Cycles Of Gemcitabine Research Articles

Intensive chemotherapy versus standard chemotherapy among patients with high risk, operable, triple negative breast cancer based on integrated mRNA-lncRNA signature (BCTOP-T-A01): randomised, multicentre, phase 3 trial

ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility of using a multigene signature to tailor individualised adjuvant therapy for patients with operable triple negative breast cancer.DesignRandomised, multicentre, open label, phase 3 trial.Setting7 cancer centres...

Cytotoxic lesions of the corpus callosum due to FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy

Cytotoxic lesions of the corpus callosum (CLOCCs) have gained attention due to their various clinical presentations and potential neurotoxic etiologies. The splenium connects visual areas across cerebral hemispheres and plays a vital role in processing visual cues. Previously, these reversible lesions were associated with mild encephalitis or encephalopathy, but in fact, they belong to a broader spectrum encompassing various syndromes. Often triggered by cytokinopathy, CLOCCs are usually hyperintense on T2/FLAIR, non-enhancing and show diffusion restriction.A 47-year-old woman with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma undergoing FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy (folinic acid, fluorouracil, irinotecan and oxaliplatin) developed strabismus and dizziness two days post-chemo. Neurological examination identified an incomplete wall-eyed bilateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia – a rare finding. Neuroimaging revealed restricted diffusion involving the splenium of the corpus callosum, discreetly hyperintense on T2/FLAIR, non-enhancing and without significant associated mass effect. Neurotoxicity and encephalopathy related to 5-FU were considered, leading to hospitalization. Ammonia levels and liver function were normal. Following discontinuation of the drug, the patient had a fast full clinical recovery and a follow-up MRI confirmed total resolution of splenium lesions. Posteriorly, she completed six cycles of Gemcitabine, uneventfully.This case highlights the spectrum of CLOCCs and the potential neurotoxicity of chemotherapy agents, specifically 5-FU. The patient's unique presentation of bilateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia, enriches the understanding of its manifestations. This case emphasizes the need to consider toxic etiologies alongside conventional triggers. Further research into the neurological effects of chemotherapeutic agents, especially 5-FU, on the corpus callosum is crucial.

Efficacy of trametinib in a metastatic urothelial carcinoma patient with a BRAF mutation

IntroductionBRAF mutations in bladder cancer are rare. MEK inhibitors have excellent clinical benefits in the treatment of melanoma.Case presentationA 60‐year‐old male was diagnosed with muscle‐invasive bladder cancer and underwent total cystectomy and ileal conduit diversion. Despite 4 cycles of gemcitabine and cisplatin chemotherapy and 3 courses of pembrolizumab, the left obturator lymph node enlarged. Cancer multi‐gene panel testing confirmed the BRAF G469A mutation and trametinib was recommended. Three months after the initiation of trametinib (2 mg, qd), the left obturator lymph node shrank by more than 50%. The disease has remained stable for more than 18 months.ConclusionThe present case indicates the potential of trametinib to treat mBUC patients with the BRAF G469A mutation in this setting.

Integrated 68 Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR in Pancreatic Cancer : Prediction of Tumor Response and Tumor Resectability After Neoadjuvant Therapy.

This study aimed to investigate the value of 68 Ga-fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) PET/MR semiquantitative parameters in the prediction of tumor response and resectability after neoadjuvant therapy in patients with pancreatic cancer. This study was performed retrospectively in patients with borderline resectable or locally advanced pancreatic cancer who underwent 68 Ga-FAPI PET/MRI from June 2020 to June 2022. The SUV max , SUV mean , SUV peak , uptake tumor volume (UTV), and total lesion FAP expression (TLF) of the primary tumor were recorded. The target-to-background ratios (TBRs) of the primary tumor to normal tissue muscle (TBR muscle ) and blood (TBR blood ) were also calculated. In addition, the minimum apparent diffusion coefficient value of the tumor was measured. After 3-4 cycles of gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel chemotherapy, patients were divided into responders and nonresponders groups according to RECIST criteria (v.1.1). They were also divided into resectable and unresectable groups according to the surgical outcome. The variables were compared separately between groups. A total of 18 patients who met the criteria were included in this study. The UTV and TLF were significantly higher in nonresponders than in responders ( P < 0.05). The SUV max , SUV mean , and TBR muscle were significantly higher in unresectable patients than in resectable ones ( P < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis identified UTV (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.840, P = 0.015) and TLF (AUC = 0.877, P = 0.007) as significant predictors for the response to gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel chemotherapy, with cutoff values of 25.05 and 167.38, respectively. In addition, SUV max (AUC = 0.838, P = 0.016), SUV mean (AUC = 0.812, P = 0.026), and TBR muscle (AUC = 0.787, P = 0.041) were significant predictors of the resectability post-NCT, with cutoff values of 14.0, 6.0, and 13.9, respectively. According to logistic regression analysis, TLF was found to be significantly associated with tumor response ( P = 0.032) and was an independent predictor of tumor response ( P = 0.032). In addition, apparent diffusion coefficient value was an independent predictor of tumor resectability ( P = 0.043). This pilot study demonstrates the value of 68 Ga-FAPI PET/MR for the prediction of tumor response and resectability after neoadjuvant therapy. It may aid in individualized patient management by guiding the treatment regimens.

Adjuvant chemotherapy guided by an integrated mRNA–lncRNA signature in triple-negative breast cancer (BCTOP-T-A01): A randomized, open-label, multicenter phase 3 trial.

525 Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly heterogeneous disease with variable clinical outcomes. We have previously classified patients with TNBC into high- and low-risk groups based on a multigene signature. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the feasibility of utilizing a multigene signature to tailor individualized adjuvant therapy for patients with operable TNBC. Methods: This multicenter, open-label, randomized, phase 3 trial was conducted at 7 cancer centers in China. We included female patients aged 18-70 years with early TNBC after definitive surgery (histologically confirmed axillary lymph node-positive or lymph node-negative with tumor diameter &gt;10 mm). After categorization using the integrated signature, high-risk patients were randomized (1:1) to receive an intensive adjuvant treatment comprising four cycles of docetaxel, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide followed by four cycles of gemcitabine and cisplatin (TEC-GP; arm A), or the standard four cycles of epirubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by four cycles of docetaxel (EC-T; arm B). Low-risk patients received the same adjuvant chemotherapy as arm B (arm C). The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS) in the intention-to-treat analysis of arm A versus arm B. Results: Between January 2016 and July 2023, 504 patients (336 high-risk and 168 low-risk; median age, 52 years; 488 with T1-2 tumors; 263 with node-positive disease) were recruited. At a median follow-up of 45.1 months, the 3-year DFS rates were 90.9% for patients in arm A and 80.6% for patients in arm B (hazard ratio [HR], 0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28 to 0.95; P = 0.030). Intensive chemotherapy improved DFS relative to standard therapy irrespective of tumor size and nodal status. The 3-year RFS was 92.6% in arm A and 83.2% in arm B (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.25 to 0.98; P = 0.039). The groups did not differ in OS (HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.22 to 1.54; P = 0.267; 3-year OS, 98.2% vs 91.3%). Upon receiving the same chemotherapy regimen, patients in arm C had significantly higher DFS (HR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.33-0.98; P = 0.038; 3-year DFS, 90.1% vs 80.6%), RFS (HR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.22-0.81; P = 0.007; 3-year RFS, 94.5% vs 83.2%) and OS (HR, 0.14; 95% CI, 0.03-0.61; P = 0.002; 3-year OS, 100% vs 91.3%) compared to patients in arm B. The incidence of grade 3 to 4 treatment-related adverse. events for arms A, B and C, respectively, were thrombocytopenia (14.1%, 2.5%, 1.8%), febrile neutropenia (9.9%, 4.3%, 4.9%), anemia (5.8%, 1.9%, 1.8%), nausea (7.0%, 3.7%, 4.9%), vomiting (8.3%, 4.3%, 4.9%) and myalgia (2.6%, 5.6%, 5.5%). There were no treatment-related deaths. Conclusions: The multigene signature showed potential for tailoring adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with operable TNBC. Intensive regimens incorporating GP into anthracycline/taxane-based therapy improves survival with manageable toxicity. Clinical trial information: NCT02641847 .

Perioperative therapy for resectable and borderline resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma: An AGICC clinical trial.

4175 Background: Patients (pts) with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) who are candidates for surgery are anatomically segregated into two groups: those with resectable tumors (R-PDAC), and those with borderline resectable tumors (BR-PDAC). For each group, complete surgical resection with no visible or microscopic disease left behind (R0 resection) is generally accepted as the path to cure. Neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) has been used to improve the R0 resection rate. However, the optimal role and type of NAT that will improve R0 resection rate and overall survival (OS) remains controversial. The Academic Gastrointestinal Cancer Consortium (AGICC) evaluated a perioperative strategy with combination chemotherapy and preoperative stereotactic radiation therapy (SBRT) to improve the R0 resection rate. Methods: This prospective, multicenter open label, single arm phase 2 clinical trial conducted among 5 member AGICC institutions enrolled pts with R-PDAC and BR-PDAC. Treatment included 3 cycles of gemcitabine (1000mg/m2) and nab-paclitaxel (125 mg/m2) (GEM/NAB) on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle prior to SBRT (33Gy: 6.6Gy daily x 5) followed by surgery and 3 cycles of adjuvant GEM/NAB. Accrual goal was 20 R-PDAC and 30 BR-PDAC pts selected by central radiology review. Primary objective was to estimate the R0 resection rate for each cohort. Secondary objectives included safety and tolerability of neoadjuvant treatment and OS. Results: Eighty-six pts signed consent and after radiologic screening, 20 R-PDAC patients and 29 BR-PDAC patients were found eligible to begin treatment. One R-PDAC and two BR-PDAC pts did not initiate therapy. 14 (70%) and 19 (66%) R-PDAC and BR-PDAC pts, respectively, completed all neoadjuvant chemotherapy.14 R-PDAC (70%) and 17 BR-PDAC (59%) pts completed SBRT. 11 R-PDAC pts (55%) and 11 (38%) BR-PDAC, underwent surgery. 8 R-PDAC pts (40%) had an R0 resection. One R-PDAC pt had a complete pathologic response (pCR). 8 BR-PDAC pts (28%) had an R0 resection. 19% (3/16) pts undergoing an R0 resection are alive (47-73+ mos). 16 pts (32%) had at least one grade ≥ 3 non-hematologic adverse event (AE); 25 patients (51%) had at least one grade ≥ 3 hematologic AE. 8 pts, 4 R-PDAC and 4 BR-PDAC were hospitalized prior to surgery. One pt (2%) died during NAT. There were no deaths due to surgery. Conclusions: R0 resection rates and survival in R-PDAC and BR-PDAC were low despite a perioperative approach of systemic therapy and SBRT. The lack of survival benefit of GEM/NAB as an adjuvant regimen, as well as SBRT pre-operatively (both shown in studies subsequent to this one) may explain the disappointing results. While an R0 resection for localized PDAC is recognized as essential, our results demonstrate that an R0 resection is not sufficient to cure the majority of PDAC pts who receive NAT with GEM/NAB + SBRT. Future NAT therapy trials should aim to markedly improve the pCR rates associated with R0 resection. Clinical trial information: NCT02723331 .

NRG Oncology/RTOG 0848: Results after adjuvant chemotherapy +/- chemoradiation for patients with resected periampullary pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA).

4005 Background: If 5FU/Capecitabine sensitized radiotherapy (RT) is beneficial in the adjuvant (adj) management of PA after adj chemotherapy (chemo) is controversial. NRG/RTOG 0848 was designed to address this issue. Methods: This was a 2 step NCTN randomized (rndmzd) trial. Step 1 rndmzd patients (pts) to 5 cycles of gemcitabine +/- Erlotinib. Step 2 rndmzd pts to a 6th cycle of the same chemo +/- 5FU/Capecitabine with 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions RT (chemo+CRT). Step 1 eligibility included: R0/R1 resection, M0, ECOG PS 0-1, CA19-9≤180. Step 2 eligibility included &gt; 4 cycles chemo (gem, gem combo, (m)FOLFIRINOX). RT included real time 3D/IMRT treatment (RX) plan review, scoring, and approval. At Step 2, pts stratified by nodal status (+ vs -), CA19-9 (≤90 vs &gt; 90-180), surgical margins (R0 vs R1), and adjuvant chemo. Primary endpoint was OS. Secondary endpoints are DFS and AEs (CTCAEv4). Assuming 17 months median OS (chemo) and hypothesized 22.5 months (chemo+CRT), sample size was 354 pts (HR = 0.76, 80% power, 1-sided α = 0.05, 316 OS events). Due to lower than projected event rate, trial was amended to report at the earlier of (a) 316 observed OS events or (b) 5 years of follow-up time from Step 2 accrual closure (265 OS events, 72% power, same α). OS and DFS were estimated by Kaplan-Meier and arms compared using log-rank test. Multivariable analyses (MVA) used Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Accrual began 11/2009; closed 10/2018. 354 pts rndmzd (174 chemo, 180 chemo+CRT). Median follow-up for all &amp; alive pts = 2 &amp; 7 years, respectively, with 270 OS events. Median age 63, 45% female, 81% white, 13% AA. 83% R0, 26% node negative, 96% CA19-9 &lt; 90. 13% of chemo+CRT pts did not receive RT. AEs were comparable (grade 4: 10% [chemo] vs 11% [chemo+CRT] and 1 grade 5 AE in each arm). Univariate OS/DFS results shown in Table. In initial MVA, RX, CA19-9, surgical margins were not statistically significantly associated with OS or DFS, but nodal status (OS, DFS) and race (OS) were. In further analyses, significant interactions were found between RX and nodal status for both OS and DFS. Node negative pts treated with chemo+CRT had better outcome than chemo pts; node positive pts did not (Table). Conclusions: Chemo+CRT did not improve OS overall, but did improve DFS. Both OS and DFS were improved with Chemo+CRT in node negative pts. Chemo+CRT did not increase Gr 4 or 5 AEs compared to chemo. Clinical trial information: NCT01013649 . [Table: see text]

Efficacy of systemic treatments in patients with metastatic lung invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma.

e20609 Background: Invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (IMA) is a relatively rare histological subtype of lung adenocarcinomas that differs in its clinical behavior, radiologic features, histopathological, and genomic characteristics than invasive non-mucinous adenocarcinomas (INMA). Methods: We retrospectively investigated medical records of patients diagnosed with lung IMA at four oncology centers in Turkey. Patients who were ≥18 years of age, pathologically diagnosed with lung IMA, and who received at least one course of treatment for metastatic or inoperable disease were included in the study. Results: Forty-one patients were included in the study. The median follow-up was 16.6 months. Among the included patients, 24 (58.5%) were male, 17 (38.5%) were female, and their average age was 62. Six (14.6%) patients had a targetable mutation. Three (7.3%) patients were epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), two (4.8%) anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) mutation, and one (2.4%) neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK2) fusion. Most patients (83.1%) had received platinum-based chemotherapy as a first-line treatment. Of the patients who received cytotoxic chemotherapy, 9 (25.7%) had a partial response, 14 (40%) had a stable response, and 12 (34.3%) had progression. The median PFS was 8.24 months (95% CI: 5.9-10.5 months), and the median OS was 20.4 months (95% CI: 14.4-26.3 months) in all study populations. In those receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy, median PFS and OS were 8.11 months (95% CI: 5.02-11.2) and 17.5 months (95% CI: 11.7-23.3 months), respectively. While the PFS of two EGFR-positive patients were similar at 18.9 months and 20.6 months, the third patient's PFS was quite prolonged (66.5 months). The ALK-positive patients receiving brigatinib and crizotinib PFS were 15.8 months and 2.73 months, respectively. The PFS of the patient receiving entrectinib was only two months. Among the entire patient population, only one patient used oxaliplatin and capecitabine combination (XELOX) as chemotherapy. In this patient, who progressed after four cycles of gemcitabine and platinum first-line treatment, a partial response and 7.23 months PFS were achieved with second line XELOX. Conclusions: Standard-of-care treatments have the same efficacy in IMA and INMA patients. Targetable mutation is less common in IMA patients compared to INMA. 5-FU-based chemotherapies also appear to be effective in lung IMA patients.

Natural History and Genomic Landscape of Chemotherapy-Resistant Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer.

Patients with residual invasive bladder cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and radical cystectomy have a poor prognosis. Data on adjuvant therapy for these patients are conflicting. We sought to evaluate the natural history and genomic landscape of chemotherapy-resistant bladder cancer to inform patient management and clinical trials. Data were collected on patients with clinically localized muscle-invasive urothelial bladder cancer treated with NAC and cystectomy at our institution between May 15, 2001, and August 15, 2019, and completed four cycles of gemcitabine and cisplatin NAC, excluding those treated with adjuvant therapies. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify predictors of recurrence-free survival (RFS). Genomic alterations were identified in targeted exome sequencing (Memorial Sloan Kettering Integrated Mutation Profiling of Actionable Cancer Targets) data from post-NAC specimens from a subset of patients. Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) was the strongest predictor of RFS (hazard ratio, 2.15 [95% CI, 1.37 to 3.39]) on multivariable analysis. Patients with ypT2N0 disease without LVI had a significantly prolonged RFS compared with those with LVI (70% RFS at 5 years). Lymph node yield did not affect RFS. Among patients with sequencing data (n = 101), chemotherapy-resistant tumors had fewer alterations in DNA damage response genes compared with tumors from a publicly available chemotherapy-naïve cohort (15% v 29%; P = .021). Alterations in CDKN2A/B were associated with shorter RFS. PIK3CA alterations were associated with LVI. Potentially actionable alterations were identified in more than 75% of tumors. Although chemotherapy-resistant bladder cancer generally portends a poor prognosis, patients with organ-confined disease without LVI may be candidates for close observation without adjuvant therapy. The genomic landscape of chemotherapy-resistant tumors is similar to chemotherapy-naïve tumors. Therapeutic opportunities exist for targeted therapies as adjuvant treatment in chemotherapy-resistant disease.

Abstract B067: Identification of Gemcitabine-resistant Populations using scRNA-Sequencing in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Patient-Derived Xenografts

Abstract Despite major advances in the treatment of breast cancer (BC), it remains the most diagnosed and second deadliest cancer among American women. BC consists of distinct clinical subtypes, including estrogen receptor or HER2 receptor-positive and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) that lacks these receptors preventing the use of established precision therapies and the standard of care remains neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), followed by surgery, radiation and emerging combinations with immunotherapy. While NACT is effective in some patients, up to 50% of patients are intrinsically unresponsive or acquire resistance. These patients demonstrate the highest rates of recurrence and distant metastasis. It is known that chemotherapies can effectively eliminate proliferating tumor cells, but a small population of drug-tolerant persister (DTPs) cells can remain and are thought to play a key role in relapse and resistance. We hypothesized that chemotherapy influences TNBC tumor plasticity by exerting selective pressures leading to the outgrowth of resistant subpopulations with the greatest survival advantage. To evaluate this hypothesis, we generated in vivo models of disease progression and chemotherapy resistance and investigated the plasticity of tumor cell subpopulations by single-cell RNA sequencing. We developed PDX models from a multi-drug resistant primary TNBC treated with standard-of-care chemotherapy and its patient-matched lung metastasis. To model response and resistance at the metastatic stage, we challenged this metastasis PDX with several cycles of Gemcitabine. We obtained residual disease that relapsed and eventually developed resistance, mirroring the patient response. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) of these models using a droplet-based technology from 10X Genomics. This scRNAseq data was used to compare the changes in the proportions of cellular subpopulations in each model. Our data show that the rebound model presents greater similarity to the untreated metastasis, while the resistant model significantly differs in cell population expression profiles. Interestingly, the residual disease demonstrates an intermediated state with similarities to both the untreated metastasis and the resistant model. We identified populations with hypoxic signatures in the primary tumor, its matched metastasis and the residual, rebound and resistant models. Immunohistochemistry and Nanostring GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler validated these populations in these models. In addition, we have identified other varying populations and are currently investigating their cellular mechanisms and gene expression patterns. Using scRNA-sequencing to understand the clonal expansion of resistant subpopulations following chemotherapy reveals distinctive resistant cell features enabling the identification of the vulnerabilities of these tumors. Citation Format: Sandrine Busque, Constanza Martinez Ramirez, Ariel Madrigal Aguirre, Paul Savage, Anie Monast, Anne-Marie Fortier, Gerardo Zapata, Atilla Omeroglu, Jamil Asselah, Nathaniel Bouganim, Sarkis Meterissian, Francine Tremblay, Ari Meguerditchian, Yasser Riaz Alhosseini, Hamed S. Najafabadi, Hellen Kuasne, Morag Park. Identification of Gemcitabine-resistant Populations using scRNA-Sequencing in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Patient-Derived Xenografts [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Advances in Breast Cancer Research; 2023 Oct 19-22; San Diego, California. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(3 Suppl_1):Abstract nr B067.

Atezolizumab monotherapy versus chemotherapy in untreated locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (IMvigor130): final overall survival analysis from a randomised, controlled, phase 3 study

The primary analysis of IMvigor130 showed a significant progression-free survival benefit with first-line atezolizumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy (group A) versus placebo plus platinum-based chemotherapy (group C) in patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer. However, this finding did not translate into significant overall survival benefit for group A versus group C at the final analysis, precluding formal statistical testing of outcomes with atezolizumab monotherapy (group B) versus group C. Here we report the final overall survival results for group B versus group C; this report is descriptive and should be considered exploratory due to the study's statistical design. In this global, partially blinded, randomised, controlled, phase 3 study, patients (aged ≥18 years) who had locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer previously untreated in the metastatic setting and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2 were enrolled at 221 hospitals and oncology centres in 35 countries. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1:1), using a permuted block method (block size of six) and an interactive voice and web response system, stratified by PD-L1 status, Bajorin score, and investigator's choice of platinum-based chemotherapy, to receive either atezolizumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy (group A), atezolizumab alone (group B), or placebo plus platinum-based chemotherapy (group C). Sponsors, investigators, and patients were masked to assignment to atezolizumab or placebo in group A and group C; atezolizumab monotherapy in group B was open label. For groups B and C, atezolizumab (1200 mg) or placebo was administered intravenously every 3 weeks. Chemotherapy involved 21-day cycles of gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2 body surface area on day 1 and day 8 of each cycle) plus the investigator's choice of carboplatin (area under the curve 4·5 mg/mL per min or 5 mg/mL per min) or cisplatin (70 mg/m2 body surface area), administered intravenously. Co-primary endpoints were progression-free survival and overall survival in group A versus group C, and overall survival in group B versus group C, tested hierarchically, in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population, and then the populations with high PD-L1 tumour expression (immune cell [IC] expression score of IC2/3) if the results from group A versus group C were significant. Here, we report the co-primary endpoint of overall survival for group B versus group C in the ITT and IC2/3 populations. The ITT population for this analysis comprised concurrently enrolled patients in groups B and C who were randomly assigned to treatment. For the safety analysis, all patients enrolled in group B and group C who received any study treatment were included. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02807636, and is active but no longer recruiting. Between July 15, 2016, and July 20, 2018, 1213 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to treatment, of whom 362 patients were assigned to group B and 400 to group C, of whom 360 and 359, respectively, were enrolled concurrently (ITT population). 543 (76%) of 719 patients were male, 176 (24%) were female, and 534 (74%) were White. As of data cutoff (Aug 31, 2022), after a median follow-up of 13·4 months (IQR 6·2-30·8), median overall survival was 15·2 months (95% CI 13·1-17·7; 271 deaths) in group B and 13·3 months (11·9-15·6; 275 deaths) in group C (stratified hazard ratio 0·98 [95% CI 0·82-1·16]). The most common grade 3-4 treatment-related adverse events were anaemia (two [1%] in patients who received atezolizumab monotherapy vs 133 [34%] in those who received placebo plus chemotherapy), neutropenia (one [<1%] vs 115 [30%]), decreased neutrophil count (0 vs 95 [24%]), and decreased platelet count (one [<1%] vs 92 [24%]). Serious adverse events occurred in 163 (46%) patients versus 196 (50%). Treatment-related deaths occurred in three (1%; n=1 each, pneumonia, interstitial lung disease, large intestinal obstruction) patients who received atezolizumab monotherapy and four (1%; n=1 each, diarrhoea, febrile neutropenia, unexplained death, toxic hepatitis) who received placebo plus chemotherapy. The final analysis from IMvigor130 did not show a significant improvement in overall survival with first-line atezolizumab monotherapy compared with platinum-based chemotherapy in the intention-to-treat population. The safety profile of atezolizumab monotherapy remained acceptable after extended follow-up, with no new safety signals. F Hoffmann-La Roche.

Gemcitabine and cisplatin plus nivolumab as organ-sparing treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer: a phase 2 trial

Cystectomy is a standard treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), but it is life-altering. We initiated a phase 2 study in which patients with MIBC received four cycles of gemcitabine, cisplatin, plus nivolumab followed by clinical restaging. Patients achieving a clinical complete response (cCR) could proceed without cystectomy. The co-primary objectives were to assess the cCR rate and the positive predictive value of cCR for a composite outcome: 2-year metastasis-free survival in patients forgoing immediate cystectomy or <ypT1N0 in patients electing immediate cystectomy. Seventy-six patients were enrolled; of these, 33 achieved a cCR (43%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 32%, 55%), and 32 of 33 who achieved a cCR opted to forgo immediate cystectomy. The positive predictive value of cCR was 0.97 (95% CI: 0.91, 1), meeting the co-primary objective. The most common adverse events were fatigue, anemia, neutropenia and nausea. Somatic alterations in pre-specified genes (ATM, RB1, FANCC and ERCC2) or increased tumor mutational burden did not improve the positive predictive value of cCR. Exploratory analyses of peripheral blood mass cytometry and soluble protein analytes demonstrated an association between the baseline and on-treatment immune contexture with clinical outcomes. Stringently defined cCR after gemcitabine, cisplatin, plus nivolumab facilitated bladder sparing and warrants further study. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03451331.

Prospective Efficacy of Two Cycles Toripalimab Plus Induction Chemotherapy in T4 or N3 Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Retrospective and Mechanistic Study

Gemcitabine-cisplatin (GP) as the most commonly used induction chemotherapy is the standard first-line systemic treatment for advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. However, the toxicity of three cycles induction chemotherapy following on chemoradiotherapy remains a pertinent issue. Additional monoclonal antibody against human programmed death-1 (PD-1) has shown promising efficacy in recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In this study, we compared three cycles of gemcitabine and cisplatin as classical induction chemotherapy with two cycles of induction chemotherapy plus toripalimab, and then both groups treated with the similar concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma staging T4 or N3 were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive gemcitabine (at a dose of 1 g per square meter of body-surface area on days 1 and 8) plus cisplatin (80 mg per square meter on day 1-3), administered every 3 weeks for three cycles, or GP combined with toripalimab (at a dose of 240mg) for two cycles. The primary end point was recurrence-free survival (i.e., freedom from disease recurrence [distant metastasis or locoregional recurrence] or death from any cause) in the intention-to-treat population. Secondary end points included overall survival, treatment adherence, and safety. A total of 60 patients were included in the trial (30 patients in the toripalimab combined induction chemotherapy group and another 30 in the standard-therapy group). Among 60 patients evaluable for response assessment after induction therapy, all patients had overall response in combined group, including 10 patients (30%) with complete response (CR) in the primary tumor site. 21 patients (70%) were evaluated as partial response (PR) in the standard induction chemotherapy, and another 9 patients were assessed as SDa. At a median follow-up of 27.6 months, the 6-months, 1-, 2-year recurrence-free survival was 100% vs 86.7%, 100% vs 80%, 93% vs 70% in the toripalimab combined induction chemotherapy group and standard-therapy group (stratified hazard ratio for recurrence or death, 0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38 to 0.87; P = 0.001). Overall survival at 2 years was 93.3% and 100%, respectively (stratified hazard ratio for death, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.29 to 0.79). The incidence of acute adverse events of grade 3 or 4 was 76.8% in the standard-induction chemotherapy group and 56% in the standard-therapy group, with a higher incidence of neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, nausea, and vomiting in the induction chemotherapy group. The incidence of grade 3 or 4 late toxic effects was 10.2% in the induction chemotherapy group and 10.4% in the combined-therapy group. Two cycles of toripalimab combined with induction chemotherapy of and CCRT shows excellent distant metastatic control with acceptable safety, which is a new promising and effective systemic therapy regimen for high-risk of metastatic NPC patients.

CPC11 Immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated eosinophilic fasciitis: a case report

Abstract A 67-year-old man presented with a 3-month history of skin tightness associated with shooting, burning pains and numbness on both his upper and lower limbs. The patient had a background of metastatic bladder cancer, treated with six cycles of gemcitabine and cisplatin therapy from September 2019 to January 2020. Following this, he also had radical radiotherapy to the bladder, and in August 2020, he started pembrolizumab therapy. Pembrolizumab was paused in February 2022 due to the development of immunotherapy-related myositis. On examination, the patient had visibly shiny and thickened skin bilaterally involving the upper and lower limbs. Symptoms significantly limited the patient’s mobility and daily activities. A skin biopsy showed marked reduction in elastin fibres and mild fibromuscular thickening around the blood vessels, suggestive of scleroderma. Following a joint rheumatology and dermatology multidisciplinary meeting, a diagnosis of eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) secondary to the checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab was made. This was further supported by lower limb magnetic resonance imaging, which demonstrated evidence of bilateral oedema of the soleus muscle tendinous junction. Eosinophilic fasciitis is characterized by inflammatory infiltration, thickening and fibrosis involving the fascia. Unlike scleroderma, patients, such as in our case, with EF do not have sclerodactyly, Raynaud phenomenon, telangiectasias or nailfold capillary changes. Clinical manifestations of EF involve sudden onset, and pain and erythema (usually bilaterally) of the affected extremities. Patients have also been known to develop joint contractures, morphoea-like lesions and inflammatory polyarthritis. The reported triggers and causative agents of EF include trauma, autoimmune disorders and drugs. Only 13 cases have been reported secondary to pembrolizumab therapy, and the median time of symptom onset is 12 months following the commencement of checkpoint inhibitor treatment. According to the literature, there may be an underlying diagnosis of a solid tumour, haematological disorder or autoimmune disease. High-dose prednisolone is the primary treatment of choice, followed by methotrexate. However, some patients have shown spontaneous recovery. Our patient has now started a treatment course of high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone and methotrexate. While the therapeutic outcome is too early to report, he has already noticed improvements in skin tightening of the lower limbs.

Randomized phase II trial of olaparib + pembrolizumab vs olaparib alone as maintenance therapy in metastatic pancreatic cancer patients with germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 (gBRCA1/2+) pathogenic variants: SWOG S2001.

TPS4198 Background: Olaparib was approved in 2019 as maintenance therapy for gBRCA1/2+ metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPDA) patients (pts). The POLO trial showed an improvement in median progression free survival (mPFS) with olaparib compared to placebo (7.4 vs 3.8 months) for platinum sensitive gBRCA1/2+ mPDA pts. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that PARP inhibitors modulate the immune microenvironment by increasing genomic instability, PD-L1 expression and activating the immune inflammatory stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway. Several clinical studies in solid tumors have shown preliminary efficacy with the combination of PARP plus immune checkpoint inhibitors. Based upon these data, SWOG S2001 aims to further improve the PFS of gBRCA1/2+ mPDA pts. Methods: S2001 was developed in collaboration with the Alliance and was activated in SWOG in December 2020. Key eligibility criteria include: mPDA pts with gBRCA1/2 pathogenic variants identified with standard of care germline genetic testing and progression-free after receiving at least 16 weeks of platinum-based chemotherapy (FOLFIRINOX, FOLFOX or gemcitabine/cisplatin +/- nab-paclitaxel). One cycle of gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel is allowed while waiting for germline testing. Zubrod performance status (PS) 0 or 1 pts are eligible. Pts are stratified according to first line chemotherapy, PS 0 vs 1, and disease status after 1st line treatment. The primary objective of this study is to compare PFS in mPDA pts treated with olaparib + pembrolizumab versus olaparib alone as maintenance therapy. Based upon the POLO trial, we expect a mPFS of 7 months in the control arm. Targeting a mPFS of 11.7 months in the experimental arm (hazard ratio 0.6) and assuming 15 months follow-up, 80% power and a 1-sided alpha=0.10, this design requires enrolling 88 pts for a total of 78 eligible and evaluable pts. As of February 2023, 26 participants have been accrued. Prospective serial blood samples will be collected to bank DNA and RNA for future correlative studies. Clinical trial information: NCT04548752 .

Clinical Significance of MMP7 Levels in Colorectal Cancer Patients Receiving FOLFOX4 Chemotherapy Treatment.

Various studies have shown an association between the anti-cancer drug 5-fluorouracil and matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7). The expression of MMP7 in the serum of colorectal cancer patients, as well as their sensitivity to chemotherapy, were examined using the FOLFOX4 chemotherapy treatment. Serum samples were taken from 216 colorectal cancer patients who had undergone four cycles of gemcitabine and cisplatin treatment. The sera of 216 healthy persons were used as controls. MMP7 levels in the serum were measured by ELISA. Demographic and survival data were collected. MMP7 levels were not associated with sex, age, peritoneal dissemination, liver metastasis, lymph node metastasis, lymphatic invasion, or venous invasion in CRC patients, but were associated with histological grade, tumor size, TNM stage, and depth of tumor invasion. Patients' serum MMP7 expression reduced after treatment. MMP7 expression was significantly lower chemotherapy-sensitive patients compared with chemotherapy-resistant patients. Elevated MMP7 expression was associated with worse prognosis and chemotherapy-sensitive patients had markedly better overall survival compared with chemotherapy-resistant patients. MMP7 expression was potentially associated with the development of colorectal cancer and elevated levels were associated with chemoresistance in CRC patients. Serum MMP7 levels can be used to screen for drug resistance during FOLFOX4 chemotherapy treatment.

Preliminary translational immune and stromal correlates in a randomized phase II trial of pembrolizumab with or without defactinib for resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

4024 Background: PDAC is an aggressive cancer and refractory to immunotherapy due to its immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a master regulator of the TME and associated with TME immune suppression. Our current randomized phase II trial evaluates the use of pembrolizumab, a programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitor, with or without defactinib, a FAK inhibitor (FAKi), as sequential neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy in patients with high risk resectable PDAC. We hypothesize that the patients receiving pembrolizumab and defactinib treatment will exhibit a decrease in immunosuppressive fibroblasts and myeloid subtype populations, leading to increased CD8+ T-cell infiltration into the TME compared to patients receiving pembrolizumab alone. Methods: We performed quantitative analysis of multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC) using 40 biomarkers, evaluating immune and stromal cell types on 14 pre-treatment biopsies and post-treatment resections of PDAC patients enrolled in our platform neoadjuvant clinical trial (NCT03727880). All patients received 2 cycles of gemcitabine+nab-paclitaxel neoadjuvant chemotherapy and underwent a biopsy after completion of chemotherapy. Patients randomized to Arm A received 2 cycles of pembrolizumab 200 mg IV every 3 weeks and defactinib 400 mg PO BID, and those randomized to Arm B received pembrolizumab alone, followed by surgical resection. Image cytometry was used to quantify immune cell populations and colocalize biomarker expression in distinct cell types. Cell populations were compared using unpaired T-tests. Results: Lower FAP+ fibroblast density was significantly associated with higher CD8+ T-Cell infiltration in Arm A (p=0.002), but not in Arm B. Patients in Arm A demonstrated a 5.44-fold average increase in CD8+ T-cell percentage between pre-immunotherapy treatment and post-immunotherapy treatment specimens compared to a 2.01-fold increase in patients in Arm B (p=0.02, p=0.09, respectively). Only patients in Arm A showed a significant increase in M1 macrophage cell density (p=0.02) after treatment. Both arms increased in CXCR4+ cell percentage (p=0.011, p=0.06) following neoadjuvant immunotherapy; however, the increase in Arm A was less than in Arm B (0.72 and 0.84-fold, respectively). Conclusions: In this analysis, pembrolizumab combined with defactinib was associated with lower fibroblast infiltration, higher anti-tumor M1 macrophage expression and increased CD8+ T-cell infiltration into the TME, versus pembrolizumab alone. The increased expression of CXCR4 across both treatment arms may represent a resistance mechanism and supports CXCR4 as an additional TME target. These preliminary findings warrant continued research into FAK inhibition and immune checkpoint combinatorial strategies. Clinical trial information: NCT03727880 .

Comparing the time toxicity of cancer treatments in the CCTG LY.12 trial.

12135 Background: When different cancer treatments have similar oncologic outcomes, their respective time-related burdens can aid patient-oncologist decision-making regarding which treatment approach to pursue. We have previously developed a pragmatic and patient-centered metric of these time burdens-- which we term ‘’time toxicity’’-- as any day with physical healthcare system contact. This includes outpatient (e.g., bloodwork, scans, clinician, etc.) and emergency room visits, and overnight stays in a healthcare facility. Herein we sought to assess time toxicity in a completed RCT. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of the Canadian Cancer Trials Group LY.12 RCT that evaluated 2-3 outpatient cycles of gemcitabine, dexamethasone, and cisplatin (GDP) vs. dexamethasone, cytarabine, and cisplatin (DHAP) in 619 patients with relapsed/refractory lymphoma prior to stem cell transplant. Primary analyses reported similar response rates, transplantation rates, event-free-survival, and overall survival across arms. We calculated patient-level time toxicity by analyzing RCT forms. The study period was the date of assignment to the date of progression or the day before stem cell transplant. We considered days without healthcare contact as ‘’home days’’. We compared time measures across arms. Results: The median study duration was longer in the GDP arm (50, vs. 47 days in the DHAP arms, p=0.007). Median time toxic days were comparable in both arms (18 vs 19 days, p=0.79), but median home days were higher in the GDP arm (33 vs 28 days, p&lt;0.001). The proportion of time toxic days (time toxic days divided by study duration) was lower in the GDP arm (34%, vs. 38%, p=0.009). The GDP arm experienced more time toxicity related to planned outpatient chemotherapy (median, 10 vs. 8 days), but the DHAP arm experienced many more hospitalization days (median, 11 vs. 0 days) (Table). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that measures of time toxicity can be extracted from RCTs. These measures can add clinical insight into patient burdens. In LY.12, despite broadly comparable short- and long-term oncologic outcomes, the GDP arm experienced less time toxicity. Such information can guide decision-making for patients with aggressive hematological cancers, who already spend a significant portion of time with healthcare contact. Clinical trial information: NCT00078949 . [Table: see text]

Induction chemotherapy and hepatic artery embolization followed by extended resection for locally advanced gallbladder cancer: a case report

BackgroundSurgical resection plays a critical role in the curative therapy of patients with gallbladder cancer. However, extended resection for locally advanced gallbladder cancer is a controversial procedure because of the high operative morbidity, mortality, and poor prognosis after surgery, without consensus of its suitability. Several reports have described preoperative treatment modalities to reduce the risk of mortality and morbidity and improve the curability of surgery for locally advanced GBCA. However, only a few well-designed studies have verified the benefits of these preoperative strategies.Case presentationA 62-year-old male patient presented to our department with a gallbladder tumor detected on abdominal ultrasound during an annual medical checkup. Multi-phase enhanced CT revealed a gallbladder tumor with a maximum diameter of 34 mm, invading the right hepatic artery, pancreatic head, hepatic flexure of the colon, and first portion of the duodenum. We diagnosed gallbladder carcinoma as cT4 cN0 cM0 cStage IVA in the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) classification 8th edition. After administration of 12 cycles of gemcitabine and cisplatin plus S-1 regimen, tumor shrinkage was observed on computed tomography, and elevated serum CA19-9 levels were reduced to normal limits. After preoperative hepatic artery embolization, we performed gallbladder bed resection with pancreaticoduodenectomy (minor hepatopancreatoduodenectomy) and combined resection of the right hepatic artery and hepatic flexure of the colon. Histological examination revealed no evidence of lymph node metastasis (ypT4 ypN0 ycM0 yp Stage IVA in the 8th edition of the UICC). The proximal bile duct and dissected margins were negative.ConclusionsThe combination of induction chemotherapy and preoperative hepatic artery embolization, followed by minor hepatopancreatoduodenectomy and combined resection of the involved arteries and partial colon, could be a feasible treatment strategy for patients with locally advanced gallbladder cancer invading neighboring organs.

Impact of network treatment in patients with resected pancreatic cancer on use and timing of chemotherapy and survival

Centralization of pancreatic cancer surgery aims to improve postoperative outcomes. Consequently, patients with pancreatic cancer may undergo pancreatic surgery in an expert centre and adjuvant chemotherapy in a local hospital (network treatment). The aim of this study was to assess whether network treatment has an impact on time to chemotherapy, failure to complete adjuvant chemotherapy, and survival. Second, whether these parameters varied between pancreatic networks was studied. This retrospective study included all patients diagnosed with non-metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who underwent pancreatic surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy, registered in the Netherlands Cancer Registry (2015-2020). Time to chemotherapy was defined as the time between surgery and the start of adjuvant chemotherapy. Completion of adjuvant chemotherapy was defined as the receipt of 12 cycles of FOLFIRINOX or six cycles of gemcitabine. Analysis was performed with linear mixed models and multilevel logistic regression models. Cox regression analyses were performed for survival. In total, 1074 patients were included. Network treatment was observed in 468 patients (43.6 per cent) and was not associated with longer time to chemotherapy (0.77 days, standard error (s.e.) 1.14, P = 0.501), failure to complete adjuvant chemotherapy (odds ratio (OR) = 1.140, 95 per cent c.i. 0.86 to 1.52, P = 0.349), and overall survival (hazards ratio (HR) = 1.04, 95 per cent c.i. 0.88 to 1.22, P = 0.640). Significant variation between the networks was observed for time to chemotherapy (range 40.5-63 days, P < 0.0001) and completion of adjuvant chemotherapy (range 19-52 per cent, P = 0.030). Adjusted for case mix, time to chemotherapy significantly differed between networks. In this nationwide analysis, network treatment in patients with resected pancreatic cancer was not associated with longer time to chemotherapy, failure to complete adjuvant chemotherapy, and worse survival. Significant variation between pancreatic cancer networks was found for time to chemotherapy.