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Updated: Aug 24, 2025
Establishment of a Primary Culture of Patient-derived Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Published on: April 11, 2018
Real-World Experience of Efficacy and Safety of Trabectedin in Patients with Soft Tissue Sarcoma: A Bicentric
Loïc Chaigneau1, Marine Jary1,2, Virginie Nerich2,3
1Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Besançon, Besançon, France.
Introduction:
Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are a rare and heterogenous group of tumors, with poor prognostic, judging from their frequency to relapse. Few drugs are available after the conventional first-line regimen. Since 2007, trabectedin got approval after failure of anthracyclines and ifosfamide, for advanced or metastatic STS. This led to a FDA approval in 2015, but real-world evidence is still required, complementary to the pivotal phase II and III trials.
Methods:
One hundred twenty-six patients with STS, treated by trabectedin between 2002 and 2019, were analyzed in this retrospective study, in two French centers. The effects of trabectedin on survival, response, and toxicity were described. All patients were tested for toxicities, and efficacy was assessed in patients exposed to at least 2 cycles of trabectedin.
Results:
Three median cycles were administered per patient (1-79). Among the 113 patients analyzed for efficacy, the median progression-free survival was 3.0 months (95% CI: 2.3-4.8), with an overall survival of 12.3 months (95% CI: 10.2-16.9). The rate of disease control was 46% at the end of treatment. Myxoid liposarcoma (n = 11) was the histology subtype that benefited most from this chemotherapy with median progression-free survival and overall survival of 13.3 months (95% CI: 2.3-18.7) and 27.8 months (95% CI: 3.2-64.7), respectively. Adverse events were manageable.
Discussion And Conclusion:
Efficacy of trabectedin is confirmed in terms of clinical benefit and low toxicity, especially for myxoid liposarcoma. Combinatory regimens are under clinical trials to optimize the place of this chemotherapy.
Insights
Trabectedin demonstrates clinical benefit and manageable toxicity in soft tissue sarcoma (STS) patients. This chemotherapy is particularly effective for myxoid liposarcoma, showing improved survival outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are rare, heterogeneous tumors with poor prognosis and limited treatment options post-first-line therapy.
- Trabectedin is approved for advanced or metastatic STS after anthracycline and ifosfamide failure, but real-world data is needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the real-world efficacy and safety of trabectedin in patients with advanced or metastatic soft tissue sarcoma.
- To identify STS subtypes that may benefit most from trabectedin treatment.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 126 STS patients treated with trabectedin between 2002 and 2019 in two French centers.
- Efficacy assessed by progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and disease control rate (DCR) in patients receiving at least two cycles.
- Toxicity was monitored in all patients.
Main Results:
- Median PFS was 3.0 months and median OS was 12.3 months. Disease control rate was 46% at treatment end.
- Myxoid liposarcoma patients showed superior outcomes with a median PFS of 13.3 months and median OS of 27.8 months.
- Adverse events associated with trabectedin were manageable.
Conclusions:
- Trabectedin provides clinical benefit and exhibits low toxicity in STS patients, reinforcing its role in treatment.
- Myxoid liposarcoma is a key subtype benefiting significantly from trabectedin therapy.
- Ongoing clinical trials are exploring combination regimens to optimize trabectedin's therapeutic application.
