Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39321212›Full record

ArticleThe oncologist2025

The association of azole antifungals with overall survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Nikhil T Sebastian, William A Stokes, Madhusmita Behera, Renjian Jiang, David A Gutman, Zhonglu Huang, Abigail Burns, Vidula Sukhatme, Michael C Lowe, Suresh S Ramalingam and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The oncologist, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Nikhil T SebastianDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322United States.ORCID 0000-0002-3977-7867
William A StokesDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322United States.
Madhusmita BeheraWinship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
Renjian JiangWinship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
David A GutmanWinship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
Zhonglu HuangWinship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
Abigail BurnsAtlanta Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Decatur, GA 30033, United States.
Vidula SukhatmeMorningside Center for Innovative and Affordable Medicine, Emory University, GA, Atlanta 30322, United States.
Michael C LoweMorningside Center for Innovative and Affordable Medicine, Emory University, GA, Atlanta 30322, United States.
Suresh S RamalingamWinship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
Vikas P SukhatmeMorningside Center for Innovative and Affordable Medicine, Emory University, GA, Atlanta 30322, United States.
Drew MoghanakiDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States.

Funding

Morningside Center for Innovative and Affordable Medicine
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPreclinical data suggest antifungal azole derivatives have antitumor efficacy that may modulate response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). We aimed to evaluate the association of azole drugs with overall survival (OS) in a population of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with ICI within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

methodsIn this retrospective study, the VA Corporate Data Warehouse was queried for patients diagnosed with NSCLC and treated with ICI from 2010 to 2018. Concomitant oral azole use was defined as dispensation by a VA pharmacy within 90 days of the first ICI infusion. Patients who received azole after 30 days were excluded from the analysis to mitigate immortal time bias. OS was measured from the start of ICI. Cox regression and propensity score matching were used to adjust for confounders.

resultsWe identified 3413 patients with NSCLC receiving ICI; 324 (9.5%) were exposed to concomitant azoles. As a group, azole use was not associated with OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.96; 95% CI, 0.84-1.09; P = .51). After stratification by azole type, clotrimazole had an association with better OS on univariable (HR = 0.75; 95% CI, 0.59-0.96; P = .024) and multivariable analysis (HR = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.56-0.91; P = .007). Propensity score matching of patients who received clotrimazole vs no azole yielded 101 patients per matched cohort. Clotrimazole was associated with improved OS, although this did not meet the threshold for statistical significance (HR = 0.74; 0.54-1.01; P = .058).

conclusionThis observational study demonstrated an association between clotrimazole and OS among patients with advanced NSCLC receiving ICI. These findings build upon preclinical evidence and support further investigation into the potential for clotrimazole as a repurposed FDA drug to improve cancer outcomes.

Indexed as

Antifungal AgentsAzolesCarcinoma, Non-Small-Cell LungImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsLung NeoplasmsAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesAntifungal AgentsAzolesImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsclotrimazoleimmunotherapyNSCLCradiationveterans

Identifiers

PMID39321212
PMCPMC11883151

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.