Improvement In Recurrence-free Survival Research Articles

Neoadjuvant and adjuvant systemic therapy in HCC: Current status and the future.

Surgical therapies in patients with early-stage HCC can afford long-term survival but are often limited by the continued risk of recurrence, underscoring an interest in (neo)adjuvant strategies. Prior attempts at adjuvant therapy using tyrosine kinase inhibitors failed to yield significant improvements in recurrence-free survival or overall survival. Advances in the efficacy of systemic therapy options, including the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors, have fueled renewed interest in this area. Indeed, the IMBrave050 trial recently demonstrated significant improvements in recurrence-free survival with 1 year of adjuvant atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in high-risk patients undergoing surgical resection or ablation, with several other ongoing trials in this space. There is a strong rationale for consideration of the administration of these therapies in the neoadjuvant setting, supported by early clinical data demonstrating high rates of objective responses, although larger trials examining downstream outcomes are necessary, particularly considering the possible risks of this strategy. In parallel, there has been increased interest in using systemic therapies as a bridging or downstaging strategy for liver transplantation. Current data suggest the short-term safety of this approach, with acceptable rates of rejection, so immunotherapy is not considered a contraindication to transplant; however, larger studies are needed to evaluate the incremental value of this approach over locoregional therapy. Conversely, the use of immunotherapy is currently discouraged after liver transplantation, given the high risk of graft rejection and death. The increasing complexity of HCC management and increased consideration of (neo)adjuvant strategies highlight the critical role of multidisciplinary care when making these decisions.

Correlation of previous local vaccination site “flares” during immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma with complete responses to therapy.

e21534 Background: mRNA vaccines have been shown to stimulate T-cells targeting patient-specific tumor neoantigens. When combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in a randomized Phase II trial, mRNA vaccines demonstrated improvement in recurrence free survival and distant metastasis free survival compared to ICI alone. We retrospectively examined patients (pts) with advanced melanoma treated more than 5 years ago on clinical trials with adjuvant NYESO1 or mRNA vaccine therapies (VT) then ICI upon recurrence and analyzed biomarkers correlating with treatment response. Methods: This retrospective study examined 22 pts with advanced melanoma treated between 2004-2017 with adjuvant vaccine therapies (VT). 10 of the 22 pts subsequently developed recurrent disease and were treated with ICI. We evaluated disease free interval following ICI, sex, age, BRAF status, HLA type, site of primary and metastatic disease, initial vaccine treatment, vaccine toxicities, stage and sites of melanoma recurrence, ICI treatment, response and toxicities, vaccine site flares or cutaneous immune related adverse events (irAEs) following ICI. Results: Of the 22 patients (11 male, 11 female) treated with adjuvant VT, median age at first vaccine was 53 years old. HLA type was known for 11 pts. Stage at initial VT was IIB to IIIC. 14 pts recurred following adjuvant VT. Median time from vaccine initiation to melanoma recurrence was 3.2 years (range 6.5 months to 11 years). 10 pts received ICI for recurrent melanoma, 3 pts received ipilimumab, 2 anti-PD1 monotherapy, 4 ipilimumab and nivolumab, and 1 nivolumab/relatlimab. Stage at first ICI was IIIB to IV M1d. 9 pts experienced cutaneous irAEs. 7 pts experienced local vaccine site flare reactions following ICI treatment. Additionally, 2 pts experienced vitiligo, 2 with dermatologic flares (bullous pemphigoid and psoriatic rash), 2 with generalized rash that resolved with steroid cream. 1 pt did not experience rash, vaccine site flare, nor irAE dermatologic flare. Of the pts who recurred, 2 pts had BRAF V600E mutations, and 1 of these pts experienced vaccine flare, the other did not. 1 pt with a BRAF Q16L mutation did not have vaccine flare. 6 out of 7 BRAF wild type pts who recurred and received ICI experienced a localized vaccine site flare. Median disease-free interval following ICI treatment was 1.5 years (range 3 months to 9 years). All 10 pts are disease-free and off ICI being closely monitored. Conclusions: Evidence of prior localized vaccination “flare” may be a biomarker for a complete immunologic response in pts with metastatic disease treated with immunotherapy. ICI targeting CTLA-4 and/or PD-1 both triggered this localized vaccination site response, suggesting that T cell memory and immunologic activation against melanoma antigens translate into clinical responses.

The phase 3 INTerpath-002 study design: Individualized neoantigen therapy (INT) V940 (mRNA-4157) plus pembrolizumab vs placebo plus pembrolizumab for resected early-stage non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

TPS8116 Background: Pembrolizumab (pembro; anti–PD-1) is indicated as adjuvant monotherapy following resection and adjuvant chemotherapy in patients (pts) with stage IB (T2a ≥4 cm), II, or IIIA NSCLC (per AJCC v7). However, many pts experience disease recurrence, and have limited treatment options available. V940 (mRNA-4157) is a novel individualized neoantigen therapy that encodes up to 34 neoantigens that is specifically tailored and manufactured for each pt derived from their tumor. V940 as monotherapy and in combination with pembro has shown preliminary antitumor activity in the phase 1 KEYNOTE-603 study in several solid tumor types, including NSCLC. Additionally, in pts with completely resected, high-risk stage IIIB/C/D and IV cutaneous melanoma in the KEYNOTE-942 primary analysis, V940 plus pembro demonstrated significant improvements in recurrence-free survival (HR, 0.561 [95% CI, 0.309–1.017]; P = 0.0266) and distant metastasis-free survival (HR, 0.347 [95% CI, 0.145–0.828]; P = 0.0063) vs pembro alone. Here we present the design of the phase 3, randomized, double-blind INTerpath-002 study (NCT06077760) of adjuvant V940 plus pembro vs placebo plus pembro in pts with completely resected and chemotherapy-treated stage II–IIIB (N2) NSCLC (AJCC v8). Methods: Eligible pts aged ≥18 years with completely resected stage II, IIIA, or IIIB (N2) squamous or nonsquamous NSCLC (per AJCC v8.0) where EGFR-directed therapy is not indicated as primary therapy (ie, absence of sensitizing EGFR mutations e.g. DEL19 or L858R), who have received 1–4 doses of adjuvant platinum-doublet chemotherapy, have ECOG PS 0 or 1, and have available tumor tissue for next-generation sequencing and PD-L1 testing will be enrolled. Pts must not have received previous neoadjuvant therapy for NSCLC and must not have received or be candidates for adjuvant radiotherapy. Pts will be randomized 1:1 to receive V940 1 mg IM or placebo Q3W for up to 9 doses plus pembro 400 mg IV Q6W for up to 9 cycles or until disease recurrence, pt withdrawal, unacceptable toxicity, or an additional malignancy requiring treatment. Randomization will be stratified by histology (squamous vs nonsquamous), PD-L1 TPS ( < 1% vs 1%–49% vs ≥50%), disease stage (II vs III), and geographic location (North America/Western Europe/Australia vs rest of world). The primary endpoint is disease-free survival per investigator review. Secondary endpoints include distant metastasis-free survival per investigator assessment, OS, lung cancer‒specific survival, patient-reported outcomes, and safety. Tumor imaging will occur at baseline, every 12 wk until wk 48, every 24 wk through year 3, and every 48 wk thereafter. Enrollment began in October 2023 and is ongoing globally (NCT06077760). The abstract was originally presented and published in: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr CT281. Clinical trial information: NCT06077760 .

Tislelizumab plus tyrosine kinase inhibitor versus active surveillance in patients with ablated high-risk hepatocellular carcinoma: An open-label, parallel controlled, prospective cohort study.

e16238 Background: In IMbrave050, adjuvant atezolizumab plus bevacizumab demonstrated improvement in recurrence-free survival vs active surveillance in patients at high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence following resection or ablation with curative intent. However, there is limited study on programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor plus tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) as postoperative adjuvant therapy for HCC. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of tislelizumab (a PD-1 inhibitor) plus TKI as adjuvant therapy versus active surveillance in patients at high risk of HCC recurrence after curative ablation. Methods: This study enrolled patients with HCC at high risk of recurrence following curative ablation. Patients were paralleled to Arm A (tislelizumab plus TKI) or Arm B (active surveillance). Patients in Arm A received tislelizumab (200 mg, IV, q3w) plus TKI for three months (4 cycles) following curative ablation, while those patients in Arm B underwent active surveillance. Primary endpoints were safety and tumor recurrence rate. Secondary endpoint was disease free survival (DFS). Exploratory endpoints included biomarkers related to the recurrence. Results: A total of 48 patients were enrolled with a median follow-up time of 283 days (IQR: 123-460 days, clinical cutoff date: 1 Jan 2024). Nine patients (37.5%) reported at least one adverse event of any degree in Arm A and three patients (12.5%) reported in arm B, most of which were mild. Only one patient in arm A experienced a grade 3 treatment-related adverse event, which improved after administration of symptomatic treatment. The recurrence rate of patients in arm A was 20.83%, which was significantly lower than the 58.3% in arm B (OR = 0.188 [95% CI: 0.052 - 0.674], P = 0.017). Four cycles of adjuvant tislelizumab plus TKI therapy was associated with significantly improved DFS (median, not evaluable [NE]) compared with active surveillance (median, 188 days [95% CI: 78.4 - 297.6 days]; HR = 0.396 [95% CI: 0161 - 0.973], P = 0.044). The absence of tislelizumab treatment (OR = 4.823 [95% CI: 1.091 - 21.329], P = 0.038) and multiple tumor lesions (OR = 7.651 [95% CI: 1.270 - 46.114], P = 0.026) were risk factors for recurrence of HCC after curative ablation. Conclusions: The safety of tislelizumab plus TKI combination therapy were generally manageable. Statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in tumor recurrence rate and DFS were seen in patients receiving combination therapy vs active surveillance. This study was a positive attempt to undergo short-course PD-1 inhibitor plus TKI combination therapy in patients with HCC at high risk of recurrence following curative ablation, showing promising efficacy in preventing HCC recurrence. Clinical trial information: NCT06059885 .

Combining Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors with Loco-Regional Treatments in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Ready for Prime Time?

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a disease with a poor prognosis, often diagnosed at an advanced stage. Therapeutic options have developed considerably in recent years, particularly with trans-arterial treatments. Systemic treatments have also evolved significantly, with the rise of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) as first-line treatment for advanced HCC. The combination of loco-regional treatments and ICI is opening up new prospects and is the subject of numerous clinical trials. Recently, two global phase 3 trials investigating ICI-based adjuvant combinations have demonstrated improvements in recurrence-free survival or progression-free survival in patients treated with resection, ablation, or trans-arterial chemoembolization. However, mature data and overall survival results are still awaited but will be difficult to interpret. We are at the start of a new era of combinations of loco-regional treatments and immunotherapy. The identification of the best therapeutic strategies and predictive biomarkers is a crucial issue for future standards in clinical practice.

Abstract CT281: The phase 3 INTerpath-002 study design: Individualized neoantigen therapy (INT) V940 (mRNA-4157) plus pembrolizumab vs placebo plus pembrolizumab for resected early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Abstract Background: Pembrolizumab (pembro; anti-PD-1) is indicated as adjuvant monotherapy following resection and adjuvant chemotherapy in patients (pts) with stage IB (T2a ≥4 cm), II, or IIIA NSCLC (per AJCC v7). However, many pts experience disease recurrence, and have limited treatment options available. V940 (mRNA-4157) is a novel individualized neoantigen therapy that encodes up to 34 neoantigens that is specifically tailored and manufactured for each pt derived from their tumor. V940 as monotherapy and in combination with pembro has shown preliminary antitumor activity in the phase 1 KEYNOTE-603 study in several solid tumor types, including NSCLC. Additionally, in pts with completely resected, high-risk stage IIIB/C/D and IV cutaneous melanoma in the KEYNOTE-942 primary analysis, V940 plus pembro demonstrated significant improvements in recurrence-free survival (HR, 0.561 [95% CI, 0.309-1.017]; P = 0.0266) and distant metastasis-free survival (HR, 0.347 [95% CI, 0.145-0.828]; P = 0.0063) vs pembro alone. Here we present the design of the phase 3, randomized, double-blind INTerpath-002 study (NCT06077760) of adjuvant V940 plus pembro vs placebo plus pembro in pts with completely resected and chemotherapy-treated stage II-IIIB (N2) NSCLC (AJCC v8). Methods: Eligible pts aged ≥18 years with completely resected stage II, IIIA, or IIIB (N2) squamous or nonsquamous NSCLC (per AJCC v8.0) where EGFR-directed therapy is not indicated as primary therapy (ie, absence of sensitizing EGFR mutations e.g. DEL19 or L858R), who have received 1-4 doses of adjuvant platinum-doublet chemotherapy, have ECOG PS 0 or 1, and have available tumor tissue for next-generation sequencing and PD-L1 testing will be enrolled. Pts must not have received previous neoadjuvant therapy for NSCLC and must not have received or be candidates for adjuvant radiotherapy. Pts will be randomized 1:1 to receive V940 1 mg IM or placebo Q3W for up to 9 doses plus pembro 400 mg IV Q6W for up to 9 cycles or until disease recurrence, pt withdrawal, unacceptable toxicity, or an additional malignancy requiring treatment. Randomization will be stratified by histology (squamous vs nonsquamous), PD-L1 TPS (<1% vs 1%-49% vs ≥50%), disease stage (II vs III), and geographic location (North America/Western Europe/Australia vs rest of world). The primary endpoint is disease-free survival per investigator review. Secondary endpoints include distant metastasis-free survival per investigator assessment, OS, lung cancer‒specific survival, patient-reported outcomes, and safety. Tumor imaging will occur at baseline, every 12 wk until wk 48, every 24 wk through year 3, and every 48 wk thereafter. Enrollment began in October 2023 and is ongoing globally (NCT06077760). Citation Format: Jonathan D. Spicer, Santosh M. Nair, Adnan Khattak, Jay M. Lee, Michelle Brown, Robert S. Meehan, Nazly Shariati, Xuan Deng, Ayman Samkari, Jamie E. Chaft. The phase 3 INTerpath-002 study design: Individualized neoantigen therapy (INT) V940 (mRNA-4157) plus pembrolizumab vs placebo plus pembrolizumab for resected early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr CT281.

Predicting Recurrence-Free and Overall Survival for Patients With Stage II Melanoma: The MIA Calculator.

Improvements in recurrence-free survival (RFS) were demonstrated in two recent randomized trials for patients with sentinel node (SN)-negative stage IIB or IIC melanoma receiving adjuvant systemic therapy (pembrolizumab/nivolumab). However, adverse events also occurred. Accurate individualized prognostic estimates of RFS and overall survival (OS) would allow patients to more accurately weigh the risks and benefits of adjuvant therapy. Since the current American Joint Committee on Cancer eighth edition (AJCC-8) melanoma staging system focuses on melanoma-specific survival, we developed a multivariable risk prediction calculator that provides estimates of 5- and 10-year RFS and OS for these patients. Data were extracted from the Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA) database for patients diagnosed with stage II (clinical or pathological) melanoma (n = 3,220). Survival prediction models were developed using multivariable Cox regression analyses (MIA models) and externally validated twice using data sets from the United States and the Netherlands. Each model's performance was assessed using C-statistics and calibration plots and compared with Cox models on the basis of AJCC-8 staging (stage models). The 5-year and 10-year RFS C-statistics were 0.70 and 0.73 (MIA-model) versus 0.61 and 0.60 (stage-model), respectively. For OS, the 5-year and 10-year C-statistics were 0.71 and 0.75 (MIA-model) compared with 0.62 and 0.61 (stage-model), respectively. The MIA models were well calibrated and externally validated. The MIA models offer accurate and personalized estimates of both RFS and OS in patients with stage II melanoma even in the absence of pathological staging with SN biopsy. These models were robust on external validations and may be used in everyday practice both with (ideally) and without performing SN biopsy to identify high-risk patients for further management strategies. An online tool will be available at the MIA website (Risk Prediction Tools).

Efficacy and safety of ‘Second Adjuvant’ therapy with BRAF/MEK inhibitors after local therapy for recurrent melanoma following adjuvant PD-1 based immunotherapy

BackgroundAnti-PD-1 antibodies and BRAK/MEK inhibitors (BRAF/MEKi) reduce the risk of recurrence for patients with resected stage III melanoma. BRAFV600-mutated (BRAFmut) melanoma patients who recur with isolated disease following adjuvant therapy may be suitable for ‘second adjuvant' treatment after local therapy. We sought to examine the efficacy and safety of ‘second adjuvant’ BRAF/MEKi. Patients and methodsPatients with BRAFmut melanoma treated with adjuvant PD-1 based immunotherapy who recurred, underwent definitive local therapy and were then treated with adjuvant BRAF/MEKi were identified retrospectively from 13 centres (second adjuvant group). Demographics, disease and treatment characteristics and outcome data were examined. Outcomes were compared to BRAFmut patients who did not receive ‘second adjuvant’ therapy (no second adjuvant group). Results73 patients were included; 61 who received ‘second adjuvant’ therapy and 12 who did not. Most initially recurred on PD-1 therapy (66%). There were no differences in characteristics between groups. 92% of second adjuvant group received dabrafenib and trametinib and median duration of therapy was 11.8 months (0.4, 34.5). 72% required dose adjustments, 23% had grade 3 + toxicity and 38% permanently discontinued drug due to toxicity. After median 26.1 months (1.9, 56.3) follow-up, recurrence-free survival (RFS) was improved in second adjuvant group versus no second adjuvant group (median 30.8 vs 4 months, HR 0.35; p = 0.014), largely driven by a delay in early recurrence, with no difference in overall survival (p = 0.59). ConclusionThis is the first study examining outcomes of ‘second adjuvant’ targeted therapy for melanoma, after failure of adjuvant PD-1 based immunotherapy. Data suggest a short-term improvement in RFS, but at the cost of toxicity. Alternative strategies and more data on sequencing adjuvant therapies are required to improve outcomes.

Deciphering the role of adjuvant therapy in melanoma and its actual benefits.

Numerous clinical trials have demonstrated a significant improvement in recurrence-free survival among melanoma patients receiving high-dose interferon-α, immune checkpoint inhibitors (pembrolizumab, nivolumab), and BRAF/MEK inhibitors (dabrafenib-trametinib). This study aimed to investigate whether these findings hold true in real-world conditions for patients with stage III and IV melanoma. In particular, the study explores the efficacy and side effects of adjuvant therapies, focusing on anti-PD-1 antibodies and BRAF/MEK inhibitors. While clinical trials have shown comparable efficacy, differences in side-effect profiles, especially the persistence of immune-related adverse events with anti-PD-1 antibodies, highlight the need for careful consideration in adjuvant settings. In the absence of established biomarkers for guiding adjuvant therapy decisions, it becomes imperative to transparently communicate the advantages and disadvantages of drug administration to patients. The study also delved into the impact of melanoma subtype and BRAF mutation status on the effectiveness of adjuvant therapy, emphasizing the need for further investigation.

Adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Immune-oncology-based regimens have shown efficacy in advanced HCC and have been implemented as standard of care as first-line therapy. Their efficacy, including high response rates, and safety justify their evaluation in earlier disease stages. Following negative results for adjuvant sorafenib in the global STORM trial in 2015, 4 global phase 3 trials, featuring different immune checkpoint inhibitor combinations, entered in parallel the race in the adjuvant setting. The IMbrave050 trial, comparing adjuvant atezolizumab in combination with bevacizumab to active surveillance following curative-intent resection or ablation, was the first to report, fast-tracking the results of the first interim analysis and demonstrating an improvement in recurrence-free survival. The trial has provoked a discussion on the horizon of expectations from adjuvant treatment and the clinical relevance of efficacy endpoints. Moreover, major pathological responses reported from early phase 2 data in the neoadjuvant setting provide a strong rationale for the evaluation of these concepts in phase 3 trials. In this review, we summarize current evidence and outline future directions for systemic therapies in early-stage HCC.

Treatment Outcomes and Prognostic Factors in N3 Stage Gastric Cancer After Curative Resection: A Real World Data.

N3 gastric cancer is characterized by a fairly high lymph node metastasis burden and poor outcome despite optimal therapy. Given the limitations of TNM classification, a comprehensive evaluation tool is necessary to predict the prognosis of patients with N3 gastric cancer who underwent curative surgery. This study aims to explore the outcomes and clinicopathologic prognostic factors affecting the overall survival (OS) of patients with N3 gastric cancer after surgery. Data on patients with N3 gastric cancer who underwent (sub)total gastrectomy and regional lymph node dissection between November 2005 and September 2018 (n =169) were analyzed by Cox regression to determine the independent prognostic factors for OS. The multivariable analysis established that gender, patient performance status, metastatic lymph node ratio (MLNR), tumor grade, and adjuvant chemotherapy are significantly associated with OS. The five-year OS of the study population was 15%. Adjuvant chemoradiotherapy was applied to 72% of the patients, which resulted in an improvement in recurrence-free survival but not OS. Recurrence occurred in 103 (75%) patients, in which the most frequent recurrence site was distant metastasis. Male gender, poor performance status, grade 3 tumor, MLNR >0.37, and not receiving adjuvant chemotherapy are predictors of poor prognosis in N3 gastric cancer after curative resection. Considering the high recurrence rates of this group, prospective studies are needed to optimize treatment strategies.

Adjuvant mitotane versus surveillance in low-grade, localised adrenocortical carcinoma (ADIUVO): an international, multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial and observational study

Adjuvant treatment with mitotane is commonly used after resection of adrenocortical carcinoma; however, treatment remains controversial, particularly if risk of recurrence is not high. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of adjuvant mitotane compared with surveillance alone following complete tumour resection in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma considered to be at low to intermediate risk of recurrence. ADIUVO was a multicentre, open-label, parallel, randomised, phase 3 trial done in 23 centres across seven countries. Patients aged 18 years or older with adrenocortical carcinoma and low to intermediate risk of recurrence (R0, stage I-III, and Ki67 ≤10%) were randomly assigned to adjuvant oral mitotane two or three times daily (the dose was adjusted by the local investigator with the target of reaching and maintaining plasma mitotane concentrations of 14-20 mg/L) for 2 years or surveillance alone. All consecutive patients at 14 study centres fulfilling the eligibility criteria of the ADIUVO trial who refused randomisation and agreed on data collection via the European Network for the Study of Adrenal Tumors adrenocortical carcinoma registry were included prospectively in the ADIUVO Observational study. The primary endpoint was recurrence-free survival, defined as the time from randomisation to the first radiological evidence of recurrence or death from any cause (whichever occurred first), assessed in all randomly assigned patients by intention to treat. Overall survival, defined as time from the date of randomisation to the date of death from any cause, was a secondary endpoint analysed by intention to treat in all randomly assigned patients. Safety was assessed in all patients who adhered to the assigned regimen, which was defined by taking at least one tablet of mitotane in the mitotane group and no mitotane at all in the surveillance group. The ADIUVO trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00777244, and is now complete. Between Oct 23, 2008, and Dec 27, 2018, 45 patients were randomly assigned to mitotane and 46 to surveillance alone. Because the study was discontinued prematurely, 5-year recurrence-free and overall survival are reported instead of recurrence-free and overall survival as defined in the protocol. 5-year recurrence-free survival was 79% (95% CI 67-94) in the mitotane group and 75% (63-90) in the surveillance group (hazard ratio 0·74 [95% CI 0·30-1·85]). Two people in the mitotane group and five people in the surveillance group died, and 5-year overall survival was not significantly different (95% [95% CI 89-100] in the mitotane group and 86% [74-100] in the surveillance group). All 42 patients who received mitotane had adverse events, and eight (19%) discontinued treatment. There were no grade 4 adverse events or treatment-related deaths. Adjuvant mitotane might not be indicated in patients with low-grade, localised adrenocortical carcinoma considering the relatively good prognosis of these patients, and no significant improvement in recurrence-free survival and treatment-associated toxicity in the mitotane group. However, the study was discontinued prematurely due to slow recruitment and cannot rule out an efficacy of treatment. AIFA, ENSAT Cancer Health F2-2010-259735 programme, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Cancer Research UK, and the French Ministry of Health.

Distant metastasis-free survival results from the randomized, phase 2 mRNA-4157-P201/KEYNOTE-942 trial.

LBA9503 Background: mRNA-4157 is a novel mRNA-based personalized cancer vaccine which encodes up to 34 patient-specific tumor neoantigens. The open-label randomized Phase 2 mRNA-4157-P201/Keynote-942 trial met its primary endpoint of recurrence free survival (RFS) in patients with resected high-risk stage IIIB/C/D and IV melanoma. The study has shown a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in RFS in the combination therapy compared to pembrolizumab monotherapy, with a reduction in the risk of recurrence or death by 44% (HR = 0.561; 95% CI: (0.309, 1.017); 1-sided p-value of 0.0266). This report provides the first analysis of the secondary efficacy endpoint of distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). Methods: mRNA-4157-p201 is an ongoing multicenter, open-label, randomized Phase II trial in patients with completely resected, high-risk Stage IIIB/C/D and IV cutaneous melanoma. Patients were randomized 2:1 (stratified by stage) to receive mRNA-4157 in combination with pembrolizumab or pembrolizumab alone. mRNA-4157 (1mg) was administered intramuscularly every 3 weeks for a total of 9 doses and pembrolizumab (200mg) intravenously was given every 3 weeks for up to 18cycles. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed RFS, defined as local, locoregional, distant recurrence, or new primary melanoma. The secondary endpoint of DMFS was pre-specified and hierarchically tested following positive RFS. All tests were performed at 1-sided alpha = 0.99. Results: 157 patients were randomized to the combination of mRNA-4157 with pembrolizumab (n = 107) or pembrolizumab monotherapy (n = 50). The primary analysis for the primary endpoint occurred after all patients completed a minimum of 12 months on study and 44 RFS events were observed. At a median follow-up of 23 (combination) and 24 (pembrolizumab) months in the primary analysis, RFS events were reported in 22.4% (24/107) of patients in the combination arm and in 40% (20/50) of patients in the monotherapy arm. The 18-month RFS rates (95% CI) were 78.6% (69.0%, 85.6%) vs 62.2% (46.9%,74.3%) in the combination and monotherapy arms respectively. There was also a statistically and clinically significant improvement in DMFS for the combination versus pembrolizumab monotherapy (HR = 0.347; 95% CI: (0.145, 0.828); 1-sided p-value 0.0063). Distant recurrence or death was reported in 8.4% (9/107) and 24% (12/50) of patients, with 18-month DMFS rates (95% CI) were 91.8% (84.2%, 95.8%) vs 76.8% (61.0%, 86.8%) in the combination and monotherapy arm, respectively. Conclusions: mRNA-4157 in combination with pembrolizumab as adjuvant therapy for resected high-risk melanoma significantly prolonged DMFS compared to pembrolizumab. These results provide further evidence that a personalized neoantigen approach is potentially beneficial for cancer patients. A phase 3 randomized study will be initiated in patients with melanoma. Clinical trial information: NCT03897881 .

A phase II study of weekly carboplatin and nab-paclitaxel with trastuzumab or bevacizumab as neoadjuvant therapy for patients with early-stage nonmetastatic breast cancer.

e12623 Background: Neo-Adjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) allows patients to undergo breast conserving surgery, treats micro metastatic disease and improves patient outcomes. Achieving a complete pathologic response to NACT has prognostic significance in HER2+ and triple negative breast cancer. Anthracyclines are commonly integrated to Neo-adjuvant regimens. Their use is limited by cardiac and hematologic toxicity. We proposed that weekly Carboplatin and Nab-Paclitaxel is a well-tolerated regimen and aim to demonstrate that this approach can be a selective anthracycline sparing regimen with comparable improvement in recurrence free survival (RFS) and pathologic complete response (pCR). Methods: We conducted a single institution, open label, prospective Phase II clinical trial for patients with non-metastatic breast cancer who were eligible to receive NACT. All Patients with stage I-III breast cancers were treated with weekly Nab-paclitaxel (90 mg/m2) and carboplatin (AUC 2) for 12 weeks. Patients with HER2+ breast cancer received trastuzumab (4 mg/kg induction, followed by 2 mg/kg/week) weekly for 12 weeks. Triple negative and HR + patients received bevacizumab (10 mg/kg) every other week for 5 doses. Results: We enrolled 125 patients from February 2008 to December 2015. 85 pts were HER2- and 42 pts were HER2+. The pCR rate was 17.6% (15 pts) in the HER2- cohort and 50% (21 pts) in the HER2+ cohort. In the subgroup analysis based on hormone receptor (HR) status, pts with HR- tumor had more favorable response with higher rate of pCR compared with pts with HR+ tumor. In the HER2- cohort, the total pCR rate was 34% in HR- tumors vs 8% in HR+ tumors, P = 0.0018. After a median follow up of 53 months, overall survival was 88.9% for pts who achieved pCR and 77.7% for those who did not. HR = 0.3664, CI = 0.06147 to 2.1843, P = 0.34.In the HER2+ cohort the pCR rate was 33% in pts with HR+ tumors vs 72% in pts with HR- tumor, P = 0.0137. After a median follow up of 53 months, overall survival was 100% for pts who achieved pCR vs 20% in those who did not. The relapse-free survival was 90% vs 25% respectively (HR = 0.0669, CI = 0.00454 to 0.9251 P = 0.0016). In the entire study population, 6 pts (4.7%) had treatment discontinuation and 12 pts (9.4%) had dose reduction due to side effects. The rate of treatment disruption was higher in the HER2- cohort. Nausea, vomiting, and neutropenia were the most common side effects in both cohorts (7.9%) followed by thrombocytopenia and anemia (4.7%). Hematologic toxicity was the most common toxicity grade 3 and 4. Conclusions: Combination of nab-paclitaxel and carboplatin plus targeted therapy as an anthracycline sparing neoadjuvant chemotherapy showed a good pCR rate in HER2+ subgroup and moderate activity in TNBC subset. High rate of pCR was associated with high survival outcomes in HER2+ cohort. The regimen was well tolerated among both cohorts. Clinical trial information: NCT00618657 .

Efficacy, safety and patient reported outcomes (PROs) from the phase III IMbrave050 trial of adjuvant atezolizumab (atezo) + bevacizumab (bev) vs active surveillance in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at high risk of disease recurrence following resection or ablation.

4002 Background: In IMbrave050, adjuvant atezo + bev demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in recurrence-free survival (RFS) vs active surveillance in patients (pts) at high risk of HCC recurrence following resection or ablation with curative intent. Further, the safety of atezo + bev was generally manageable. Here, we additionally report PRO data from IMbrave050. Methods: IMbrave050 (NCT04102098) enrolled HCC pts at high risk of recurrence following resection or ablation. Pts were randomized to Arm A (atezo + bev) or Arm B (active surveillance). Pts in Arm A received atezo 1200 mg + bev 15 mg/kg IV q3w for a period of one year (17 cycles). Pts in Arm B underwent active surveillance for one year and were eligible to crossover to atezo + bev following independent review facility (IRF) confirmation of recurrence. The primary endpoint was IRF-assessed RFS. Pre-specified exploratory analyses included change from baseline in global health status (GHS)/quality of life (QoL), physical functioning, role functioning, emotional functioning, and social functioning. Clinically meaningful deterioration was defined as a ≥ 10-point decrease. Pts completed the IL42–EORTC QLQ-C30 (reduced) questionnaire at baseline and then at every odd treatment/surveillance visit through Cycle 17. Results: The ITT population included 334 pts in both Arms A and B. With a median follow-up time of 17.4 mo (clinical cutoff date: 21 Oct 2022), IRF-RFS HR was 0.72 (95% CI: 0.56, 0.93; P = 0.0120). In the safety population, Grade 3 or 4 adverse events occurred in 41% of 332 Arm A pts and 13% of 330 Arm B pts. In ITT pts, IL42 completion rates remained ≥ 93% in both arms from baseline through treatment/surveillance Cycle 17. Mean scores at baseline in both arms were high and similar, as measured by the GHS/QoL and physical, role, emotional and social functioning scales. Mean changes from baseline were not considerable through Cycle 17 and were similar between arms as evidenced by overlapping 95% CIs. Pts’ GHS/QoL and functioning was maintained through Cycle 17, with no clinically meaningful deterioration observed at any time. Conclusions: Statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in RFS was seen in pts receiving atezo + bev vs active surveillance. Atezo + bev safety was generally manageable, and consistent with the established safety profiles of each therapeutic agent and with the underlying disease. PRO outcome analyses revealed similar overall health-related QoL (HRQoL) and functioning between atezo + bev and active surveillance, and that treating high-risk pts with HCC with adjuvant atezo + bev following procedures with curative intent did not result in a clinically meaningful deterioration in HRQoL or function. Clinical trial information: NCT04102098 .

Abstract CT001: A personalized cancer vaccine, mRNA-4157, combined with pembrolizumab versus pembrolizumab in patients with resected high-risk melanoma: Efficacy and safety results from the randomized, open-label Phase 2 mRNA-4157-P201/Keynote-942 trial

Abstract Background: Targeting of mutation-derived epitopes (neoantigens) by T cells has been demonstrated to drive anti-tumor immune responses. mRNA-4157 is a novel mRNA-based personalized cancer vaccine, which encodes up to 34 patient-specific tumor neoantigens. It was hypothesized mRNA-4157 could synergize with adjuvant pembrolizumab to improve recurrence free survival (RFS) in patients with resected stages IIIB/IIIC/IIID and IV melanoma. Methods: Eligible patients with completely resected, high-risk cutaneous melanoma were randomly assigned 2:1 (stratified by stage) to receive mRNA-4157 in combination with pembrolizumab or pembrolizumab alone. mRNA-4157 (1mg) was administered intramuscularly every 3 weeks for a total of 9 doses and pembrolizumab (200mg) intravenously was given every 3 weeks for up to 18 cycles. Safety was evaluated as a secondary endpoint. RFS in the overall intention-to-treat population was the primary end point. The study was designed with 80% power to detect a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.5 with an overall 1-sided type I error of 0.1 when a total of 40 RFS events were observed. The primary analysis for RFS was specified to occur after all patients completed a minimum of 12 months on study and at least 40 RFS events were observed. Results: 107 patients received the combination of mRNA-4157 with pembrolizumab and 50 patients were treated with pembrolizumab monotherapy. Recurrence or death was reported in 24 of 107 patients (22.4%) in the combination arm and in 20 of 50 patients (40%) in the monotherapy arm, at a median follow-up of 101 and 105 weeks respectively. 18-month RFS rates (95% CI) were 78.6% (69.0%, 85.6%) vs 62.2% (46.9%, 74.3%) in the combination and monotherapy arm respectively. The combination showed protocol defined statistical significance and a clinically meaningful improvement in RFS compared to pembrolizumab, with a reduction in the risk of recurrence or death by 44% (HR = 0.561; 95% CI: (0.309, 1.017); stratified log-rank test 1-sided p-value of 0.0266. The majority of treatment related adverse events were Grade 1/2. The number of patients reporting treatment related Grade ≥ 3 adverse events was generally similar between the arms (25% vs 18%, respectively). The most common mRNA-4157 related Grade 3 event was fatigue. No Grade 4 or Grade 5 events related to mRNA-4157 were reported. No potentiation of immune-mediated adverse events were observed with the addition of mRNA-4157 to pembrolizumab. Conclusions: mRNA-4157 in combination with pembrolizumab as adjuvant therapy for resected high-risk melanoma significantly prolonged RFS compared to pembrolizumab without an increase in clinically meaningful adverse events. These results are the first to demonstrate improvement of RFS over adjuvant standard of care PD-1 blockade in resected high-risk melanoma and provide the first randomized evidence that a personalized neoantigen approach is potentially beneficial for cancer patients. A phase 3 study will be initiated in patients with melanoma. Citation Format: Adnan Khattak, Matteo Carlino, Tarek Meniawy, George Ansstas, Theresa Medina, Matthew H. Taylor, Kevin B. Kim, Meredith McKean, Georgina V. Long, Ryan J. Sullivan, Mark Faries, Thuy Tran, Charles Cowey, Andrew Pecora, Jennifer Segar, Victoria Atkinson, Geoffrey T. Gibney, Jason Luke, Sajeve Thomas, Elizabeth Buchbinder, Peijie Hou, Lili Zhu, Tal Zaks, Michelle Brown, Praveen Aanur, Robert S. Meehan, Jeffrey S. Weber. A personalized cancer vaccine, mRNA-4157, combined with pembrolizumab versus pembrolizumab in patients with resected high-risk melanoma: Efficacy and safety results from the randomized, open-label Phase 2 mRNA-4157-P201/Keynote-942 trial [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 2 (Clinical Trials and Late-Breaking Research); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(8_Suppl):Abstract nr CT001.

Abstract CT224: mRNA-4157, a personalized cancer vaccine, in combination with pembrolizumab, demonstrates trend for improved recurrence free survival compared to pembrolizumab alone in adjuvant melanoma patients across tumor mutational burden subgroups

Abstract Background: The open-label randomized Phase 2 mRNA-4157-P201/Keynote-942 trial met its primary endpoint of prolonged recurrence free survival (RFS) in patients with resected high-risk stage III/IV melanoma. Tumor immunogenicity provides a favorable landscape for inflammatory processes associated with clinical benefit to checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and tumor mutational burden (TMB) has been shown to be an independent predictor of treatment outcomes in patients treated with ICI therapy. mRNA-4157 is a novel mRNA-based personalized cancer vaccine which encodes up to 34 patient-specific tumor neoantigens. Here we report analyses of baseline biopsies from the trial to explore the novel mechanism of action hypothesized to augment endogenous anti-tumor responses and generate immunity to additional tumor neoantigens. Methods: Paraffin-embedded formalin-fixed baseline tumor core biopsies underwent whole exome sequencing (WES) and whole transcriptome sequencing. According to the established WES genomic score for pembrolizumab, the TMB high threshold utilized for analysis was 175/exome (10 mutations/megabase per F1CDx). The distribution of TMB expression in baseline tumor samples across study arms and their association with the primary RFS endpoint was evaluated. The association with RFS of other markers of inflamed tumors, including those established for pembrolizumab (e.g. gene expression profile (GEP) and PD-L1 expression) was also assessed. Results: The RFS benefit of mRNA-4157 and pembrolizumab combination compared to pembrolizumab monotherapy observed in the intention-to-treat population was maintained with a similar treatment effect magnitude across both high (HR = 0.65; 95% CI: 0.3, 1.5) and low (HR = 0.59; 95% CI: 0.3,1.4) TMB subpopulations. In line with observations from historical data for pembrolizumab, improved RFS was observed in high TMB compared to low TMB patient subgroups in the pembrolizumab monotherapy arm. The trend for increased RFS benefit in the high TMB subpopulation was maintained in the mRNA-4157 and pembrolizumab study arm. Additional subgroup analyses (e.g. GEP and PD-L1) were assessed and will be discussed. Conclusions: Our results indicate that mRNA-4157 demonstrates improvements in RFS irrespective of TMB status when administered in combination with pembrolizumab compared to pembrolizumab monotherapy in patients with resected high-risk cutaneous melanoma. The novel mechanism of action of mRNA-4157 may both deepen the activity of pembrolizumab and broaden the population of patients that can benefit from immune therapy. The association between TMB and mRNA-4157 treatment effect will be further explored in upcoming planned studies. Citation Format: Ryan J. Sullivan, Matteo Carlino, Jeffrey S. Weber, Tarek Meniawy, Matthew H. Taylor, Kevin Kim, Meredith McKean, Georgiana V. Long, Mark Faries, C. Lance Cowey, Andrew Pecora, Geoffrey T. Gibney, Jason Luke, Sajeve Thomas, Vasudha Sehgal, Igor Feldman, Praveen Aanur, Michelle Brown, Robert S. Meehan, Celine Robert-Tissot, Adnan Khattak. mRNA-4157, a personalized cancer vaccine, in combination with pembrolizumab, demonstrates trend for improved recurrence free survival compared to pembrolizumab alone in adjuvant melanoma patients across tumor mutational burden subgroups [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 2 (Clinical Trials and Late-Breaking Research); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(8_Suppl):Abstract nr CT224.

Abstract CT003: IMbrave050: Phase 3 study of adjuvant atezolizumab + bevacizumab versus active surveillance in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at high risk of disease recurrence following resection or ablation

Abstract Background: The risk of HCC recurrence after liver resection or ablation with curative intent is 70-80% within 5 years, indicating an unmet need for effective adjuvant therapies. Atezolizumab (atezo) with bevacizumab (bev) is the standard of care for unresectable HCC based on the IMbrave150 study, which demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in overall survival (OS), progression-free survival, and objective response rate versus sorafenib (Finn NEJM 2020, Cheng J Hepatol 2022). On the basis of the antitumor activity of atezo + bev and its capacity to positively modulate the tumor microenvironment, IMbrave050 was designed to evaluate the efficacy of adjuvant atezo + bev in delaying or preventing recurrence in patients (pts) with high-risk HCC. Methods: IMbrave050 (NCT04102098) enrolled pts with HCC at high risk of recurrence following resection or ablation. High-risk criteria were based on tumor burden (tumor size and number), vascular invasion, and tumor differentiation. Pts were randomized to Arm A (atezo + bev) or Arm B (active surveillance). Stratification factors included geographic region (Asia-Pacific excluding Japan vs rest of world) and a composite factor encompassing the number of high-risk features, curative procedure, and use of optional adjuvant TACE (allowed for one cycle following resection). Pts in Arm A received atezo 1200 mg + bev 15 mg/kg IV q3w for a period of one year or 17 cycles. Pts in Arm B underwent active surveillance for one year and were eligible to crossover to atezo + bev following independent review facility (IRF) confirmation of recurrence. The primary endpoint was IRF-assessed recurrence-free survival (RFS). Secondary efficacy endpoints included OS; investigator-assessed (INV) RFS; RFS and OS according to PD-L1 status; and time to extrahepatic spread and/or macrovascular invasion. Results: The ITT population included 334 pts each in Arms A and B. Baseline demographics were well balanced between arms. At interim analysis, with a median follow-up of 17.4 mo (cut off date: Oct 21, 2022), the primary endpoint was met with an IRF-RFS HR of 0.72 (95% CI, 0.56, 0.93; P=0.0120), and results were generally consistent across clinical subgroups. INV-RFS was similar (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.54, 0.91). The safety of atezo + bev was generally manageable and consistent with the well-established safety profile of each therapeutic agent and with the underlying disease. Conclusions: Atezo + bev is the first adjuvant regimen to demonstrate a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in RFS vs active surveillance in pts at high risk of disease recurrence following resection or ablation. The benefit:risk profile of atezo + bev favors the use of this regimen as an adjuvant therapy and has potential to set a new standard of care in adjuvant HCC. Citation Format: Pierce Chow, Minshan Chen, Ann-Lii Cheng, Ahmed O. Kaseb, Masatoshi Kudo, Han Chu Lee, Adam Yopp, Jian Zhou, Lu Wang, Xiaoyu Wen, Jeong Heo, Won Young Tak, Shinichiro Nakamura, Kazushi Numata, Thomas Uguen, David Hsiehchen, Edward Cha, Stephen P. Hack, Qinshu Lian, Jessica Spahn, Chun Wu, Shukui Qin. IMbrave050: Phase 3 study of adjuvant atezolizumab + bevacizumab versus active surveillance in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at high risk of disease recurrence following resection or ablation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 2 (Clinical Trials and Late-Breaking Research); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(8_Suppl):Abstract nr CT003.

Adjuvant treatment in advanced melanoma: How far have we come?

Adjuvant treatment in advanced melanoma: How far have we come?

Extended pelvic lymph node dissection in muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) at the time of radical cystectomy (RC) provides important staging information and oncologic benefit in patients with bladder cancer. The optimal extent of the PLND remains controversial. Our aim is to highlight nodal mapping studies and the data that guides optimization of both staging and oncologic outcomes. We then review contemporary randomized trials studying the extent of PLND. A recent randomized trial (RCT) powered for a 15% improvement in recurrence-free survival (RFS) of extended (e) over limited (l)PLND was completed but failed to identify this large difference in outcome. Concerns over study design limit the ability to interpret the oncologic results. Importantly, ePLND minimally changed surgical morbidity. An ongoing, similar RCT (SWOG S1011) powered to detect a 10% difference in RFS has completed accrual, but no published outcomes are available. RC and ePLND can provide cure in 33% of LN positive bladder cancer patients. Current data support a 5% improvement in RFS if ePLND is routinely used in MIBC patients. Two randomized trials powered to identify much larger (15 and 10%) improvements in RFS are unlikely to identify such an ambitious benefit by extending the PLND.