Clinical Trial: Tetracycline as a Prophylaxis for Rash in Patients With NSCLC Receiving Treatment With BIBW2992 (Afatinib)

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional



Official Title: Phase II, Open-label, Single Blind, Randomised Clinical Trial With Tetracycline as a Prophylaxis for Rash and Dermatological Recommendations Versus Dermatological Recommen

Brief Summary:

  1. Advanced NSCLC has a poor prognosis and the positive impact of chemotherapy is limited by the development of intrinsic and acquired resistance.
  2. Over the past decade, less toxic agents such as the innovative targeted therapies, i.e. erlotinib or gefitinib, have the potential to improve the effectiveness and keep a good quality of life with a low toxicity
  3. BIBW2992 (afatinib), an aniline-quinazoline, is an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) irreversible inhibitor, and it has activity against erlotinib-resistant isoforms having mutations in EGFR and HER-2.
  4. This molecule has shown benefits as a single agent in pre-treated patients who have progressed despite platinum-based chemotherapy, with a minimal toxicity compared to chemotherapy.
  5. BIBW2992 is associated with adverse effects similar to those for erlotinib and gefitinib, such as rash and diarrhea. These symptoms can reduce the quality of life (QL) in patients and lead to inconsistent EGFR inhibitor dose administration
  6. There is not a standard treatment for rash. However, case reports have tried to demonstrate the benefit in the treatment of these cutaneous injuries obtained with alcohol-free emollients, sunscreen with titanium dioxide or antibiotic (topic or oral) treatment regimens that include clindamycin or doxycycline, as well as anti-inflammatory drugs such as steroids and isotretinoin.
  7. In order to reduce the incidence and severity of cutaneous toxicities, we will compare the prophylactic antibiotic treatment using tetracycline and general dermatological recommendations versus using only dermatological recommendations, in patients initiating the treatment with BIBW2992.