First-line Treatment Regimens Research Articles

Research advances in the molecular classification of gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a malignant tumor with one of the lowest five-year survival rates. Traditional first-line treatment regimens, such as platinum drugs, have limited therapeutic efficacy in treating advanced GC and significant side effects, greatly reducing patient quality of life. In contrast, trastuzumab and other immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab, have demonstrated consistent and reliable efficacy in treating GC. Here, we discuss the intrinsic characteristics of GC from a molecular perspective and provide a comprehensive review of classification and treatment advances in the disease. Finally, we suggest several strategies based on the intrinsic molecular characteristics of GC to aid in overcoming clinical challenges in the development of precision medicine and improve patient prognosis.

Abstract PO4-04-07: Efficacy, safety and translational study of pyrotinib combined with albumin-bound paclitaxel as firstline treatment of HER-2 positive metastatic breast cancer

Abstract Objective: Breast Cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in women. HER-2 is a driver gene for poor prognosis in breast cancer. Anti-HER-2 drugs have significantly improved the prognosis of patients with HER-2 positive metastatic breast cancer. There is still a lack of exploration of first-line anti-HER2 treatment options and translational studies only for patients with metastases after adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant trastuzumab therapy. This study is based on our previous clinical trial of pyrotinib in combination with albumin-bound paclitaxel in first line for patients with HER-2-positive metastatic breast cancer after adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant trastuzumab therapy, with the aim of exploring the efficacy and adverse events in the enrolled patients. And to explore the markers associated with Progression Free Survival (PFS) by using Olink technique to detect blood samples from patients. To provide a better screening of the benefit population and provide guidance for the treatment of HER-2 positive metastatic breast cancer. Methods: From December 2019 to July 2023, our previous clinical trial prospectively enrolls 27 patients with HER-2-positive metastatic breast cancer after adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant trastuzumab therapy. Pyrotinib (400 mg, po, qd) combined with albumin-bound paclitaxel (200 mg, ivdrip, d1, d8, q21d) was used as the first-line treatment regimen. Patients were evaluated for efficacy. Survival analysis was performed by using the Kaplan-Meier method. Blood samples were collected during treatment. We selected 21 blood samples from patients, and dynamically detected plasma protein changes by Olink technique. Differential protein analysis between groups according to hormone receptor status, trastuzumab primary/secondary resistance, and the presence of visceral metastases. And the proteins associated with PFS were analyzed. Results: Among the 27 patients whose efficacy had been evaluated, 7 patients were evaluated as CR, 18 patients as PR, and 2 patients as SD. The objective response rate was 92.6%, and the disease control rate was 100%. The median follow-up was 17.8 months and the median PFS has not yet been reached. Diarrhea is the most common adverse event. Grade 3 or higher adverse events include diarrhea, leukocytopenia, neutropenia, and hand-foot syndrome. The progression free survival was significantly worse in patients with visceral metastases (P=0.01). Results of Olink protein dynamic assay showed a significant downregulation of CEACAM5, TXLNA, PVRL4and ERBB2. Differential proteins between groups showed that there were no significant differential proteins between the hormone receptor-positive and negative groups at the baseline node, but 7 proteins were upregulated in the hormone receptor-positive group compared with the negative group at the progression node, with EMS-1, WIF-1, and hK14 being the most significant. Compared to primary resistance, trastuzumab secondary resistance appeared 4 proteins upregulated at the baseline node, with hK14 and CYR61 being the most significantly; and 33 proteins were upregulated at the progression node, with CYR61, CXL17, FURIN, and ABL1 being the most significantly. Patients with high expression of TLR3 and low expression of RET at the baseline node had longer PFS. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that pyrotinib in combination with albumin-bound paclitaxel as a first-line treatment regimen shows good efficacy and a manageable safety for patients with HER-2-positive metastatic breast cancer after adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant trastuzumab therapy. PFS was shorter in patients with visceral metastases. TLR3 and RET were the proteins that significantly associated with PFS in patients. Citation Format: Huihui Li, Xiaochu Man, Sha Yin, Dongdong Zhou, Baoxuan Zhang, Shu Fang, Fangchao Zheng, Chao Li, Xinzhao Wang, Wei Huang, Linlin Wang, Qingqing He, Hui Fu, Yan Zhang, Changrui Liu, Lin Dong, Xianguang Zhao, Liang Xu, Xiao Sun, Bingjie Fan, Lihua Song, Zhengbo Zhou, Qiaorui Tan, Jinming Yu. Efficacy, safety and translational study of pyrotinib combined with albumin-bound paclitaxel as firstline treatment of HER-2 positive 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 PO4-04-07.

Abstract PO2-04-07: Efficacy and Safety of First-line Therapy in Patients with HER-2 positive Advanced Breast Cancer:A network Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Abstract Background: The numerous but conflicting first-line treatment regimens for Her-2 positive advanced breast cancer necessitate a comprehensive evaluation to inform clinical decision-making. In this study, we conducted a Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) to compare the efficacy and safety of different interventions. Methods: We systematically searched for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library and online abstracts published by ASCO, SABCS. NMA was performed using R software, STATA and Review Manager 5.4 to calculate and analyze the primary endpoint progression free survival (PFS), as well as the secondary endpoints of overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR) and adverse events (AE) higher than grade 3. Results: Out of the 8,603 manuscripts retrieved, we included 30 RCTs involving 12,045 patients in our analysis. Regarding PFS, the combination of trastuzumab with TKI was more favorable than dual-target therapy (hazard ratio=0.54, 95% [CI]: 0.40–0.72), and combination chemotherapy was superior to monotherapy (HR=0.66, 0.53-0.83). It is important to note that the addition of anthracycline did not result in improved PFS (HR=1.27, 0.87-1.86). For the HR+HER2+ population, dual-target plus endocrine therapy was more effective than single-target plus endocrine therapy (HR=0.65, 0.53-0.80). Monotherapy combined with dual-target therapy significantly improved OS and ORR compared to monotherapy with single-target therapy (HR=0.69, 0.56-0.84; OR=1.89, 1.34-2.65). A comprehensive analysis of both PFS and AE higher than grade 3 indicated that monotherapy plus dual-target therapy struck a balanced approach between effectiveness and toxicity compared to other regimens. Conclusions: Monotherapy plus dual-target therapy remains the optimal choice among all first-line treatment options for advanced breast cancer. The combination of trastuzumab with TKI demonstrated a significant improvement in PFS, but further data are warranted to confirm the survival benefit. Figure 1. Network diagrams of PFS, OS, ORR and adverse events higher than grade 3 in eligible experimental arms. Figure 2. Forest plot of PFS, OS, ORR and adverse events higher than grade 3 in eligible experimental arms. (A): PFS of HER2+ for experimental arms. (B): PFS of HR+ and HER2+ for experimental arms. (C): OS of HER2+ for experimental arms. (D): ORR of HER2+ for experimental arms. (E): Adverse events higher than grade 3 of HER2+ for experimental arms. Figure 3. Each endpoint ranking for experimental arms. (SUCRA, surface under the cumulative ranking) (A): PFS ranking for experimental arms. (B): OS ranking for experimental arms. (C): ORR ranking for experimental arms. (D): Adverse events higher than grade 3 ranking for experimental arms. (E): Experimental arms ordered by their overall probability as the best treatment in terms of both efficacy and safety Citation Format: Junxiao Wang, Yushuai Yu, Jie Zhang, Chuangui Song. Efficacy and Safety of First-line Therapy in Patients with HER-2 positive Advanced Breast Cancer:A network Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials [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 PO2-04-07.

Efficacy and safety of pyrotinib combined with albumin-bound paclitaxel as first-line treatment for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer in patients previously treated with adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant trastuzumab therapy: The stage 1 results of a single-arm, phase 2 prospective clinical trial.

It has been observed that the prognosis of patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer has improved significantly with HER2-targeted agents. However, there is still a lack of evidence regarding first-line anti-HER2 treatment options for patients who have received adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant trastuzumab for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Besides, there are no reliable markers that can predict the efficacy of anti-HER2 treatment in these patients. Patients who have received adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant trastuzumab for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer were enrolled. Pyrotinib plus albumin-bound paclitaxel were used as first-line treatment. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR). The safety profile was also assessed. In order to explore predictive biomarkers using Olink technology, blood samples were collected dynamically. From December 2019 to August 2023, the first stage of the study involved 27 eligible patients. It has not yet reached the median PFS despite the median follow-up being 17.8 months. Efficacy evaluation showed that the ORR was 92.6%, and the DCR was 100%. Adverse events of grade 3 or higher included diarrhoea (29.6%), leukopenia (11.1%), neutropenia (25.9%), oral mucositis (3.7%), and hand-foot syndrome (3.7%). Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) and Proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase receptor (RET) were proteins with significant relevance to PFS in these patients. This study demonstrates that pyrotinib plus albumin-bound paclitaxel as a first-line treatment regimen shows good efficacy and manageable safety for patients who have received adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant trastuzumab for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Besides, a significant association was identified between the expression levels of TLR3 and RET and the PFS in patients.

Comparison of efficacy and safety of PD-1/PD-L1 combination therapy in first-line treatment of advanced NSCLC: an updated systematic review and network meta-analysis.

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors has led to an increase in randomized controlled trials exploring various first-line combination treatment regimens. With the introduction of new PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, there are now more clinical options available. For the first time, the AK105 monoclonal antibody Penpulimab, developed in China, was included. The AK105-302 Phase III trial studied the efficacy and safety of Penpulimab combined with chemotherapy in patients with advanced or metastatic squamous NSCLC. To determine the optimal treatment options, we conducted an updated network meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness and safety of these regimens. The system retrieves data from Chinese and English electronic databases, Clinical Trials, and the gov Clinical Trial Registration website up to September 6, 2023. The study indirectly compared the efficacy and safety of PD-1/PD-L1 combination regimens, including overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), all-grade adverse events, and above-grade III adverse events. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) level, histological type, ECOG score, sex, and smoking history. Nineteen RCTS were included, with a total of ten thousand eight hundred patients. Penpulimab plus chemotherapy (Pen + CT) provided the best OS (HR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.38-0.81) for PD-L1 patients with non-selective advanced NSCLC. Except Nivolumab plus Ipilimumab (Niv + Ipi), other PD-1/PD-L1 combination therapies significantly extended PFS compared with CT, and Nivolumab plus Bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy (Niv + Bev + CT) (HR = 0.43, 95% CI 0.26-0.74) provided the best PFS benefit and was comparable to Pen + CT (HR = 1.0) for PFS prolongation. For ORR, except Niv + Ipi, all the other regimens significantly improved ORR compared with CT. In terms of safety, except Tor + CT, the incidence of any-grade AEs or grade ≥ 3 adverse events may be higher than those of chemotherapy. The subgroup analysis revealed that for patients with PD-L1 levels below 1%, treatment with Tor + CT resulted in the best progression-free survival (HR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.25-0.86). For patients with PD-L1 levels of 1% or higher, Sintilimab plus chemotherapy (Sin + CT) (HR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.31-0.99) and Camrelizumab plus chemotherapy (Cam + CT) (HR = 0.43, 95% CI 0.28-0.64) were associated with the best overall survival and progression-free survival, respectively. For patients with SqNSCLC, combined immunotherapy may provide greater survival benefits. For patients with Non-sqNSCLC, Niv + Bev + CT and Tor + CT were associated with optimal PFS and OS, respectively. Cam + CT provided the best PFS in male patients with a history of smoking and an ECOG score of 0. In both female and non-smoking patient subgroups, Pem + CT was associated with the best PFS and OS benefits. For patients with advanced non-selective PD-L1 NSCLC, two effective regimens are Pen + CT and Niv + Bev + CT, which rank first in OS and PFS among all patients. Cam + CT and Tor + CT have advantages for OS in patients with SqNSCLC and Non-sqNSCLC, respectively. Niv + Ipi + CT provided the best OS benefit for patients with an ECOG score of 0, while Pem + CT may be the most effective treatment for patients with an ECOG score of 1. Pem + CT has a better effect on female patients and non-smokers. Sin + CT was found to be the most effective treatment for male patients and the smoking subgroup, while Cam + CT was found to be the most effective for PFS. In addition, Tor + CT was associated with the best PFS for patients with negative PD-L1 expression. Pem + CT was found to significantly improve both PFS and OS compared to CT alone. For patients with positive PD-L1 expression, Sin + CT and Cam + CT were found to be optimal for OS and PFS, respectively. It is important to note that, with the exception of Tor + CT, the toxicity of the other combinations was higher than that of CT alone.

Plain language summary of the TRANSFORM study primary analysis results: lisocabtagene maraleucel as asecond treatment regimen for large B-cell lymphoma following failure of the first treatment regimen.

People diagnosed with a disease called large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) may experience return, or early relapse, of their disease within the first year after receiving and responding to their first (first-line) treatment regimen. Others may have primary refractory disease, meaning that the disease either did not respond to first-line treatment at all or only responded for a very brief period. Second (second-line) treatment includes immunotherapy followed by high-dose chemotherapy and ASCT, which has the potential to cure LBCL. However, if the disease does not respond to immunotherapy, people cannot receive ASCT, and less than 30% of people are cured. Therefore, new second-line treatment options are required, such as CAR T cell therapy, which uses a person's own genetically engineered lymphocytes, also called T cells, to fight their lymphoma. In this article, we summarize the key results of the phase 3 TRANSFORM clinical study that tested if liso-cel, a CAR T cell treatment, can safely and effectively be used as a second-line treatment for people with early relapsed or primary refractory (relapsed/refractory) LBCL. A total of 184 adults with relapsed/refractory LBCL who were able to receive ASCT were randomly treated with either liso-cel or standard of care (SOC) as second-line treatment. SOC included immunochemotherapy followed by high-dose chemotherapy and ASCT. Almost all (97%) people in the liso-cel group completed treatment, whereas 53% of people in the SOC group did not complete treatment, mostly due to their disease not responding or relapsing, and therefore they were not able to receive ASCT. People who received liso-cel as a second-line treatment lived longer without the occurrence of an unfavorable medical event or worsening of the disease and had a better response to treatment than those who received SOC as second-line treatment. People who received liso-cel reported side effects that researchers considered to be manageable, and that were known to occur with CAR T cell treatment. Results from the TRANSFORM study support the use of liso-cel as a more effective second-line treatment compared with SOC that is safe for people with relapsed/refractory LBCL. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT03575351 (TRANSFORM study) (ClinicalTrials.gov).

Cancers of Unknown Primary Origin: Real-World Clinical Outcomes and Genomic Analysis at the European Institute of Oncology.

Cancer of unknown primary origin (CUP) poses a significant challenge due to poor clinical outcomes and limited treatment options. As such, further definition of clinicopathological factors and genomic profile to better adapt treatment strategies is required. Medical records were interrogated to retrospectively include CUP with available clinical and genomics data at the European Institute of Oncology. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) included targeted panels. Statistical analyses were conducted with R Software 4.2.2. A total of 44 patients were included. With a median follow-up of 39.46 months (interquartile range [IQR] 35.98-47.41 months), median PFS (mPFS) to first-line regimen was 3.98 months (95% CI 3.22-5.98), with a clinical benefit rate of 26% (95% CI 14%-49%), and disease control rate (DCR) limited to 48.28%. Most patients (26 of 31, 83.87%) received platinum-doublet chemotherapy, with no statistically significant difference between first-line treatment regimens. Median OS (mOS) was 18.8 months (95% CI 12.3-39.9), with a 12-month OS rate of 66% (95% CI 50%-85%). All patients received comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP). For 11 patients, NGS was unsuccessful due to low sample quantity and/or quality. For the remaining, TP53 (n = 16, 48%) and KRAS (n = 10, 30%) represented the most altered (alt) genes. No microsatellite instability was observed (0 of 28), while 6 of 28 (21.43%) tumors carried high TMB (≥10 mutation per megabase). Eight of 33 tumors (24.2%) displayed at least one actionable alteration with potential clinical benefit according to ESCAT. Only 2 of them received targeted therapy matched to genomic alterations, with a combined mPFS of 2.63 months (95% CI 1.84-not evaluable) as third-line regimens. Six patients received anti-PD1/PD-L1 therapy, showing a meaningful mPFS of 13 months (95% CI 2.04-not evaluable). CUP exhibits poor prognosis with limited benefits from standard treatment regimens. A significant proportion of CUPs carry actionable alterations, underscoring the importance of genomic profiling to gather additional treatment opportunities. In addition, immunotherapy might represent a valuable treatment option for a subset of CUP. Finally, accurate definition of sequencing methods and platforms is crucial to overcome NGS failures.

Abstract 3821: Real world outcomes among patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia

Abstract Introduction: Treatment options for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have expanded in recent years. Although new treatments have demonstrated efficacy in clinical trials, less is known about their effect on outcomes in routine clinical practice. We examined outcomes for patients with newly-diagnosed AML (ND-AML) using real world data (RWD). Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted using the COTA real-world (rw) database, a de-identified source of longitudinal electronic health record data pertaining to the diagnosis, management, and outcomes of patients with cancer. Adult patients with ND-AML, diagnosed January 1, 2013 to March 20, 2023 were included. First-line treatment regimens were grouped into therapeutic categories and outcomes were summarized. The index date was defined as date of initiation of first-line therapy. Results: Among 2516 patients with ND-AML included (Table), the most common regimens used were intensive chemotherapy with cytarabine (IC w/ara-C), hypomethylating agents with venetoclax (HMA+ven), and HMA alone. Complete response rate was highest in patients treated with IC w/ara-C or investigational regimen(s). Median overall survival (OS) was 16 mo overall, with highest median OS seen in patients treated with IC w/ara-C and investigational regimen(s). Median OS for patients treated with HMA+ven was 13.5 mo. Thirty-day mortality was lowest in patients treated with IC w/ara-C, CPX-351 (liposomal daunorubicin + cytarabine), and HMA+ven. Conclusions: Results suggest that IC w/ara-C remains the standard of care for most patients with ND-AML and this regimen has a higher CR rate and median OS. Variation of patient demographics and clinical characteristics across treatment groups did not permit cross-treatment comparisons, though future analyses evaluating these subgroups may provide further insight into effectiveness and safety of AML regimens in routine care for populations underrepresented in clinical trials. rwCR rate Median rwOS 30-day mortality N % (95% CI) Months (95% CI) % (95% CI) Overall 2516 45.3 (43.2, 47.3) 16.0 (14.9, 17.3) 5.9 (5.0, 6.8) IC w/ara-C 1171 60.6 (57.8, 63.4) 36.4 (31.0, 46.0) 1.6 (0.9, 2.3) HMA+ ven 300 33.7 (28.3, 39.3) 13.5 (11.4, 15.5) 3 (1.1, 4.9) Decitabine 242 12.8 (8.9, 17.7) 8.4 (6.7, 9.9) 10.4 (6.5, 14.2) Azacitidine 206 7.8 (4.5, 12.3) 7.2 (5.3, 9.6) 10.7 (6.4, 14.8) Investigational 206 61.6 (54.6, 68.3) 21.3 (15.2, 27.8) 3.4 (0.9, 5.9) Lower dose cytarabine 62 12.9 (5.7, 23.9) 8.7 (5.4, 16.1) 14.9 (5.4, 23.4) CPX-351 based 61 55.7 (42.4, 68.5) 9.3 (7.3, 15.1) 0.0 No treatment 188 NA 1.9 (1.5, 2.8) 30 (22.7, 36.6) Citation Format: Elizabeth D. Pulte, Laura L. Fernandes, Joseph Wynne, Eric Hansen, Andrew J. Belli, Anna Barcellos, Christina M. Zettler, Rebecca Bystrom, Jonathon Vallejo, Wenjuan Gu, Catherine Lerro, Kelly Norsworthy, Angelo DeClaro, Marc R. Theoret, Donna Rivera, Ching-Kun Wang. Real world outcomes among patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 3821.

Abstract 6172: Accurate PD-L1 IHC assessment in urothelial carcinoma by an AI algorithm robust across multiple sites, antibody clones, and scanners

Abstract Background: Immunotherapy against PD-L1 is used for treatment of several indications of Urothelial Carcinoma (UC). Recent results indicate that it is likely to become part of the standard first-line treatment regimen for advanced UC in the near future. Accurate readout of Immunohistochemical (IHC) PD-L1 expression is therefore essential to inform UC treatment decisions. However, manual PD-L1-scoring is prone to high inter- and intra-observer variability. Artificial intelligence (AI) may help to improve standardization, accuracy and efficiency of PD-L1 IHC scoring. Yet, previous AI-based approaches struggled to show consistency across images that are diverse with regards to the source institutions, antibody clones, and scanning hardware used. Methods: We developed an AI software for PD-L1 tumor proportion scoring (TPS/TC) on whole-slide images (WSIs) of UC without human supervision. PD-L1 analysis by the software is fully-automated, does not require any adaptation steps, and is concordant with current clinical guidelines. The performance of the software was evaluated on two cohorts of PD-L1 stained UC samples against ground-truth (GT) TPS/TC scores given by human pathologists in clinical routine. The first cohort (n = 53) consisted of samples stained with the 22C3 antibody clone (Agilent) derived from four institutions and three scanner models. It contained both tissue microarray samples and scans of UC resectates. A second validation cohort consisted of n = 83 WSIs stained with the SP263 clone (Ventana), collected from two institutions. Results: For the threshold of TPS≥1% (cut-off established for adjuvant therapy with Nivolumab), agreement rates of AI scores with human GT scores were 92.5% for cohort 1 (22C3) and 96.4% for cohort 2 (SP263). Sensitivity/specificity values were 92.3%/92.9% for cohort 1 and 100%/93.6% for cohort 2. Across both cohorts (n = 136) the agreement rate between AI and human was 94.9%. Conclusions: Across 136 UC samples stained with two PD-L1 antibody clones, and derived from a total of four institutions and three scanner models, the fully automatic AI system showed excellent agreement with human pathologist scores. These results on challenging validation data show the potential of AI applications to standardize and optimize PD-L1 scoring and demonstrate consistency and safety of suitable AI-based systems for application in clinical routine. Citation Format: Niklas Abele, Diego Calvopiña, David Mulder, Patrick Frey, Emre Karakok, Fadime G. Salman, Murat Oktay, Markus Eckstein, Sebastian Springenberg, Arndt Hartmann, Tobias Lang. Accurate PD-L1 IHC assessment in urothelial carcinoma by an AI algorithm robust across multiple sites, antibody clones, and scanners [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 6172.

Vonoprazan-amoxicillin dual therapy with different amoxicillin dosages for treatment-naive patients of Helicobacter pylori infection in China: a prospective, randomized controlled study.

The vonoprazan (VPZ)-amoxicillin (AMO) dual therapy (VA) demonstrates a satisfactory eradication rate for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori ). However, the optimal dosage of AMO in this regimen remains uncertain. The objective of this study is to investigate the efficacy of different doses of AMO in the VA regimen for first-line treatment of H. pylori infection. A total of 192 treatment-naive H. pylori -infected patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups: low-dose VA (LD-VA: VPZ 20 mg b.i.d + AMO 750 mg t.i.d), moderate-dose VA (MD-VA:VPZ 20 mg b.i.d + AMO 1000 mg t.i.d), and high-dose VA (HD-VA: VPZ 20 mg b.i.d + AMO 1250 mg t.i.d). All groups received 14 days of treatment. The study evaluated and compared the eradication rates, adverse events (AEs), and patient compliance among the three groups. Eradication rates for LD-VA, MD-VA, and HD-VA were 76.6% (49/64), 79.7% (51/64), and 84.4% (54/64), respectively, as determined by intention-to-treat analysis; 90.6% (48/53), 94.3% (50/53), and 98.1% (53/54) according to per-protocol analysis; 89.1% (49/55), 94.4% (51/54), and 96.4% (54/56) with modified intention-to-treat analysis (all P > 0.05). Although not statistically significant, numerically higher eradication rates were observed with the higher dose AMO VA regimen. There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of AEs and compliance among the three VA regimens. Fourteen-day VA regimens with AMO doses exceeding 2 g/day demonstrated satisfactory eradication rates. HD-VA therapy is potentially the most effective regimen. Large-sample clinical trials are required to further validate these findings.

Comparison of efficacy and safety of 5-FU or capecitabine combined with cisplatin and docetaxel (mDCF and mDCX) as a first-line chemotherapy regimen in her 2-negative metastatic gastric cancer patients: A retrospective study.

The prognosis of metastatic gastric cancer (GC) is poor, with a median survival time of less than a year. Capecitabine is a prodrug, metabolized by thymidine phosphorylase to its cytotoxic metabolite (5-FU). Few studies have compared capecitabine and 5-FU in mGC. In this retrospective study, we compared the efficacy and safety of modified DCF (mDCF) (docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-FU) and modified DCX (mDCX) (docetaxel, cisplatin, and capecitabine) regimens for first-line treatment in patients with mGC. The study included 112 mGC patients treated with either mDCF (n = 69) or mDCX (n = 43) between 2010 and 2021. Demographic data, response rate, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse events were evaluated. The complete response rate in the mDCF group was 10.1%, whereas the complete response rate in the mDCX group was 2.3%. The partial response rate for mDCF and mDCX were 29% and 37%, respectively. The 2 treatment arms of the study had the same objective rate of response and disease control rate (DCR). PFS and OS rates were comparable between the 2 groups. The median PFS in the mDCF and mDCX arms were 6.0 months (95% CI, 4.87-7.14) and 5.0 months (95% CI, 4.10-5.90) respectively (P = .08). The median OS in the mDCF and mDCX arms were 9.0 months (95% CI, 7.53-10.47) and 9.0 months (95% CI, 6.87-11.11) respectively (P = .07). Neutropenia, asthenia, stomatitis, and nausea/vomiting were the most frequently reported grade 3 to 4 adverse events (AEs). The rates of grade 3/4 AEs and dose reduction were comparable between the 2 groups. There was no treatment discontinuation due to grade 3 to 4 AE. As a first-line treatment for patients with mGC, mDCX and mDCF regimens have comparable efficacy and tolerability profiles.

Pharmacoeconomic study of the effectiveness of cytogenetic studies in patients with MM before prescribing first-line therapy

Purpose of the study. Conducting an assessment of the economic consequences (clinical and economic analysis) when conducting cytogenetic studies before prescribing various first-line treatment regimens for multiple myeloma (MM). Materialsand methods. The pharmacoeconomic study was carried out using the method of cost analysis, “cost-effectiveness” within the framework of the State Guarantee Program (SGP). Results. A review of the literature demonstrated that a limited number of data are currently available on the clinical effectiveness of the analyzed regimens in the first line, both in patients with normal and high cytogenetic risk. The cost-effectiveness analysis showed that among the three studied 1st-line treatment regimens (VMP, Rd, VRd), in terms of PFS (progression-free survival), the coefficient was minimal for the VMP regimen in patients with high cytogenetic risk. Conclusion. The study showed that the choice and prescription of first-line therapy, depending on the results of a cytogenetic study, is a clinically effective and cost-effective approach to organizing medical care for adult patients with multiple myeloma in the Russian Federation. This could be used in the future to formulate.

Perioperative immunotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the main prevalent histological subtype and accounts for 85% of esophageal cancer cases worldwide. Traditional treatment for ESCC involves chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. However, the overall prognosis remains unfavorable. Recently, immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy using anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/PD-1 ligand (PD-L1) antibodies have not only achieved remarkable benefits in the clinical management of ESCC but have also completely changed the treatment approach for this cancer. In just a few years, ICB therapy has rapidly advanced and been added to standard first-line treatment regimen in patients with ESCC. However, preoperative immunotherapy is yet to be approved. In this review, we summarize the ICB antibodies commonly used in clinical immunotherapy of ESCC, and discuss the advances of immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the perioperative treatment of ESCC, aiming to provide reference for clinical management of ESCC patients across the whole course of treatment.

Comparison of efficacy and tolerability of single agent and double agent chemotherapy regimens in first-line treatment of elderly patients with her-2 negative metastatic gastric cancer

Aims: Chemotherapy remains a cornerstone in treating metastatic gastric cancer (GC), yet the management of elderly patients, who often face distinct challenges, lacks comprehensive guidelines. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and side effects of single-agent and double-agent chemotherapy regimens in first-line treatment of elderly patients with HER-2 negative metastatic GC. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated HER-2 negative metastatic GC patients aged 80 years and older who were treated at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Medical Faculty Dursun Odabaşı Medical Center Oncology Clinic between 2010 and 2023. Demographic characteristics, treatment regimens and responses, prognostic factors, grade 3-4 toxicity, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. Results: The mean age of 56 patients was 82.6 ± 2.3 years and 24 (42.9%) of them were women. Single-agent chemotherapy was administered to 33 (58.9%) patients, while 23 (41.1%) received double-agent chemotherapy. The median OS was 5 months (95% CI, 2.9 to 7.1) in the single-agent group and 10 months (95% CI, 4.2 to 15.8) in the double-agent group (p = 0.237), although there was a numerical difference, it was not statistically significant. Median PFS was longer with double-agent chemotherapy, but not statistically significant (6 months vs. 4 months, p = 0.668). No statistically significant difference was found in the side effect rates of patients receiving single and double-agent chemotherapy. Conclusion: In our study, despite the absence of statistical significance in the survival rates among patients receiving double chemotherapeutic agents, their survival was twice as long as that of individuals receiving a single agent. Furthermore, no significant differences in terms of side effects were observed. These findings suggest that, even in individuals aged 80 years and older, a preference for double-agent chemotherapy should be considered when feasible.

ANXA2 (annexin A2) is crucial to ATG7-mediated autophagy, leading to tumor aggressiveness in triple-negative breast cancer cells

ABSTRACT Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with a poor prognosis and metastatic growth. TNBC cells frequently undergo macroautophagy/autophagy, contributing to tumor progression and chemotherapeutic resistance. ANXA2 (annexin A2), a potential therapeutic target for TNBC, has been reported to stimulate autophagy. In this study, we investigated the role of ANXA2 in autophagic processes in TNBC cells. TNBC patients exhibited high levels of ANXA2, which correlated with poor outcomes. ANXA2 increased LC3B-II levels following bafilomycin A1 treatment and enhanced autophagic flux in TNBC cells. Notably, ANXA2 upregulated the phosphorylation of HSF1 (heat shock transcription factor 1), resulting in the transcriptional activation of ATG7 (autophagy related 7). The mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase complex 2 (MTORC2) played an important role in ANXA2-mediated ATG7 transcription by HSF1. MTORC2 did not affect the mRNA level of ANXA2, but it was involved in the protein stability of ANXA2. HSPA (heat shock protein family A (Hsp70)) was a potential interacting protein with ANXA2, which may protect ANXA2 from lysosomal proteolysis. ANXA2 knockdown significantly increased sensitivity to doxorubicin, the first-line chemotherapeutic regimen for TNBC treatment, suggesting that the inhibition of autophagy by ANXA2 knockdown may overcome doxorubicin resistance. In a TNBC xenograft mouse model, we demonstrated that ANXA2 knockdown combined with doxorubicin administration significantly inhibited tumor growth compared to doxorubicin treatment alone, offering a promising avenue to enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy. In summary, our study elucidated the molecular mechanism by which ANXA2 modulates autophagy, suggesting a potential therapeutic approach for TNBC treatment. Abbreviation: ATG: autophagy related; ChIP: chromatin-immunoprecipitation; HBSS: Hanks’ balanced salt solution; HSF1: heat shock transcription factor 1; MTOR: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase; TNBC: triple-negative breast cancer; TFEB: transcription factor EB; TFE3: transcription factor binding to IGHM enhancer 3

Distribution of the Prevalence of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)-B*57:01 Positivity in HIV-1 Infected Individuals and Its Effects on Treatment: Türkiye Map-Buhasder Working Group

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immundeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a critical global public health problem that significantly affects both life expectancy and the overall quality of life of individuals in all age groups. The landscape of HIV infection has changed significantly in recent years due to the introduction of effective combination antiretroviral therapies (ART). A key component of first-line ART regimens for HIV treatment is abacavir, a nucleoside HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitor. Although abacavir is effective in suppressing viral replication and managing disease, its clinical utility is overshadowed by the potential for life-threatening hypersensitivity reactions in HLA-B*57:01-positive patients. In our country, local data obtained from various centers regarding the prevalence of HLA-B*57:01 in HIV-1-infected patients are available. In this study, it was aimed to determine the prevalence of the HLA-B*57:01 genotype in HIV-infected patients who were followed up and treated in many regions of our country. This retrospective study consists of the data of the patients aged 18 years and over diagnosed with HIV-1 infection between 01.01.2019 and 31.07.2022. Age, gender, place of birth, mode of transmission of the disease, death status, CD4+ T cell count and HIV RNA levels at the first clinical presentation, HLA-B*57:01 positivity, and the method used, clinical stage of the disease, virological response time with the treatment they received were recorded from the patient files. Data were collected from 16 centers and each center used different methods to detect HLA-B*57:01. These methods were sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe hybridization (SSOP), DNA sequence-based typing (SBT), single-specific primer-polymerase chain reaction (SSP-PCR), allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) and quantitative PCR (Q-PCR). A total of 608 HIV-infected individuals, 523 males (86%) and 85 females (14%), were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 36.9 ± 11.9 (18-73) years. The prevalence of HLA-B*57:01 allele was found to be 3.6% (22 patients). The number of CD4+ T lymphocytes in HLA-B*57:01 allele-positive patients was > 500/ mm3 in 10 patients (45.5%), while the number of CD4+ T lymphocytes in HLA-B*57:01 negative patients was > 500/mm3 in 216 patients (36.9%) (p> 0.05). Viral load at the time of diagnosis was found to be lower in patients with positive HLA-B*57:01 allele but it was not statistically significant (p> 0.05). Although different treatment algorithms were used in the centers following the patients, it was observed that the duration of virological response was shorter in HLA-B*57:01 positive patients (p= 0.006). Although the presence of the HLA-B*57:01 allele has a negative impact due to its association with hypersensitivity, it is likely to continue to attract interest due to its association with slower progression of HIV infection and reduced risk of developing AIDS. In addition, although the answer to the question of whether it is cost-effective to screen patients for HLA-B*57:01 before starting an abacavir-containing ART regimen for the treatment of HIV infection is being sought, it seems that HIV treatment guidelines will continue to recommend screening to identify patients at risk in this regard.

The prognostic and predictive role of class III β-Tubulin and hENT1 expression in patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

BackgroundFOLFIRINOX and gemcitabine-nabpaclitaxel (GnP) are standard first-line treatment regimens for advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, currently, there is a lack of predictive biomarkers to aid in the treatment selection. We aimed to explore the prognostic and predictive value of class III β-Tubulin (TUBB3) and human equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (hENT1) expression, which have previously been shown to be associated with taxane and gemcitabine resistance in advanced PDAC. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of 106 patients with advanced PDAC treated with GnP and/or FOLFIRINOX at our institution. TUBB3 and hENT1 immunohistochemical staining was performed on tumor specimens and subsequently evaluated based on the intensity and percentage of expression. ResultsIn patients who received the GnP regimen, a high combined score (TUBB3low/hENT1high) was associated with a higher DCR and longer PFS compared to those with intermediate (TUBB3high/hENT1high or TUBB3low/hENT1low) and low score (TUBB3high/hENT1low). In the multivariate analysis, a high combined score was an independent predictor of higher DCR (OR:11.96; 95 % CI:2.61–54.82; p = 0.001) and longer PFS (HR:0.33; 95%CI:0.18–0.60; p < 0.001). However, there was no difference in response rates or PFS based on TUBB3 and hENT1 expression among patients receiving the FOLFIRINOX regimen. ConclusionOur findings indicate that tumor TUBB3 and hENT1 expression may predict the efficacy of the GnP regimen, and low TUBB3 and high hENT1 expression (TUBB3low/hENT1high) are associated with a higher DCR and longer PFS in patients treated with GnP. Evaluating TUBB3 and hENT1 jointly can identify the patients most (as well as least) likely to benefit from GnP chemotherapy.

Clinical, epidemiological, and drug resistance insights into HIV-positive patients in Meizhou, China.

The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic, resulting from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, exhibits distinct regional characteristics. This study undertakes a retrospective analysis of the epidemiological and clinical features of 195 HIV-positive cases in Meizhou, China, from May 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019. Western blotting (WB) confirmed and assessed these cases. Notably, the majority of cases emanated from socio-economic groups with comparatively lower levels of education, with 80% being male. Strikingly, 90% of the cases were found to be in the middle to late stages of infection based on CD4+ T cell counts. Among the 30 different serum antibody profiles examined, reactivity with seven bands (p24, p31, gp41, p51, p66, gp120, and gp160) emerged as the most commonly observed WB pattern. The absence of specific bands, specifically p55 (17.44%), p39 (32.31%), and p17 (25.64%) were most frequent, with the detection frequency of p17 bands significantly reduced among cases in the AIDS and middle stages. An analysis of drug resistance genotypes indicated that, despite viral mutations conferring resistance to certain reverse transcriptase inhibitors, the first-line treatment regimen remained effective for patients in Meizhou. Notably, mutations resistant to protease inhibitors were infrequent (2.7%), suggesting that incorporating protease inhibitors into the treatment regimen may enhance therapeutic outcomes for local patients. These findings provide essential insights into the specific epidemiological patterns, serum antibody profiles, and drug resistance genotypes of HIV-infected patients in Meizhou. Significantly, this research contributes to the formulation of future treatment strategies tailored to the local context.

Efficacy and safety of first-line therapy in patients with HER2-positive advanced breast cancer: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

PurposeThe numerous first-line treatment regimens for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive advanced breast cancer (ABC) necessitate a comprehensive evaluation to inform clinical decision-making. We conducted a Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) to compare the efficacy and safety of different interventions.MethodsWe systematically searched for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library and online abstracts from inception to June 1, 2023. NMA was performed to calculate and analyze progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), and adverse events of grade 3 or higher (≥ 3 AEs).ResultsOut of the 10,313 manuscripts retrieved, we included 28 RCTs involving 11,680 patients. Regarding PFS and ORR, the combination of trastuzumab with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) was more favorable than dual-targeted therapy. If only using trastuzumab, combination chemotherapy is superior to monochemotherapy in terms of PFS. It is important to note that the addition of anthracycline did not result in improved PFS. For patients with hormone receptor-positive HER2-positive diseases, dual-targeted combined with endocrine therapy showed better benefit in terms of PFS compared to dual-targeted alone, but it did not reach statistical significance. The comprehensive analysis of PFS and ≥ 3 AEs indicates that monochemotherapy combined with dual-targeted therapy still has the optimal balance between efficacy and safety.ConclusionMonochemotherapy (Docetaxel) plus dual-target (Trastuzumab and Pertuzumab) therapy remains the optimal choice among all first-line treatment options for ABC. The combination of trastuzumab with TKIs (Pyrotinib) demonstrated a significant improvement in PFS and ORR, but further data are warranted to confirm the survival benefit.

A new era for bladder cancer: Enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab milestone approval.

Cisplatin-based combos have become first-line treatment regimens in standard of care because of their high overall survival improvement. Despite being the first-line therapy, due to its side effects, roughly half of all patients suffering from Metastatic urothelial cancer are ineligible for it. To address this issue, scientists have been developing highly specific antibody-drug conjugates to address this issue. For locally advanced or metastatic bladder cancer, a combination of Padcev (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv) with pembrolizumab (Keytruda) has been authorized by the FDA as a first-line treatment and has shown promising outcomes in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma who are ineligible for cisplatin-based combinations.