Exploring the relationship between anorexia and therapeutic efficacy in advanced lung cancer treatment: a retrospective study

Background: Chemotherapy-induced anorexia is a common occurrence in patients undergoing treatment for advanced lung cancer. However, the relationship between chemotherapy-induced anorexia and weight loss during platinum-based chemotherapy combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors is unclear. This study explored the relationship between chemotherapy-induced anorexia and therapeutic outcomes in patients with stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer undergoing platinum-based chemotherapy combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Methods: The study retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 106 patients with stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer treated with platinum-based chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors between January 2019 and October 2022. The incidence of weight loss and its association with treatment efficacy was assessed in the chemotherapy-induced anorexia group. Chemotherapy-induced anorexia, nausea, and vomiting were evaluated using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v 5.0. Progression-free and overall survival were used to measure treatment efficacy. Results: Chemotherapy-induced anorexia was observed in 13.2% of patients. These patients exhibited significant weight loss at 6 and 9 weeks after treatment initiation compared to those in the non-chemotherapy-induced anorexia group. Progression-free and overall survival were shorter in the chemotherapy-induced anorexia group than in the non-chemotherapy-induced anorexia group, but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Chemotherapy-induced anorexia was associated with significant weight loss and reduced treatment efficacy in patients with stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer. These results highlight the importance of implementing robust supportive care for chemotherapy-induced anorexia to mitigate weight loss and uphold treatment effectiveness during platinum-based chemotherapy combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors.