitinib. In this study, we aimed to describe the patient-reported outcome (PRO) results from CheckMate 9ER.

Methods: In this open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial done in 125 cancer centres, urology centres, and hospitals across 18 countries, patients aged 18 years or older with previously untreated advanced renal cell carcinoma with a clear-cell component, a Karnofsky performance status of 70% or more, and available tumour tissue were randomly assigned (1:1) via interactive response technology to nivolumab 240 mg intravenously every 2 weeks plus oral cabozantinib 40 mg per day, or oral sunitinib 50 mg per day monotherapy for 4 weeks in 6-week cycles.

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Introduction: In CheckMate 227 (NCT02477826), patients with treatment-naive stage IV or recurrent NSCLC and 1% or greater tumor programmed death ligand 1 expression had significantly improved overall survival with nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus chemotherapy. We present the patient-reported outcomes (PROs).

Methods: Patients (N = 1189) were randomized to nivolumab plus ipilimumab, nivolumab, or chemotherapy.

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Background: Anemia is a frequent complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD) that negatively affects patients' health-related quality of life.

Methods: We conducted qualitative concept elicitation (CE) and cognitive debriefing (CD) interviews to assess the frequency, duration, and severity of symptoms and impacts associated with anemia of CKD and to facilitate the development of a new patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure. We interviewed 36 patients with CKD and hemoglobin levels ≥8.

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Purpose: To conduct qualitative interviews to evaluate and refine the Itch Diary (ID) and weekly version of the PBC-40 in patients with itching associated with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).

Methods: Twenty adults with self-reported PBC diagnoses and recent/ongoing itching of at least moderate intensity participated in face-to-face qualitative combined concept elicitation (CE) interviews and cognitive interviews after completing the morning and evening versions of the ID and weekly version of the PBC-40. These questionnaires were evaluated to confirm saturation of concepts of interest and cognitively test the English language versions of the measures in patients with PBC in the US and Canada.

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We describe qualitative and quantitative development and preliminary validation of the Patient Assessment for Low Back Pain-Impacts (PAL-I), a patient-reported outcome measure for use in chronic low back pain (cLBP) clinical trials. Concept elicitation and cognitive interviews (qualitative methods) were used to identify and refine symptom concepts. Classical test theory and Rasch measurement theory (quantitative methods) were used to evaluate item-level and scale-level performance of the PAL-I using an iterative approach between qualitative and quantitative methods.

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We describe the mixed-methods (qualitative and quantitative) development and preliminary validation of the Patient Assessment for Low Back Pain-Symptoms (PAL-S), a patient-reported outcome measure for use in chronic low back pain (cLBP) clinical trials. Qualitative methods (concept elicitation and cognitive interviews) were used to identify and refine symptom concepts and quantitative methods (classical test theory and Rasch measurement theory) were used to evaluate item- and scale-level performance of the measure using an iterative approach. Patients with cLBP participated in concept elicitation interviews (N = 43), cognitive interviews (N = 38), and interview-based assessment of paper-to-electronic mode equivalence (N = 8).

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Purpose: Measurement development in hard-to-reach populations can pose methodological challenges. Item response theory (IRT) is a useful statistical tool, but often requires large samples. We describe the use of longitudinal IRT models as a pragmatic approach to instrument development when large samples are not feasible.

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Objective: To identify patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments that assess chronic low back pain (cLBP) symptoms (specifically pain qualities) and/or impacts for potential use in cLBP clinical trials to demonstrate treatment benefit and support labeling claims.

Design: Literature review of existing PRO measures.

Methods: Publications detailing existing PRO measures for cLBP were identified, reviewed, and summarized.

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Article Synopsis
  • A study evaluated linaclotide (Linzess) and lubiprostone (Amitiza) for treating chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) in adults, focusing on effectiveness and costs.
  • The research used a decision-tree model based on trial data and surveys to compare treatment outcomes, with key measures including patient satisfaction and spontaneous bowel movement frequency at 4 weeks.
  • Results showed linaclotide had lower costs and similar effectiveness compared to lubiprostone, making it a potentially better option for treating CIC in adults.
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Background: Content valid, patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures of major depressive disorder (MDD) symptoms are needed to assess MDD treatment benefit. While a range of questionnaires are currently available to evaluate aspects of depression from the patient's perspective, their comprehensiveness and qualitative development histories are unclear.

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the process and results of the preliminary qualitative development of a new symptom-based PRO measure intended to assess treatment benefit in MDD clinical trials.

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Purpose: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) occurs in 26-47 % of diabetes patients and may have negative impacts on physical functioning, sleep, well-being, and quality of life. The Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathic Pain Impact measure (DPNPI) was developed to measure disease impacts and treatment effects. Presented are the DPNPI conceptual development and validation findings.

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Established in 2008, the Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) Consortium is a collaboration among the US Food and Drug Administration's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, the Critical Path Institute, the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry, and other stakeholders. The purpose of the consortium is to qualify PRO instruments through the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research's drug development tool qualification process for use as clinical trial endpoints to support drug approval and product labeling claims. The PRO Consortium has made notable progress toward collaborative development of PRO instruments in the following areas: asthma, mild cognitive impairment, depression, functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, non-small cell lung cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis.

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Article Synopsis
  • Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) affects up to 50% of patients with diabetes, leading to nerve damage that causes pain and loss of feeling in extremities.
  • A study involving 70 patients explored the impact of DPN pain on daily activities and overall well-being through focus groups and interviews, highlighting serious challenges in physical ability, daily life, social interactions, and sleep.
  • The findings indicate that DPNP significantly complicates diabetes management and negatively affects patients’ quality of life, stressing the need for more comprehensive care strategies.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to assess the effectiveness and costs of linaclotide versus lubiprostone in treating adults with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) through a decision-analytic model.
  • Results showed that linaclotide led to a higher percentage of treatment responders, lower costs per patient, and greater quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) compared to lubiprostone over a 12-week period.
  • Limitations of the study include the lack of direct head-to-head trials and the short time frame of the model, which only reflects available clinical trial data.
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