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Updated: Dec 29, 2025
Establishment of a Primary Culture of Patient-derived Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Published on: April 11, 2018
Combination therapy with Olaratumab/doxorubicin in advanced or metastatic soft tissue sarcoma -a single-Centre
Jana Käthe Striefler1, Franziska Brandes2, Alexander Baur3
1Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumor Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany. jana.striefler@charite.de.
Background:
The antibody targeting platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA), olaratumab, was approved in 2016 for metastatic soft tissue sarcoma (STS) in combination with doxorubicin based on promising results of a phase Ib/II trial by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, recently the phase III ANNOUNCE trial could not confirm the additional value of olaratumab in this context.
Methods:
Here, in a retrospective analysis we share our single-centre experience with olaratumab/doxorubicin in STS by including n = 32 patients treated with olaratumab/doxorubicin between 2016 and 2019.
Results:
Median progression-free survival (PFS) in the overall cohort was 3.1 months (range 0.6-16.2). A response [complete remission (CR), partial remission (PR) or stable disease (SD)] was seen in n = 11 (34%) cases, whereas n = 21 (66%) patients showed progressive disease (PD). In n = 9 patients surgery was performed subsequently in an individual therapeutic approach. Out of n = 5 patients receiving additional regional hyperthermia, n = 3 achieved PR or SD.
Conclusions:
This single-centre experience does also not support the promising phase Ib/II results for olaratumab/doxorubicin in STS. However, our findings do not preclude that olaratumab combination therapy could be valuable in a neoadjuvant setting. This warrants further exploration also taking into account the heterogeneous nature of STS.
Insights
Olaratumab combined with doxorubicin showed limited efficacy in soft tissue sarcoma (STS) patients, failing to replicate earlier promising results. Further research is needed to explore its potential in neoadjuvant settings for this heterogeneous cancer.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Medical Research
- Clinical Trials
Background:
- Olaratumab, an antibody targeting PDGFRA, was initially approved for metastatic soft tissue sarcoma (STS) in combination with doxorubicin.
- However, recent Phase III trials failed to confirm its added benefit, raising questions about its efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To retrospectively analyze the single-center experience with olaratumab/doxorubicin treatment in STS patients.
- To evaluate the real-world effectiveness of this combination therapy outside of controlled trial settings.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 32 STS patients treated with olaratumab/doxorubicin between 2016 and 2019.
- Assessment of progression-free survival (PFS) and objective response rates (ORR).
Main Results:
- Median PFS was 3.1 months; 34% of patients achieved a response (CR, PR, or SD), while 66% had progressive disease (PD).
- Nine patients underwent subsequent surgery, and 3 out of 5 receiving regional hyperthermia achieved PR or SD.
Conclusions:
- This single-center data does not support the efficacy suggested by earlier Phase Ib/II trials for olaratumab/doxorubicin in STS.
- The findings suggest that olaratumab combination therapy might hold potential in a neoadjuvant setting, warranting further investigation given STS heterogeneity.
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