ASCO 2021 | 24mg versus 18mg starting dose of lenvatinib for differentiated thyroid cancer

Marcia Brose, MD, PhD, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, shares the results of a recent Phase II double-blind study investigating the appropriate starting dose for lenvatinib in patients with radioactive iodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer. The study compared starting doses of 24mg and 18mg to determine if the lower dose would provide comparable efficacy, based on overall response rate at 24 weeks, with an improved safety profile. All patients were adjusted for toxicity as needed, without investigators knowing their starting dose. The results showed that the 18 mg dose did not show non-inferiority in efficacy compared to 24mg. Patients receiving 24mg had a better overall response rate at 24 weeks. Additionally, the rate of grade 3 and 4 adverse events was comparable across both arms. This interview took place at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2021 Virtual Meeting.