Checkpoint inhibition for frail patients: Durvalumab with carboplatin–etoposide shows tolerability and a 1‑year survival signal in poor‑performance‑status extensive‑stage SCLC (NEJ045A)

Highlight

• NEJ045A demonstrates that first‑line durvalumab combined with carboplatin and etoposide is feasible in treatment‑naive extensive‑stage small‑cell lung cancer (ES‑SCLC) patients with poor performance status (PS 2–3), with induction completion rates exceeding pre‑specified thresholds.

• One‑year survival was 43.4% overall (50% for PS2 and 18.2% for PS3), suggesting a clinically meaningful benefit compared with historical expectations for poor‑PS cohorts.