First-line Setting Research Articles

Impact of the integration of remote clinical oncology pharmacists into routine precision medicine workflows on biomarker testing rates within The US Oncology Network community-based practices.

e13813 Background: The US Oncology Network implemented a centralized, remote clinical oncology pharmacist review program (ClinReview) into select community-based practices. Initially, pharmacists were integrated into a precision medicine workflow process to increase biomarker testing rates among patients receiving adjuvant treatment for non-small cell lung cancer, with recommendations achieving a 100% acceptance rate. Following this success, metastatic prostate cancer patients were incorporated into the established workflow, following updated guideline recommendations for both germline and somatic testing and the 2023 approvals of PARP inhibitors in the first-line treatment setting. With previously reported testing rates only reaching 60%, we sought to evaluate the impact of the pharmacist integration into the precision medicine workflow on biomarker testing in metastatic prostate patients. Methods: Over a 4-month period, ClinReview remotely identified patients with metastatic prostate cancer during normal order review. The EMR was reviewed to assess germline and somatic testing status. If testing was not ordered, the pharmacist sent a recommendation to the treating provider. Initial testing rates for germline and somatic testing, BRCA+ status and provider acceptance rates for testing recommendations were collected. Additional data was collected utilizing a de-identified database. While additional data collection is ongoing, descriptive statistics were utilized to analyze data and the impact of the pharmacists’ interventions. Results: Across 9 practices, 142 patients were initiated on treatment for metastatic prostate cancer. At the time of initial assessment, germline and somatic testing was not ordered in 50% and 37% of patients, respectively. Pharmacists recommended additional testing in 61 patients (43%) with a 73% provider acceptance rate. Findings showed equitable testing rates across racial demographics. Pharmacist workflow integration enhanced combined germline and somatic testing rates, demonstrating an improvement from a baseline of 57% up to 77% currently. Conclusions: Community oncology practices seek to provide high-value care, including offering the most current evidence-based precision medicine testing. These findings highlight the continued need for improved somatic and germline testing in metastatic prostate cancer. However, the implemented precision medicine pharmacist workflow demonstrates the positive impact a clinical pharmacist can have on both testing rates and the potential to improve therapeutic offerings within this growing treatment space. [Table: see text]

Real-world experience with CDK4/6 inhibitors in the first-line palliative setting for HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer.

e13066 Background: CDK4/6 inhibitors paired with aromatase inhibitors (AIs) have redefined the first-line treatment for metastatic breast cancer, as evidenced by several pivotal trials. Although progression-free survival (PFS) has been consistent across these studies, notable differences in overall survival (OS) have been observed. Our study evaluates the real-world efficacy of palbociclib and ribociclib, in combination with AIs, for hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer at our institution. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed charts of adult patients with advanced metastatic breast cancer at a single academic center from January 1, 2015, to December 1, 2022. We extracted relevant clinical data to estimate the median PFS and OS associated with palbociclib and ribociclib. Results: Among 75 patients analyzed, the majority were female (98.7%) and postmenopausal (77.3%). Palbociclib was prescribed to 74.7%, while 52.0% presented with de novo stage IV disease. Those on ribociclib were significantly younger (median age 57.6 vs. 67.5 years; p = 0.013) and more likely premenopausal (42.1% vs. 5.4%; p < 0.001). Median PFS for palbociclib was 20.3 months (95% CI: 14.8-46.0), with an OS of 37.2 months (20.3 months to not reached). Median PFS and OS for ribociclib were not reached. The differences in PFS and OS between the drugs were not statistically significant (PFS log-rank p = 0.1; OS log-rank p = 0.2). Conclusions: Our real-world analysis suggests a non-significant trend towards improved PFS and OS for ribociclib over palbociclib when used with AIs for treating HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer, potentially influenced by the younger age of patients on ribociclib. Further research with larger cohorts and extended follow-up is warranted to substantiate these observations.

Integrating deep learning network and liquid biopsy for the evaluation and prediction of response in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: Initial results from the RATIONALE prospective study.

e20036 Background: Lung cancerstill represents one of the most common and lethal diseases worldwide. There remains an unmet clinical need for the discovery of biomarkers to refine the management of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The combined evaluation of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and deep learning-based radiomic methods remains to be validated in the clinical setting. Methods: The RATIONALE study is a retro-prospective observational clinical trial consecutively enrolling treatment-naïve patients with advanced NSCLC who received standard first-line systemic treatments at Paolo Giaccone University Hospital, Palermo (Italy). Baseline and follow-up blood samples were collected according to computed tomography (CT) examinations performed using the same equipment (Siemens SOMATOM 128 slices), the same acquisition protocol, and the same contrast medium (Iomeron 400) every twelve weeks. All primary lung tumor internal regions of interest (ROIs) were segmented. Radiomic feature extraction was performed on the ROIs using Pyradiomics, an extension of the 3DSlicer. Circulating cfDNA was extracted from 1 ml of plasma using a QIAamp Circulating Nucleic Acid Kit (Qiagen) and quantified in terms of ng/μL using a QubitTM dsDNA HS Assay Kit (ThermoFisher Scientific). The diagnostic performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: Between June 2021 and November 2023, fifty-five patients were included. Here we present the first results from the cohort of twenty patients undergoing first-line pembrolizumab-based treatments. Among the thirteen features extracted, the feature 'original_glcm_Id' evaluating the local image homogeneity emerged as statistically significant for differentiating adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (sensitivity of 83.7%, specificity of 81.0%, accuracy of 82.8%; p < 0.001). When correlating cfDNA dynamics and radiologic response, out of the eight features examined, the feature 'first order_mean' measuring the average intensity of gray levels proved to be statistically significant (sensitivity of 86.0%, specificity of 87.7%, accuracy of 86.9%; p < 0.006). Finally, the feature 'size zone non-uniformity' measuring the variability of volumes in different gray level zones within the image showed a good performance in predicting overall survival (sensitivity of 65.8%, specificity of 100.0%, accuracy of 77.8%; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The preliminary results of this ongoing study suggest the combined evaluation of liquid biopsy and radiomic features for obtaining minimally invasive and cost-effective biomarkers in the first-line clinical setting of NSCLC undergoing first-line pembrolizumab.

Neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy in patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer: A retrospective study.

e20002 Background: The addition of immune checkpoint inhibitors to chemotherapy significantly improves survival in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and represents a promising advance in this field. However, the clinical benefit of the implementation of immunotherapy in the first-line setting for limited-stage SCLC (LS-SCLC) remains to be proven. Thus, we conducted a retrospective study to explore the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy as a first-line treatment for LS-SCLC. Methods: A retrospective study of patients with LS-SCLC who were treated with neoadjuvant PD-L1/PD-1 inhibitor combined with platinum-based chemotherapy followed by surgery between February 2020 and September 2023 was conducted. Clinical characteristics, R0 resection rate, pathologic complete response (pCR), major pathologic response (MPR), downstaging rate and disease-free survival (DFS) were evaluated. Results: As of September 30, 2023, all 21 patients (stage IIB, n = 4; stage IIIA, n = 9; stage IIIB, n = 8) received 2 to 6 cycles of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy (Table 1). Nine (42.9%) patients achieved pCR and 10 (47.6%) presented an MPR (Table 2). Moreover, the R0 resection rate in total and stage III patients were 95.2% (20/21) and 94.1% (16/17), respectively. After a median follow-up of 11.2 months (range: 2.6-24.2), only two patients relapsed and the median DFS was not reached due to insufficient events. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with chemotherapy demonstrated promising efficacy and feasibility, and are a potential strategy for the management of LS-SCLC. Further prospective clinical trials are necessary to clearly define the benefit of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy and optimize LS-SCLC treatment. [Table: see text][Table: see text]

Zanidatamab in previously-treated HER2-positive (HER2+) biliary tract cancer (BTC): Overall survival (OS) and longer follow-up from the phase 2b HERIZON-BTC-01 study.

4091 Background: For patients with BTC that has progressed after first-line therapy, prognosis is poor with a median OS of 6-9 months with subsequent chemotherapy. Zanidatamab is a HER2-targeted bispecific antibody that binds to two non-overlapping HER2 domains and crosslinks neighboring HER2 proteins. In the primary analysis of the phase 2b HERIZON-BTC-01 trial, after a median follow-up of 12.4 months (data cutoff: October 10, 2022), zanidatamab showed encouraging antitumor activity (41% confirmed objective response rate [cORR]) with rapid and durable responses and a manageable safety profile in patients with previously treated HER2+ BTC. OS data were immature at that time. Here, we report updated analyses, including OS. Methods: HERIZON-BTC-01 (NCT04466891) is an ongoing phase 2b trial assessing zanidatamab (20 mg/kg IV Q2W) in patients with HER2/ERBB2 gene amplification and immunohistochemistry (IHC) 2+ or 3+ (Cohort 1; HER2+); or 0 or 1+ (Cohort 2) locally advanced, unresectable, or metastatic BTC (gallbladder cancer, intra/extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma) who received prior gemcitabine-containing treatment. The primary endpoint was cORR. Select secondary endpoints included duration of response (DoR), OS, and frequency and severity of adverse events (AEs). Updated efficacy analyses include only Cohort 1; safety analyses include Cohorts 1 and 2. Results: As of the data cutoff (July 28, 2023), median (range) follow-up was 21.9 (16-34) months. In the 80 patients in Cohort 1 (HER2+), treatment was ongoing for 9 (11%) patients and 20 (25%) patients remained on the study. cORR was unchanged from the primary analysis (n = 33; 41%) with 1 additional complete response (n = 2; 2.5%). The median DoR (95% CI) increased approximately 2 months to 14.9 (7.4, not reached) months. Median OS (95% CI) was 15.5 (10.4, 18.5) months; 12-month OS (95% CI) was 56.2% (44.3, 66.5). Among all 87 patients (Cohort 1 and Cohort 2), 18 (21%) experienced grade ≥3 treatment-related AEs (TRAEs). The most common grade 3 TRAEs (occurring in > 2 patients) were diarrhea (4 [5%]); anemia (3 [3%]), and ejection fraction decreased (3 [3%]). Only one patient had a grade 4 TRAE (aspartate aminotransferase increased). There were no deaths due to TRAEs. Serious AEs occurred in 8 (9%) patients; 2 (2%) patients discontinued treatment due to an AE (pneumonitis and ejection fraction decreased; 1 patient each). Conclusions: With close to 2 years of median follow-up, zanidatamab demonstrated a median OS of 15.5 months and a median duration of response of 14.9 months (an increase compared with the initial report) in previously-treated patients with HER2+ BTC; a patient population with significant unmet need. With additional follow-up, safety remained manageable. A phase 3 trial of zanidatamab in the first-line setting for patients with metastatic BTC is planned. Clinical trial information: NCT04466891 .

Update results of anlotinib combined with penpulimab and nab-paclitaxel as first-line treatment for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC): A single-arm, open-label phase II clinical trial.

e16017 Background: Recently, PD-1 blockades combined with dual chemotherapy in first-line setting exhibited encouraging efficacy for patients with ESCC. However, the safety profile of conventional dual chemotherapy remained unsatisfactory. Therefore, PD-1 blockades combined with anti-angiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and single chemotherapy regimen might be a promising strategy. Anlotinib, a novel multitarget TKI primarily targeting VEGFR1-3, demonstrated promising therapeutic activity as first-line combination therapy or second-line monotherapy for patients with ESCC in China clinically. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the efficacy and safety of anlotinib combined with penpulimab (PD-1 blockade) and nab-paclitaxel as first-line therapy in advanced ESCC. Preliminary results were presented at the 2024 ASCO-GI Symposium (Abs 340), the consecutively updated results were presented in this report. Methods: Patients with previously untreated metastatic or locally advanced ESCC were recruited and treated with anlotinib (12mg, po, d1~14, q3w) and penpulimab (200mg, iv, d1, q3w) plus nab-paclitaxel (220mg/m2, iv, d1, q3w) until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The tumor response was assessed according to RECIST 1.1 using CT scans every two cycles. Adverse events were recorded by severity in accordance with the NCI CTC AE Version 5.0. The predefined sample size was 30. Primary endpoint was PFS and secondary endpoints included safety, ORR, DCR and OS. Results: From Jul 2022 to Dec 2023, a total of 27 patients were enrolled, 25 patients who had received first tumor response were included in this analysis. The best overall response indicated that there were 1 CR (4.0%), 18 PR (72.0%), 3 SD (12.0%) and 3 NE (12.0%). Therefore, the preliminary ORR was 76.0% (95%CI: 54.9%-90.6%), DCR was 88.0% (95%CI: 68.8%-97.5%). Median PFS of the 25 patients was not yet reached. Additionally, safety profile exhibited that the regimen was tolerable. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events among the 27 patients with the incidence > 20% were anemia (40.7%), peripheral nerve toxicity (37.0) and white blood cell decreased (25.9%). Common grade ≥3 treatment-emergent adverse events were white blood cell decreased (7.4%), diarrhea (3.7%), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase was elevated (3.7%), glutamic oxalacetic transaminase increased (3.7%), hypertension (3.7%) and immune enteritis (3.7%). Conclusions: The combination of anlotinib plus penpulimab and nab-paclitaxel as first-line therapy for advanced ESCC demonstrated promising efficacy and manageable safety profile. And the conclusions needed to be confirmed in subsequent trials.

Alemtuzumab, Cladribine, Fingolimod, Natalizumab, and Rituximab as First-Line Treatments in Adults With Highly Active Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

What Is the Problem? Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), the most common disease course of multiple sclerosis (MS), is a chronic immune-mediated disease with clearly defined episodes of new or increasing neurologic symptoms followed by periods of relative stability. In contrast, the highly active, aggressive disease course leads to rapid disability, and these patients face an unmet need. The principal goal of MS treatment is to delay and prevent the accumulation of disability by reducing the frequency of relapses. Currently reimbursed first-line drugs fail to prevent the consequences of irreversible damage to the nervous system. There has been a paradigm shift in clinical practice toward the use of a high-efficacy treatment strategy as early as possible during the inflammatory process to provide optimal clinical benefits in preserving neurologic function in patients with highly active RRMS. What Did We Do? A systematic review of the clinical effectiveness and safety of alemtuzumab, natalizumab, cladribine, fingolimod, and rituximab relative to current first-line drugs in adults with highly active RRMS was conducted; it identified post hoc subgroup analyses from 5 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 1 prospective comparative cohort study. What Did We Find? Evidence was uncertain and conclusions were limited by risk of bias and small sample sizes; conclusions for some outcome comparisons were also limited by imprecision and incomplete reporting. Compared to placebo, cladribine and natalizumab may result in a clinically important reduction in relapses, disability, and key MRI lesions. Alemtuzumab may result in a clinically important reduction in relapses compared to interferon, while fingolimod may result in a clinically important reduction in relapses compared to placebo. The clinical evidence was insufficient to determine the effect of fingolimod on relapses when compared with interferon. Harms outcomes, when reported, appeared consistent with the known harms profile of the drugs. Assessment of the effectiveness and safety of rituximab could not be performed due to the lack of evidence. Evidence was also lacking for many important outcomes such as health-related quality of life (HRQoL), instrumental activities of daily living, symptoms, and cognitive outcomes. No evidence could be identified to inform on treatment sequencing. Two pragmatic RCTs (the TREAT-MS and DELIVER-MS trials) are currently ongoing, aiming to compare an early, high-efficacy treatment strategy versus a traditional escalation treatment strategy, which may inform treatment sequencing. Further research is needed to compensate for clinical data gaps to inform an appropriate and relevant economic evaluation. What Does This Mean? Jurisdictions may reconsider the current reimbursement criteria for drugs used in the first-line setting specifically for adults demonstrating highly active RRMS; however, caution should be taken given the gaps and uncertainty in evidence. Upon request from public drug plans, this review may inform a future implementation advice panel or expert committee recommendation.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of immune checkpoint inhibitors as first-line therapy in advanced biliary tract cancer.

Aim: To assess the cost-effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors as first-line treatments for advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC).Methods: This pharmacoeconomic evaluation employed the fractional polynomial network meta-analysis and partitioned survival model. Costs and utilities were collected from the literature and databases. Sensitivity analyses were used to examine uncertainties.Results: The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) of first-line treatment strategies were $761,371.37 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) or $206,222.53/QALY in the US and $354,678.79 /QALY or $213,874.22/QALY in China, respectively. The sensitivity analysis results were largely consistent with the base case.Conclusion: From the US and Chinese payer perspectives, adding durvalumab or pembrolizumab to chemotherapy is unlikely to be cost effective in the first-line setting for advanced BTC.

Cemiplimab (Libtayo)

CADTH recommends that Libtayo in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy be reimbursed by public drug plans for the first-line treatment of adults with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumours have no EGFR, ALK, or ROS1 aberrations and is locally advanced where patients are not candidates for surgical resection or definitive chemoradiation, or for those with metastatic NSCLC, if certain conditions are met. Libtayo in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy should only be covered to treat adults who have stage IIIB or IIIC NSCLC and are not suitable for curative surgery or definitive chemoradiation or have stage IV NSCLC and have not received prior systemic treatment. Patients’ tumours should have no EGFR, ALK, or ROS1 Patients should have a good performance status. Libtayo should only be reimbursed in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy if prescribed by clinicians with expertise and experience in treating NSCLC. The treatment should be delivered in outpatient specialized oncology clinics with expertise in systemic therapy delivery and management of immunotherapy-related side effects. The price of Libtayo should be negotiated so that its use in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy does not exceed the total drug cost of treatment with the least costly immunotherapy reimbursed in the first-line setting.

Effectiveness and safety of enzalutamide and apalutamide in the treatment of patients with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC): a multicenter retrospective study.

Phase III clinical trials demonstrated the efficacy of enzalutamide and apalutamide in patients with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) and PSA doubling time ≤10months. Although these drugs have been shown to vary in their adverse event (AE) profiles, the differences in their efficacy profiles remain to be evaluated. Therefore, this retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of these drugs in patients with nmCRPC. This study evaluated 191 patients with nmCRPC treated with enzalutamide (n = 137) or apalutamide (n = 54) in the first-line setting at Jikei University Hospital or its affiliated hospitals between May 2014 and November 2022. Endpoints were defined as oncological outcomes (i.e., PSA response, PFS, PSA-PFS, MFS, CSS, and OS) and AEs. No significant differences were noted in patient backgrounds between the two groups. Patients exhibiting a maximum PSA response of >50% and >90% accounted for 74.5% and 48.9% of patients in the enzalutamide group, and 75.9% and 42.6% of patients in the apalutamide group, respectively, with no significant difference between the groups. The median PSA-PFS was 10months in the enzalutamide group but not in the apalutamide group, with no significant difference between the groups (P = 0.48). No significant differences were observed in MFS, CSS, or OS between the groups. Patients reporting AEs of all grades and grade 3 or higher accounted for 56.2% and 4.3% of those in the enzalutamide group and 57.4% and 7.4% of those in the apalutamide group, respectively. The most common AE was fatigue (26.3%) in the enzalutamide group and skin rash (27.8%) in the apalutamide group. In this retrospective study of their efficacy and safety, enzalutamide and apalutamide were shown to exhibit comparable oncological outcomes but quite different AE profiles, suggesting that their differential use may be warranted based on these findings.

Trifluridine/tipiracil + oxaliplatin ± nivolumab vs FOLFOX ± nivolumab in HER2 negative advanced oesogastric adenocarcinoma: The PRODIGE73-UCGI40-LOGICAN trial

BackgroundTrifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI) is approved in third-line treatment of patients with advanced/metastatic gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinomas (aGA/GEJA). The association of oxaliplatin with FTD/TPI is promising and the combination of FTD/TPI + oxaliplatin + nivolumab has shown a predictable and manageable safety profile. AimsThe aim is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of FTD/TPI plus oxaliplatin with or without nivolumab in patients, with HER2 negative aGA/GEJA, unfit for triplet chemotherapy (TFOX/mFLOT regimen), in the first-line metastatic setting in comparison with the standard of care FOLFOX with or without nivolumab. MethodsThis study is a prospective randomised, open label, comparative, multicentre, phase II trial designed to include 118 patients. The primary objective is to evaluate the superiority of FTD/TPI plus oxaliplatin with or without nivolumab over FOLFOX regimen with or without nivolumab in terms of PFS in a population of patients non candidate for triplet chemotherapy. Nivolumab will be used for patients whose tumour express PD-L1 with a CPS score ≥5. DiscussionPRODIGE73-UCGI40-LOGICAN study will provide efficacy and safety data on the association of FTD/TPI plus oxaliplatin with or without nivolumab versus FOLFOX regimen with or without nivolumab in first-line palliative setting, in patients with aGA/GEJA (NCT05476796).

Comparative effectiveness of first-line systemic treatments for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

No head-to-head trials had been performed to estimate the relative effectiveness of poly ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitor (PARPi) and androgen receptor signaling inhibitor (ARSi) in the first-line treatment for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). We aimed to perform a systematic review and network meta-analysis to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of various systemic treatment agents for patients with mCRPC. A comprehensive literature search was conducted for abstracts and full-text articles from the database's inception through April 27, 2023. The study concentrated on assessing radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) for both overall and homologous recombination repair mutation (HRRm) population, with overall survival (OS) as the secondary measure. Under the Bayesian framework, the overall effect was pooled using the fixed-effects model in base case analysis. Scenario analysis using restricted mean survival time (RMST) methods was performed to test the robustness of the results. Nine studies with 6,830 patients and 8 unique treatment options were included. Network meta-analysis demonstrated that talazoparib in combination with enzalutamide (TALA + ENZA; overall population, hazard ratio [HR], 0.20; 95% credible interval [CrI]: 0.16-0.26; RMST, 3.51; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.46-4.60; HRRm population, HR, 0.15; 95% CrI: 0.09-0.23; RMST, 4.14; 95% CI 2.84-5.39) was superior to other treatments in the first-line setting in terms of rPFS. The results of Bayesian framework and RMST models showed consistent efficacy ranks. When extrapolated to overall survival benefit, within the Bayesian framework, olaparib plus abiraterone acetate and prednisone (OLAP + AAP) achieved the highest OS benefit for the overall population, which was not statistically significant when compared to TALA + ENZA. However, TALA + ENZA achieved the highest OS benefit at 3years by applying RMST. We suggest that talazoparib in combination with enzalutamide is probably a preferred treatment agent for the overall population and HRRm patients with mCRPC. Given the limitations of network framework and the modeling assumptions undertaken to finalize the analyses, results should be cautiously interpreted.

Adapted EXTREME regimen in the first-line treatment of fit, older patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (ELAN-FIT): a multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial

A standard treatment for fit, older patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is yet to be established. In the previous EXTREME trial, few older patients were included. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of an adapted EXTREME regimen in fit, older patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC. This single-arm, phase 2 study was done at 22 centres in France. Eligible patients were aged 70 years or older and assessed as not frail (fit) using the ELAN Geriatric Evaluation (EGE) and had recurrent or metastatic HNSCC in the first-line setting that was not eligible for local therapy (surgery or radiotherapy), and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-1. The adapted EXTREME regimen consisted of six cycles of fluorouracil 4000 mg/m2 on days 1-4, carboplatin with an area under the curve of 5 on day 1, and cetuximab on days 1, 8, and 15 (400 mg/m2 on cycle 1-day 1, and 250 mg/m2 subsequently), all intravenously, with cycles starting every 21 days. In patients with disease control after two to six cycles, cetuximab 500 mg/m2 was continued once every 2 weeks as maintenance therapy until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor was systematically administered and erythropoietin was recommended during chemotherapy. The study was based on the two-stage Bryant and Day design, combining efficacy and toxicity endpoints. The primary efficacy endpoint was objective response rate at week 12 after the start of treatment, assessed by central review (with an unacceptable rate of ≤15%). The primary toxicity endpoint was morbidity, defined as grade 4-5 adverse events, or cutaneous rash (grade ≥3) that required cetuximab to be discontinued, during the chemotherapy phase, or a decrease in functional autonomy (Activities of Daily Living score decrease ≥2 points from baseline) at 1 month after the end of chemotherapy (with an unacceptable morbidity rate of >40%). Analysis of the coprimary endpoints, and of safety in the chemotherapy phase, was based on the per-protocol population, defined as eligible patients who received at least one cycle of the adapted EXTREME regimen. Safety in the maintenance phase was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of cetuximab as maintenance therapy. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01864772, and is completed. Between Sept 27, 2013, and June 20, 2018, 85 patients were enrolled, of whom 78 were in the per-protocol population. 66 (85%) patients were male and 12 (15%) were female, and the median age was 75 years (IQR 72-79). The median number of chemotherapy cycles received was five (IQR 3-6). Objective response at week 12 was observed in 31 patients (40% [95% CI 30-51]) and morbidity events were observed in 24 patients (31% [22-42]). No fatal adverse events occurred. Four patients presented with a decrease in functional autonomy 1 month after the end of chemotherapy versus baseline. During chemotherapy, the most common grade 3-4 adverse events were haematological events (leukopenia [22 patients; 28%], neutropenia [20; 26%], thrombocytopenia [15; 19%], and anaemia [12; 15%]), oral mucositis (14; 18%), fatigue (11; 14%), rash acneiform (ten; 13%), and hypomagnesaemia (nine; 12%). Among 44 patients who received cetuximab during the maintenance phase, the most common grade 3-4 adverse events were hypomagnesaemia (six patients; 14%) and acneiform rash (six; 14%). The study met its primary objectives on objective response and morbidity, and showed overall survival to be as good as in younger patients treated with standard regimens, indicating that the adapted EXTREME regimen could be used in older patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC who are deemed fit with use of a geriatric evaluation tool adapted to patients with head and neck cancer, such as the EGE. French programme PAIR-VADS 2011 (sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, the Fondation ARC, and the Ligue Contre le Cancer), Sandoz, GEFLUC, and GEMLUC. For the French translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Abemaciclib for the Treatment of HR+HER2- Metastatic Breast Cancer: An Institutional Experience.

(1) Background: Abemaciclib combined with endocrine therapy is a standard first- or later-line of treatment for HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer (MBC). The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to describe the outcomes of patients treated in a real-world setting, with particular focus on elderly patients. (2) Patients and methods: Patients treated with abemaciclib between November 2019 and February 2022 were included in the study. Data were collected from electronic medical records. The primary objective was to determine real-world progression-free survival (rwPFS), and secondary objectives included median overall survival (mOS) and safety. (3) Results: Analysis included 134 patients, with a median follow-up of 42 months. Median age was 62 years, with 29.9% aged 70+ years. A total of 51.5% of patients received abemaciclib in first-line, predominantly with aromatase inhibitor (68.1%). Median rwPFS was 21 in first-line and 20 months in the second-line, with no significant difference between treatment lines (HR 0.96; p = 0.88). Patients treated in the third- or later-line had a significantly shorter rwPFS, at 7 months (HR 1.48, p = 0.003). mOS was not reached in the first-line setting. For second- and third- or later-lines, mOS was 29 and 19 months, respectively. There was no significant difference in mOS between first- or second-line (HR 1.37, p = 0.36). In the 70+ group, median rwPFS was 15 months and mOS was 25 months with no significant difference compared to younger patients (rwPFS HR 1.1; p = 0.65; OS HR 1.4; p = 0.21). Most common adverse events (AEs) were diarrhoea (68.7%), anaemia (64.9%), and increased serum creatinine (63.4%). Grade 3/4 AEs were reported in 21.6% of patients. Dose reductions occurred in 30.6% of patients and were more frequent in patients 70+ (40%) compared to younger patients (28%); the difference was not significant (p = 0.22). At study cut-off, 64.9% of patients discontinued abemaciclib, primarily due to disease progression (73.5%). (4) Conclusions: Our study provides valuable insights into the effectiveness and safety of abemaciclib for the treatment of MBC. We observed comparable outcomes in terms of rwPFS and OS between the first two lines, suggesting consistent effectiveness across treatment lines. In addition, our findings suggest that older age (70+) does not significantly impact the effectiveness and tolerability of abemaciclib, although the careful monitoring and management of AEs are warranted.

Real-World Safety and Outcome of First-Line Pembrolizumab Monotherapy for Metastatic NSCLC with PDL-1 Expression ≥ 50%: A National Italian Multicentric Cohort ("PEMBROREAL" Study).

Results from the phase III Keynote-024 clinical trial established pembrolizumab monotherapy as the first-line standard of care for patients with metastatic NSCLC who have PD-L1 expression ≥ 50%, EGFR, and ALK wild-type tumors. However, given the differences between patients treated in routine clinical practice and those treated in a clinical trial, real-world data are needed to confirm the treatment benefit in standard practice. Given the lack of data on large cohorts of patients with long follow-ups, we designed an observational retrospective study of patients with metastatic NSCLC who were treated with pembrolizumab, starting from its reimbursement eligibility until December 2020. The primary endpoints were PFS and OS, determined using the Kaplan-Meier method. Response and safety were also evaluated. We followed 880 patients (median follow-up: 35.1 months) until February 2022. Median PFS and OS were 8.6 months (95% CI: 7.6-10.0) and 25.5 months (95% CI: 21.8-31.6), respectively. We also found that ECOG PS, PD-L1 expression, and habitual smoking were prognostic factors for PFS, while age, sex, ECOG PS, habitual smoking and histology had an impact on OS. Multivariable analysis confirms the prognostic role of PD-L1 for PFS and of ECOG for both PFS and OS. 39.9% of patients reported an adverse event, but only 6.3% of patients discontinued therapy due to toxicity. Our results suggest a long-term benefit of pembrolizumab in the first-line setting, as well as a safety profile consistent with the results of Keynote-024. Many collected variables appear to influence clinical outcome, but results from these exploratory unadjusted analyses should be interpreted with caution.

The evolving treatment landscape of metastatic urothelial cancer.

Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is currently the first-line standard of care for patients with metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC); however, up to 50% of patients are ineligible for cisplatin, necessitating alternative treatment options. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have been shown to be effective in cisplatin-ineligible patients. However, despite advances in the first-line setting, the prognosis remains poor, and challenges persist in selecting optimal therapies, treatment sequences and combination regimens. Maintenance therapy with avelumab revealed improved overall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) compared with best supportive care alone in patients with platinum-responsive mUC. Antibody-drug conjugates and targeted therapy with fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) inhibitors have shown promise in selected patients, particularly in patients with metastatic disease that has progressed despite platinum-based chemotherapy. At the European Society of Medical Oncology Congress in 2023, groundbreaking results were presented from two phase III trials, EV-302/KEYNOTE-A39 and CheckMate 901, focusing on previously untreated mUC. In the former, the combination of enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab showed significant improvements in OS, PFS and overall response rate compared with chemotherapy alone; the combination of nivolumab with gemcitabine-cisplatin chemotherapy demonstrated a significant extension in median OS, PFS and overall response rate compared with chemotherapy alone. Inaddition, erdafitinib therapy resulted in significantly longer OS than chemotherapy among patients with mUC and FGFR alterations after previous treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. This comprehensive summary of the current treatment landscape for mUC incorporates clinical trial evidence and discussion of agents that are currently under investigation to provide support for clinical decision making and understanding of future therapeutic approaches.

Abstract PO5-05-01: ASSESING THE CLINICAL AND SURVIVAL RESULTS OF PATIENTS WITH HR-POSITIVE, HER2 NEGATIVE ADVANCED BREAST CANCER TREATED WITH CDK 4/6 INHIBITORS IN A SPANISH COHORT

Abstract BACKGROUND First line treatment of HR-positive, HER2 negative advanced breast cancer is based on endocrine therapy plus CDK 4/6 inhibitors (CDK 4/6i). Recently, there has been published in ASCO 2023 results from SONIA trial, which explores the use of CDK 4/6i in second-line treatment after monotherapy with endocrine therapy. This trial have shown using a CDK4/6i in the first-line setting did not significantly prolong the time from random assignment to progression on second-line therapy (PFS2) or overall survival (OS) when compared with deferred use until the second-line setting. METHODS We conducted a descriptive, observational and retrospective analyses of patients treated in our centre with CDK4/6i, comparing demographic, clinical and survival results. We also analysed different outcomes between first versus second line CDK4/6i. RESULTS A cohort of 153 patients were included, treated between January 2018 and June 2023, with a median age of 50 years. At diagnosis, 49% were stage I-II and 31% stage IV. 59% had visceral metastases at the start of CDK4/6i treatment. Palbociclib was the most commonly CDK4/6i used (55%), followed by Ribociclib (32%) and Abemaciclib (12.5%). The most widely endocrine therapy used was letrozole (60%), followed by fulvestrant (38%). 58% received CDK4/6i in first-line setting while 9% received them in second-line. The overall median progression-free survival (mPFS) was 18 months. In a subgroup analysis, the mPFS was 19 months with Palbociclib, 26 months with Ribociclib, and 31 months with Abemaciclib. Baseline characteristics were similar between subgroups of CDK4/6i. Better survival data were obtained with letrozole than with fulvestrant (not reached versus 29 months OS respectively). After CDK4/6i disease progression the most common subsequent treatment was chemotherapy (capecitabine, 23%). The median OS with palbociclib and abemaciclib was 37 months, while not reached with ribociclib. We analysed PFS2 using CDK4/6i in the first-line setting compared with deferred use until the second-line. The use of CDK4/6i in second-line showed a PFS2 of 45 months, while first-line PFS2 was 26 months. CONCLUSIONS Our study results are consistent with previous studies assesing the efficacy of cyclin inhibitors in first and second-line setting. Palbociclib seems to have a lower PFS rate. Patients treated with letrozole had a stadistically significant benefit in survival outcomes. Our data continue the trend observed in the SONIA trial in terms of PFS2. Using endocrine therapy as first-line monotherapy may be a valid treatment option. However, larger sample sizes are required to draw definitive conclusions. The identification of potential predictors of treatment response may help in the selection of the most effective treatment for patients with HR-positive HER2 negative advanced breast cancer. Citation Format: Alicia Cano-Jimenez, Rocio Urbano-Cubero, Ruben Garcia-Muñoz, Ana Maria Jaen-Morago, Maria Lomas-Garrido, Pedro Sánchez-Rovira. ASSESING THE CLINICAL AND SURVIVAL RESULTS OF PATIENTS WITH HR-POSITIVE, HER2 NEGATIVE ADVANCED BREAST CANCER TREATED WITH CDK 4/6 INHIBITORS IN A SPANISH COHORT [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO5-05-01.

Abstract PO1-05-05: Overall survival (OS) and subsequent therapy patterns in Japanese patients with HR+/HER2− advanced breast cancer (ABC) treated with palbociclib (PAL) plus letrozole (LET) in first-line setting (1L)

Abstract Background: PAL is a first-in-class cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i) for the treatment of HR+/HER2− ABC. In PALOMA-2 study, PAL plus LET demonstrated a numerically, not statistically significant, prolonged OS versus placebo plus LET (53.9 vs 51.2 months; HR, 0.956; 95% CI, 0.777–1.177) in patients with HR+/HER2− ABC in 1L. Subgroup analyses showed a similar trend in Asia/Pacific region (73.4 vs 55.1 months; HR, 0.744), however, data specific to Japanese subgroup have not been reported. An open-label, single-arm, multicenter Japanese phase 2 study (J-Ph2) investigated the efficacy and safety of PAL plus LET in postmenopausal Japanese women with HR+/HER2− ABC in 1L and showed a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 35.7 months (95% CI, 21.7–46.7) in the final analysis of PFS. However, OS data were immature at the data cutoff. Here, we report the findings from a follow-up study of J-Ph2 (NCT04735367) evaluating OS and subsequent therapy in these Japanese patients. Methods: Patients (N=42) who participated in J-Ph2 were enrolled in this follow-up study. The primary endpoint was OS, defined as the time from the first dose of PAL plus LET in J-Ph2 to date of death due to any cause. Secondary endpoints included chemotherapy-free survival (CFS) and type and duration of subsequent therapy. Median OS, CFS, duration of subsequent therapy and associated 95% CIs were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Outcomes were also assessed for baseline demographic and disease characteristic subgroups including visceral or nonvisceral metastatic disease, disease-free interval (DFI; ≤12 months, >12 months, de novo metastatic), and duration of 1L PAL use (≤24 months or >24 months). Results: Patients had a median age of 62.5 years; 48% had visceral metastases; 33% had de novo disease; 48% had a TFI >12 months; 93% had an ECOG performance status (PS) of 0. At a median follow up of 89.7 months, the median OS was 85.4 months (95% CI, 64.3–not estimable [NE]). Median OS was longer in patients with nonvisceral versus visceral metastases (not reached [NR] vs 67.3 months), with TFI >12 months versus ≤12 months (85.4 vs 45.4 months), or with duration of 1L PAL use >24 months versus ≤24 months (NR vs 47.5 months). Median CFS was 69.1 months (95% CI, 24.2–85.4), and that was longer in patients with nonvisceral versus visceral metastases (77.5 vs 37.5 months). At the data cutoff, 3 patients (7.1%) were still receiving PAL plus LET (90.9–93.2 months). Subsequent therapy after disease progression was administered to 34 of 42 patients (81%). Of these patients, 28 (82%) received endocrine-based therapy, while 3 (9%) patients each received chemotherapy and other therapy, respectively. The median duration of the first subsequent therapy was 8.3 months (95% CI, 3.9–12.2), and that was similar among patients with nonvisceral versus visceral metastases (7.8 vs 8.3 months). Conclusion: This interim analysis showed a median OS of >7 years with 1L PAL plus LET. Patient demographics (geographic, racial factors), disease characteristics (ECOG PS, visceral metastases), and subsequent therapy decisions may have contributed to the extended median OS observed in this study. Further, this report provides insight into real-world subsequent treatment patterns following PAL plus ET. Table Citation Format: Masato Takahashi, Tomofumi Osako, Hiroyuki Yasojima, Kenichi Inoue, Masahiro Kawashima, Hideki Maeda, Mitsuya Ito, Yasuaki Sagara, Kan Yonemori, Masaya Hattori, Naohito Yamamoto, Eriko Tokunaga, Shozo Ohsumi, Yutaka Yamamoto, Akemi Ichikawa, Yasuaki Muramatsu, Norikazu Masuda. Overall survival (OS) and subsequent therapy patterns in Japanese patients with HR+/HER2− advanced breast cancer (ABC) treated with palbociclib (PAL) plus letrozole (LET) in first-line setting (1L) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-05-05.

Abstract PO2-04-12: From Clinical Trials to Clinical Practice; Real World Clinical Outcomes of Patients Treated with Ribociclib in Combination with Aromatase Inhibitors or Fulvestrant for HR-Positive, HER2- Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer

Abstract Background: Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment landscape of hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC), with an impressive efficacy and safety profile. Here we report real-world clinical outcomes and toxicity data in patients treated at a tertiary care cancer center. Methods: The study is a retrospective analysis of individual patients’ data. All consecutive patients with HR+ and HER2-negative MBC, treated at our institution with ribociclib plus aromatase inhibitors (AI) or fulvestrant, between June 2017 and May 2020 were reviewed. Data were collected from patients’ electronic medical records. Progression free survival (PFS) was defined as the time from treatment initiation with CDK4/6i until the first documented progression, death from any cause or last follow-up, whichever occurred first. The Overall survival (OS) was defined as the time from treatment initiation with CDK4/6i until the date of death from any cause, or last follow-up. Results: A total of 305 patients, median age 49 (22-87) years were enrolled. Although bone metastasis was reported in 241 (79.0%) patients, bone-only metastasis was identified in 64 (20.9%). Visceral metastasis in the liver and lungs were reported in 22.0% and 25.9 % of patients, respectively. CDK4/6i combined with AI were used in first-line setting in 195 (63.9%) patients and with fulvestrant as a second line (20.7%) or beyond (15.4%). Dose reduction was required in 44 (14.14%) patients, mostly because of neutropenia (n=38, 12.5%) and abnormal liver enzymes (n=12, 3.9%), while 11 (3.6%) discontinued treatment, mostly due cardiac toxicities. Nevertheless, there were no deaths due to toxicity. Patients were followed up for a median of 31.1 months. Overall response rate (ORR) was 51.4% and median PFS, irrespective of the line of therapy, was 19.3 (17.6-23.3) months. PFS was longer in first-line setting; 23.1 (19.7-NR) months compared to 13.9 (10.2-17.6) months in second-line or beyond, p< 0 .0001, and when combined with AI compared to fulvestrant; 28.6 (17.8-23.1) months versus 9.1 (4.4-NR) months, p=0.0001, and in those with bone-only metastasis; 23.1 (19.5-NR) months versus 17.3 (12.2-18.9) months for patients with visceral metastasis, p=0.0008. The median OS was not reached. Conclusions: Despite enrolling sicker patients, and outside the stringent clinical trials settings, our treatment outcomes, in real world settings, are comparable to those reported in major clinical trials, including MONALEESA-2, MONALEESA-3 and MONALEESA-7. Citation Format: Baha' Sharaf, Faris Tamimi, Sarah Edaily, Osama Salama, Hazem Abdulelah, Anas Zayed, Mahmoud Abunasser, Hala Abu-Fares, Hikmat Abdel-Razeq. From Clinical Trials to Clinical Practice; Real World Clinical Outcomes of Patients Treated with Ribociclib in Combination with Aromatase Inhibitors or Fulvestrant for HR-Positive, HER2- Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO2-04-12.

Abstract PO1-05-09: ASCENT-07: A phase 3, randomized, open-label study of sacituzumab govitecan versus treatment of physician’s choice in patients with HR+/HER2– inoperable, locally advanced, or metastatic breast cancer post-endocrine therapy

Abstract Background: Approximately 70% of all breast cancer (BC) cases are hormone receptor positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2–), with ~65% of these being HR+/HER2-low (immunohistochemistry [IHC]1+, IHC2+/in situ hybridization [ISH]–). Despite an increasing number of available endocrine and targeted treatments for metastatic disease, tumors eventually develop resistance to endocrine therapy (ET). Chemotherapy, the standard of care for patients (pts) whose cancers no longer respond to ET, is associated with poor outcomes, representing a high unmet need in the first-line endocrine-resistant setting. Sacituzumab govitecan (SG) is a Trop-2–directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that delivers SN-38 (the active metabolite of the topoisomerase inhibitor irinotecan) to tumor cells via internalization, and to the surrounding tumor microenvironment via the bystander effect. SG demonstrated a significant and clinically meaningful survival benefit in the phase 3, randomized TROPiCS-02 trial, and is approved in the US for inoperable, locally advanced, or metastatic HR+/HER2– BC after ET and ≥ 2 systemic therapies in the metastatic setting. ASCENT-07 will examine the efficacy and safety of SG in the first-line chemotherapy setting, ie, in patients with inoperable, locally advanced, or metastatic ET resistant HR+/HER2– BC. Study design: ASCENT-07 (NCT05840211) is a randomized, open-label, global study evaluating SG versus treatment of physician’s choice (TPC) chemotherapy in pts with HR+/HER2– inoperable, locally advanced, or metastatic BC who have received ET and are eligible for their first chemotherapy for advanced/metastatic disease. Pts aged ≥ 18 years with histologically confirmed HR+/HER2– (HER2 IHC0 or HER2-low [IHC1+, IHC2+/ISH–]) according to ASCO/CAP criteria, measurable disease per RECIST v1.1, and ECOG performance status of 0 or 1 will be included. Pts are eligible if they meet ≥ 1 of the following criteria: progressive disease (PD) in the metastatic setting on ≥ 2 lines of ET (± targeted therapy) (disease recurrence within the first 24 months of starting adjuvant ET is considered a line of therapy), PD within 6 months of first-line ET (± CDK 4/6 inhibitor) in the metastatic setting, or disease recurrence within 24 months of adjuvant ET with CDK 4/6 inhibitor initiation and no longer a candidate for additional ET. PD on the most recent therapy will be documented by CT or MRI per RECIST v1.1. Key exclusion criteria include prior treatment targeting topoisomerase I. Pts will be randomized to SG 10 mg/kg IV on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle or TPC (capecitabine, paclitaxel, nab-paclitaxel). The primary endpoint is progression-free survival (PFS) assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR) per RECIST v1.1 criteria or death from any cause, whichever comes first. Secondary endpoints include PFS (assessed by the investigator), overall survival, objective response rate and duration of response per BICR and investigator, and quality of life (QoL) assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 cancer questionnaire (primarily change in the Physical Functioning domain at week 16 and time to deterioration in the Global Health Status/QoL domain). Pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity analyses will be undertaken in pts receiving SG. Incidence of adverse events and serious adverse events, including relationship to study drug(s), will be reported. Laboratory and vital signs will be monitored. ASCENT-07 is currently open for recruitment and requires ~654 eligible pts to provide adequate power for assessment of the primary and key secondary endpoints. Citation Format: Hope Rugo, Javier Cortés, Giuseppe Curigliano, Carlos Barrios, Kevin Punie, Yeon Park, Hiroji Iwata, Alex Young, Xuehan Ren, Pelin Cinar, Komal Jhaveri. ASCENT-07: A phase 3, randomized, open-label study of sacituzumab govitecan versus treatment of physician’s choice in patients with HR+/HER2– inoperable, locally advanced, or metastatic breast cancer post-endocrine therapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-05-09.