Multi-center, retrospective study of first-line systemic therapy ± immune checkpoint inhibition for metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma of the urinary tract.

Abstract

467 Background: Neuroendocrine, small cell, or large cell carcinoma originating from the urothelium (uro-NE/SCC/LCC) is rare. Outcomes for metastatic disease are dismal. Treatment is extrapolated from small cell lung cancer, for which immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have modest activity. Preliminary activity has been reported with ICI for uro-NE. We aimed to compare real-world progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) between ICI-containing and non-ICI-containing regimens in the first line (1L) metastatic setting for uro-NE/SCC/LCC. Methods: We performed a retrospective study at 11 cancer centers. Patients (pts) who received systemic therapy (2011-2021) for biopsy confirmed metastatic uro-NE/SCC/LCC were included. Pts with metastasis within 6 months of (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) (n=16) were excluded from 1L analyses. Results: 102 pts with metastatic uro-NE/SCC/LCC were evaluable. 17 (16.7%) had NE histology, 81 (79.4%) SCC, and 4 (3.9%) LCC. NE/SCC/LCC was mixed with urothelial histology in 19 (18.6%). Primary tumors were most often in the bladder (84.3%, n=86), less frequently upper tract (11.8%, n=12) or urethra (3.9%, n=4). 42 pts (41.2%) were previously treated for localized disease, the rest were de novo metastatic (n=60, 58.8%). Pts who received an ICI in any line (n=61) had significantly longer OS (p=0.038) than pts that never received an ICI (n=41). As shown in the table, in the 1L, ICI-containing regimens (n=33) resulted in significantly longer PFS, but not OS or ORR compared to non-ICI regimens (n=53). Subdividing 1L regimens into ICI without CT (n=14), CT without ICI (n=53), or ICI + CT (n=19), both PFS and OS were significantly different with similar ORR. ICI w/o CT had the longest median PFS and OS with an ORR 57.1% comparable to CT regimens. Of 61 pts that received ICI in any line, 14 (23.0%) had an immune-related adverse event of any grade; 11 (18.0%) received steroids. Conclusions: This is the largest ever report of ICI for metastatic uro-NE/SCC/LCC. ICIs were associated with improved outcomes with expected added toxicity. Further prospective investigation of ICI regimens is warranted. [Table: see text]