Introduction: Advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has a very high mortality. In recent years, treatment has significantly improved with the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, several factors, including gut microbiota, can influence its effectiveness. Antibiotics disrupt gut microbiota and so indirectly affect the immune system, which may impact the effectiveness of immunotherapy treatment.
Objective: The objective is to analyse patterns of antibiotic prescription in patients with NSCLC treated with ICIs at the Golnik Clinic and to evaluate the impact of antibiotic therapy on the outcomes of treatment with ICIs.
Methods: Our retrospective observational study included 369 patients who started treatment with ICIs as monotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy at the Golnik Clinic between July 2015 and December 2022. Data were obtained from an existing database that was created based on information from the BIRPIS system and clinical pathways at the Golnik Clinic. Using Excel and SPSS programs, we statistically analysed patterns of antibiotic prescription and their potential effects on the outcomes of ICI treatment.
Results: Most patients (258, 69.9 %) had antibiotics prescribed at least once during the one-year period before the start and until the end of ICI treatment. These patients had a median of two antibiotic treatments, with most prescriptions occurring near the start of ICI therapy. Penicillin antibiotics were the most frequently prescribed group. Antibiotic prescription during the one year prior to the initiation of ICI therapy was associated with poorer overall survival in univariate analysis for all patients (p = 0.048; HR = 1.293; 95 % CI: 1.001–1.670) and in multivariate analysis for patients in the second-line treatment group (p = 0.028; HR = 1.698; 95 % CI: 1.259–2.724).
Conclusion: Patients with advanced NSCLC are prescribed a significant number of antibiotics during the one-year period before the start and until the end of ICI treatment. This study demonstrates a potential association between antibiotic prescription and poorer treatment outcomes. However, further studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.
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