Effect of Doxorubicin Plus Olaratumab vs Doxorubicin Plus Placebo on Survival in Patients With Advanced Soft Tissue Sarcomas

Abstract

Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are rare, heterogeneous malignancies of connective tissues that arise from mesenchymal precursors most often in the extremities and comprise about 1% of cancers in adults.^1,2 The most common of the more than 50 biologically distinct histologies identified are leiomyosarcoma (LMS), liposarcoma (LPS), and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS).^1,2 Standard first-line systemic therapy for advanced disease includes doxorubicin alone or in combination. Recent first-line phase 3 trials comparing doxorubicin monotherapy with gemcitabine plus docetaxel³ or doxorubicin plus ifosfamide,⁴ palifosfamide,⁵ or evofosfamide⁶ did not improve historic median overall survival of about 14 to 19 months and 2-year survival rates of 20% to 30%. Consequently, there is a need for new, effective treatments.