Dr. Hellmann on Nivolumab in Combination with Ipilimumab for Small Cell Lung Cancer

Matthew D. Hellmann, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the CheckMate-032 study investigating nivolumab (Opdivo) with or without ipilimumab (Yervoy) for patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

CheckMate-032 is a phase I/II study investigating patients with SCLC who were treated with or without ipilimumab, explains Hellmann. This study was conducted because outcomes and treatment options for patients with SCLC are poor.

A total of 150 patients with SCLC were designed to receive ipilimumab or nivolumab, states Hellmann. Since there were early signs of promising efficacy, nivolumab with or without ipilimumab was added to the NCCN guidelines.

This also prompted a randomized study where 250 patients were randomized to either nivolumab alone or nivolumab with ipilimumab, in order to confirm efficacy and determine potential biomarkers.