Updated results of a phase Ib single-center study of pembrolizumab in combination with chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic small cell/neuroendocrine cancers of the prostate and urothelium.

Abstract

165 Background: Small cell/neuroendocrine cancers irrespective of origin share aggressive phenotypes. Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) is a humanized antibody targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) that has shown activity against small cell lung cancers. Preclinical studies showed molecular commonality amongst small cell cancers across multiple tissue types. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy signals of pembrolizumab and chemotherapy in patients with small cell/neuroendocrine cancer of the prostate and urothelium. Methods: Patients with locally advanced or metastatic small cell cancer of the bladder (cohort 1) and primary small cell or treatment-derived neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) (cohort 2) received pembrolizumab and standard of care chemotherapy (etoposide and cisplatin/carboplatin for cohorts 1 and 2, with option of docetaxel and carboplatin for cohort 2) with maintenance pembrolizumab for 2 years until unequivocal progressive disease or unacceptable toxicity. Primary endpoint was to estimate ORR, PFS, and OS compared to historical controls as well as safety and tolerability. Targeted gene mutation sequencing as well as sequential single cell sequencing of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) for immune profiling as well T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire was performed. Results: 14 patients were enrolled (7 cohort 1, 7 cohort 2) with mean age 64.9 (range 53 to 81). ORR was 43% (95% CI: 0.06, 0.80) overall and within each cohort. PFS rate at 12 months was 64% (95% CI: 0.44,0.95) across cohorts, 86% (95% CI: 0.63,1.00) within cohort 1, and 43% (95% CI: 0.18,1.00) within cohort 2. OS rate at 12 months was 79% (95% CI: 0.60,1.00) across cohorts, 86% (95% CI: 0.63,1.00) within cohort 1, and 71% (95% CI: 0.45,1.00) within cohort 2. 4 patients in cohort 1 with locally advanced disease underwent radical cystectomy, with no PD at a mean follow up of 29 months. Grade 3 or higher AEs occurred in 87% of patients, while 40% of patients experienced grade 3 or higher AEs related to pembrolizumab. In 12 patients where tissue was sufficient, all patients had genomic alterations in either p53 (75%) or Rb (58%). Single cell sequencing showed progressive enrichment of CD8+ T cells with clonal expansion of specific TCRs in responding patients. Conclusions: In patients with locally advanced or metastatic small cell/neuroendocrine prostate and bladder cancers, combination pembrolizumab with standard of care chemotherapy and maintenance pembrolizumab showed promising efficacy with tolerable adverse events. Clinical trial information: NCT03582475 .