Induction Immunochemotherapy Research Articles

Identification of Genomic Biomarkers of Disease Progression and Survival in Primary CNS Lymphoma.

The determination of the genetic subtypes of primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) and their relationship to differential chemo-immunotherapeutic response has not been established. There is a particular need for genomic biomarkers that identify patients with newly-diagnosed PCNSL at high risk of early progression and death. We applied targeted next-generation sequencing for detection of recurrent single nucleotide variants, copy number alterations and zygosity abnormalities in diagnostic specimens from 78 PCNSL patients treated with a standard methotrexate-based regimen, to identify prognostically significant molecular subgroups. All patients received induction immunochemotherapy and 44 proceeded to dose-intensive consolidation. Genomic aberrations at four loci were associated with 91% of lymphoma progression events and all 15 deaths: (1) chromosome 6p copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity (CN-LOH) or focal homozygous deletion (HD) at 6p21.3, and mutations of tumor suppressor genes (2) BTG1, (3) ETV6 and (4) TP53. Cox regression multivariate analysis demonstrated a high risk of progression in patients with aberrations at these loci. Genomic aberrations at these loci were also associated with significantly shorter survival. Lower expression of HLA-DR was associated with 6p CN-LOH/6p21.3 HD and inferior prognosis. These genomic aberrations identify a high-risk molecular subgroup that may inform risk stratification in PCNSL. Further elucidation of the mechanisms of therapeutic resistance associated with the high-risk genetic phenotype is requisite to facilitate precision medicine and progress in therapy.

Clinical outcomes of conversion surgery after induction immunochemotherapy for borderline resectable T4 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BackgroundThe current treatment strategies for borderline resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma remain controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of programmed cell death 1 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy, followed by conversion surgery, for borderline resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.MethodsPatients with borderline resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma treated with induction immunochemotherapy from January 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 at our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The primary study outcome was the R0 resection rate. Secondary study outcomes included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), pathological complete remission (pCR) rate, and safety.ResultsForty patients with borderline resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were included in the analysis. The R0 resection rate was 23/40 (57.5%); the conversion success rate was 27/40 (67.5%), and the pCR rate was 11/40 (27.5%). The median follow-up was 23.6 months (95% CI, 19.1–28.2). One-year OS and PFS rates were 77.7% and 71.8%, respectively. The incidence rate of Grade 3–4 adverse events was 10%. There was a significant difference in PFS between patients who underwent surgery and those who did not (P = 0.008, HR: 0.144 95%CI: 0.034–0.606). However, the difference in OS was not significant (P = 0.128, HR: 0.299 95%CI: 0.063–1.416). Patients who achieved clinical downstaging after induction therapy had significantly better OS (P = 0.004 h: 0.110 95%CI: 0.025–0.495) and PFS (P = 0.0016, HR: 0.106 95%CI: 0.026–0.426) compared to those who did not.ConclusionsConversion surgery after induction immunochemotherapy is a promising new strategy with a high conversion rate, inspiring R0 resection rate, significant pathological remission rate, and mild toxicity for borderline resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

EP.08F.07 Induction Immunochemotherapy Before Definitive Chemoradiotherapy for Patients with Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

EP.08F.07 Induction Immunochemotherapy Before Definitive Chemoradiotherapy for Patients with Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

571. A PHASE I/II MULTICENTER STUDY EVALUATING THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF INDUCTION IMMUNOCHEMOTHERAPY FOLLOWED BY CONCURRENT IMMUNO-CHEMORADIOTHERAPY IN UNRESECTABLE LA-ESCC

Abstract Background Despite advances in radiotherapy techniques, the prognosis for patients undergoing definite chemoradiotherapy remains suboptimal. There exists an urgent and unmet need to enhance the efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy for patients with unresectable Locally Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (LA-ESCC). Immunotherapy, when combined with chemotherapy, has emerged as the established first-line treatment for advanced esophageal cancer. Significant tumor shrinkage and reduced tumor residual observed after induction immunotherapy might provide the potential to enhance locoregional control of radiotherapy as well as better protection of critical organs and circulating lymphocytes. Methods We conducted a multicenter, phase I/II study aiming to assess the efficacy and safety of induction immunochemotherapy followed by immuno-chemoradiotherapy (ICRT) for unresectable LA-ESCC (SCR-ESCC-002, NCT06173986) (Figure 1). Eligible patients will initiate treatment with 2-3 cycles of immunochemotherapy. Within 4 weeks after completing the induction treatment, patients without disease progression will proceed to receive concurrent radiotherapy (45-50Gy in 25 fractions), weekly chemotherapy, and PD-1 inhibitor on day1,22. Following immuno-chemoradiotherapy, patients will continue with immunotherapy maintenance until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity, for a maximum duration of one year. The study's dual primary endpoints are progression-free survival and treatment completion rate. Results As of January 2024, 13 eligible patients were enrolled in our trial, with median follow-up of 7.8 months. Due to tumor shrinkage of induction immunochemotherapy, radiation doses to normal tissues were significantly reduced, particularly for the lungs, heart, and vertebrae. All 13 patients completed the planned induction treatment and radiotherapy, with 8 completing more than 4 weekly chemotherapies. During ICRT, 10 of 13 patients experienced grade 3-4 adverse events. These included lymphopenia (69.23%), myelosuppression (46.15%), hepatitis (7.69%), esophagitis (7.69%), and pneumonitis (7.69%). Nine patients achieved a complete response, and 3 partial response 4 weeks after ICRT according to RECIST v1.1. Conclusion Decreased radiation volumes due to tumor regression brought by induction immunochemotherapy diminish the occurrence of non-hematological adverse events during ICRT. Preliminary analysis suggests that this therapeutic modality exhibits favorable safety profiles and yields a superior clinical complete response rate compared to definitive chemoradiotherapy alone. The trial is presently enrolling participants, and the confirmation of efficacy and survival outcomes necessitates larger sample sizes and extended follow-up durations.

Induction Therapy of Tislelizumab Combined with Cisplatin and 5-Fluorouracil and Subsequent Conversion Surgery in Patients with Unresectable Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Phase 2, Single Center Study.

This study reported the safety and efficacy of a phase 2, open-label, single-arm, exploratory clinical trial of induction immunochemotherapy in patients with initially unresectable advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Patients underwent three cycles of induction therapy with tislelizumab, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil. The primary endpoints were the safety, major pathological response (MPR), and pathological complete response (pCR). Secondary endpoints included the R0 resection rate, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). Genomic data and immune microenvironment data were analyzed exploratively. The treatment was safe, with a grade 3 or higher adverse event rate of 14.9% (7/47). Of the total 47 patients enrolled in the study, 19 (40.4%) achieved MPR, 12 (25.5%) achieved pCR, 4 (8.5%) achieved complete clinical response (cCR) and declined surgery, and 23 (48.94%) underwent successful resection. Median follow-up was 18 months, with a median DFS of 24 months, a median OS of 36 months. A high tumor mutation burden was associated with a better prognosis for patients who underwent surgery. Patients who achieved pCR had higher levels of immune cell infiltration and a greater proportion and concentration of tertiary lymphoid structures compared with those who experienced a major pathological response. Tislelizumab combined with chemotherapy is effective for ESCC, yielding high cCR, pCR, surgical conversion, and R0 resection rates, and tolerable adverse events. NCT05469061.

Omission of Radiotherapy in Primary Mediastinal B-Cell Lymphoma: IELSG37 Trial Results.

The role of consolidation radiotherapy in primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) patients is controversial. The IELSG37 trial, a randomized non-inferiority study, aimed to assess whether irradiation can be omitted in PMBCL patients with complete metabolic response (CMR) after induction immunochemotherapy. Primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) at 30 months post-randomization. Patients with CMR were randomly assigned to observation or consolidation radiotherapy (30 Gy). With a non-inferiority margin of 10% (assuming a 30-month PFS of 85% in both arms), a sample size of 540 patients was planned with 376 expected to be randomized. The observed events were considerably lower than expected, therefore, primary endpoint analysis was conducted when ≥95% of patients were followed for ≥30 months. Of 545 patients enrolled, 268 were in CMR after induction and were randomized to observation (n=132) or radiotherapy (n=136). The 30-month PFS was 96.2% in the observation arm and 98.5% in the radiotherapy arm, with a stratified hazard ratio of 1.47 (95%CI, 0.34 to 6.28) and absolute risk difference of 0.68% (95%CI, -0.97% to 7.46%). The 5-year overall survival was 99% in both arms.Non-randomized patients were managed according to local policies. Radiotherapy was the only treatment in 86% of those with Deauville score (DS) 4 and in 57% of those with DS 5. The 5-year PFS and OS of patients with DS 4 (95.8% and 97.5%, respectively) were not significantly different from those of randomized patients. Patients with DS5 had significantly poorer 5-year PFS and OS (60.3% and 74.6%, respectively). This study, the largest randomized trial of radiotherapy in PMBCL, demonstrated favorable outcomes in patients achieving CMR with no survival impairment for those omitting irradiation.

Repeated dynamic [18F]FDG PET/CT imaging using a high-sensitivity PET/CT scanner for assessing non-small cell lung cancer patients undergoing induction immuno-chemotherapy followed by hypo-fractionated chemoradiotherapy and consolidative immunotherapy: report from a prospective observational study (GASTO-1067).

The study aims to investigate the role of dynamic [18F]FDG PET/CT imaging by high-sensitivity PET/CT scanner for assessing patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) who undergo induction immuno-chemotherapy, followed by concurrent hypo-fractionated chemoradiotherapy (hypo-CCRT) and consolidative immunotherapy. Patients with unresectable LA-NSCLC are prospectively recruited. Dynamic [18F]FDG PET/CT scans are conducted at four timepoints: before treatment (Baseline), after induction immuno-chemotherapy (Post-IC), during hypo-CCRT (Mid-hypo-CCRT) and after hypo-CCRT (Post-hypo-CCRT). The primary lung tumors (PTs) are manually delineated, and the metabolic features, including the Patlak-Ki (Ki), maximum SUV (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) have been evaluated. The expressions of CD3, CD8, CD68, CD163, CD34 and Ki67 in primary lung tumors at baseline are assayed by immunohistochemistry. The levels of blood lymphocytes at four timepoints are analyzed with flow cytometry. Fifteen LA-NSCLC patients are enrolled between December 2020 and December 2022. Baseline Ki of primary tumor yields the highest AUC values of 0.722 and 0.796 for predicting disease progression and patient death, respectively. Patients are classified into the High FDG Ki group (n = 8, Ki > 2.779ml/min/100g) and the Low FDG Ki group (n = 7, Ki ≤ 2.779ml/min/100g). The High FDG Ki group presents better progression-free survival (P = 0.01) and overall survival (P = 0.025). The High FDG Ki group exhibits more significant reductions in Ki after hypo-CCRT compared to the Low FDG Ki group. Patients with a reduction in Ki > 73.1% exhibit better progression-free survival than those with a reduction ≤ 73.1% in Ki (median: not reached vs. 7.33months, P = 0.12). The levels of CD3+ T cells (P = 0.003), CD8+ T cells (P = 0.002), CD68+ macrophages (P = 0.071) and CD163+ macrophages (P = 0.012) in primary tumor tissues are higher in the High FDG Ki group. The High FDG Ki group has higher CD3+CD8+ lymphocytes in blood at baseline (P = 0.108), post-IC (P = 0.023) and post-hypo-CCRT (P = 0.041) than the Low FDG Ki group. The metabolic features in the High FDG Ki group significantly decrease during the treatment, particularly after induction immuno-chemotherapy. The Ki value of primary tumor shows significant relationship with the treatment response and survival in LA-NSCLC patients by the combined immuno-chemoradiotherapy regimen. ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT04654234. Registered 4 December 2020.

Randomized Phase II Trial of Immunotherapy-Based Total Neoadjuvant Therapy for Proficient Mismatch Repair or Microsatellite Stable Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer (TORCH).

PURPOSETo assess whether the integration of PD-1 inhibitor with total neoadjuvant therapy (iTNT) can lead to an improvement in complete responses (CRs) and favors a watch-and-wait (WW) strategy in patients with proficient mismatch repair or microsatellite stable (pMMR/MSS) locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).PATIENTS AND METHODSWe conducted a prospective, multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase II trial using a pick-the-winner design. Eligible patients with clinical T3-4 and/or N+ rectal adenocarcinoma were randomly assigned to group A for short-course radiotherapy (SCRT) followed by six cycles of consolidation immunochemotherapy with capecitabine and oxaliplatin and toripalimab or to group B for two cycles of induction immunochemotherapy followed by SCRT and the rest four doses. Either total mesorectal excision or WW was applied on the basis of tumor response. The primary end point was CR which included pathological CR (pCR) after surgery and clinical CR (cCR) if WW was applicable, with hypothesis of an increased CR of 40% after iTNT compared with historical data of 25% after conventional TNT.RESULTSOf the 130 patients enrolled, 121 pMMR/MSS patients were evaluable (62 in group A and 59 in group B). At a median follow-up of 19 months, CR was achieved at 56.5% in group A and 54.2% in group B. Both groups fulfilled the predefined statistical hypothesis (P < .001). Both groups reported a pCR rate of 50%. Respectively, 15 patients in each group underwent WW and remained disease free. The most frequent grade 3 to 4 toxicities were thrombocytopenia and neutropenia. Patients in group A had higher rate of cCR (43.5% v 35.6%) at restaging and lower rate of grade 3 to 4 thrombocytopenia (24.2% v 33.9%) during neoadjuvant treatment.CONCLUSIONThe iTNT regimens remarkably improved CR rates in pMMR/MSS LARC compared with historical benchmark with acceptable toxicity. Up-front SCRT followed by immunochemotherapy was selected for future definitive study.

Comparison of immunochemotherapy and chemotherapy alone in conversion therapy for locally advanced unresectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

The clinical value of preoperative immunochemotherapy and simple chemotherapy induction regimen in the conversion therapy of locally advanced unresectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is still unclear. Retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with unresectable cT4b stage ESCC who underwent conversion surgery in our hospital from January 2020 to December 2022. According to the preoperative induction treatment plan, they were divided into induction immunochemotherapy group (iICT group) and induction chemotherapy group (iCT group). The conversion surgery rate, R0 resection rate, radiological and pathological tumor responses, safety, and short-term survival outcomes were analyzed. The results showed that a total of 199 patients with cT4b locally advanced unresectable ESCC who underwent preoperative induction therapy were included in this study. Among them, there were 64 cases (32.2%) in the iICT group, 135 cases (67.8%) in the iCT group. There was a statistically significant difference in objective response rate (73.5% vs 48.9%) and conversion surgery rate (81.3% vs 66.7%), between the iICT and iCT groups (P=0.001 and P=0.019). Among the two groups of patients who underwent surgery, there were statistically significant differences in R0 resection rate (94.2% vs 82.2%) and pathological complete remission rate (23.1% vs 6.7%) between the iICT and iCT groups (P=0.043 and P=0.004). And there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of grade 3 and above between two groups (P=0.928). The 2-year EFS of the iICT group and iCT group were 76.4% and 42.4%, respectively, with statistically significant differences (P=0.006). Compared with simple chemotherapy, the combination of PD-1 inhibitors and chemotherapy can achieve better conversion surgery rate, tumor response and event-free survival in the conversion therapy of locally advanced unresectable ESCC.

Prognostic Significance of Bcl-2 Expression in Non-germinal Center B-cell-Like Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) are a group of malignant neoplasms with extensive clinical and molecular heterogeneity. Several key genetic aberrations have been identified, such as those involving the MYC, BCL6, and BCL2 genes. Prior studies on the prognostic significance of Bcl-2 protein expression in DLBCL have been contradictory, with some suggesting it has an adverse effect, while others have shown no such association. Bcl-2 is known to be more highly expressed in the non-germinal centerB-cell-like (non-GCB) subtype compared to germinal centerB-cell-like (GCB) DLBCL. Non-GCB status is associated with a less favorable prognosis. This study aimed to investigate whether the expression of Bcl-2 protein in non-GCB DLBCL influences response to treatment, progression-free survival, or overall survival. In this retrospective study, we investigated whether there was a difference in the clinical outcomes of non-GCB DLBCL cases (n = 97) that were confirmed by immunochemistry to demonstrate high levels of Bcl-2 protein expression (>50% neoplastic cells stained) when compared to those who were deemed negative based on this criterion. Response to rituximab-based induction immunochemotherapy, five-year progression-freesurvival, and five-year overall survival were assessed. There was no statistically significant difference in response to treatment, five-year progression-freesurvival, or five-year overall survival between the patients who were positive for Bcl-2 (n = 70) compared to those who were considered Bcl-2 negative (n = 27). High levels of Bcl-2 protein expression do not appear to be of prognostic significance in non-GCB DLBCL and therefore Bcl-2 may not be a key therapeutic target in the treatment and improvement of clinical outcome in such cases.

Correlation of Ktrans derived from dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI with treatment response and survival in locally advanced NSCLC patients undergoing induction immunochemotherapy and concurrent chemoradiotherapy

PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of pretreatment dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI parameters concerning tumor response following induction immunochemotherapy and survival outcomes in patients with locally advanced non-small cell...

Interim results from a prospective multicenter phase II trial of stratified treatment of localized cervical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma induced by neoadjuvant immunotherapy plus chemotherapy (SCENIC trial).

e16089 Background: Definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) is the standard treatment for cervical esophageal squamous cell cancer (CESCC). However, salvage esophagectomy poses significant technical challenges in dCRT failures, and optimizing patient selection for dCRT remains an unsolved concern. In this context, we propose a stratified screening strategy by incorporating induction immunochemotherapy, aiming to identify suitable candidates for organ-sparing dCRT and timely surgical treatment. Methods: This prospective multicenter interventional phase II study (ChiCTR2200057732) enrolled patients with clinical stage T2-4NanyM0 (AJCC TNM 8th) resectable CESCC. Eligible participants received induction therapy of intravenous PD-1 inhibitor tislelizumab (200mg, day 1) plus nab-paclitaxel (100 mg/m2, day 1,8,15) and carboplatin (area under curve of 5 mg/mL/min, day 1) of each 21-days cycle, for two cycles. Treatment response was evaluated 4 weeks after the completion of induction therapy, according to the criteria of the CROC trial: Grade 1, remarkable response (RR); Grade 2, limited partial response (LPR); and Grade 3, poor response (POR). Stratified patients would receive different follow-up treatments: dCRT was administered to RR patients, and radical surgery was performed in LPR and POR patients. Tislelizumab was maintained after dCRT in RR patients, and the postoperative adjuvant therapy was dependent on the doctors in the surgery groups. The primary endpoint was the 2-year event-free survival with a planned enrollment of 36 patients in this study. Results: From Jul 2022 to Jan 2024, 28 patients were enrolled. Of these, 22 patients completed the full two-cycle induction therapy and response evaluation. The response after induction immunochemotherapy were RR in 50.0% (11/22), LPR in 31.8% (7/22), and POR in 18.2% (4/22). All of the RR population underwent subsequent dCRT. Among 11 non-RR patients, only 7 cases received esophagectomy, other 4 selected dCRT according to their will. Up to Jan 2024, the median follow-up was 11.0 months (3.5-17.7), all of the RR patients with dCRT were in disease-free survival, 1 LPR and 1 POR patients received dCRT had progression in the primary lesion, and 4 patients underwent surgery had locoregional or distant recurrences. Overall, 24 patients (96%) had any-grade treatment-related adverse events with the most common being leukocytopenia. Four patients (16%) had adverse events of grade 3 or worse, and no treatment-related death occurred. Conclusions: The 1-year survival of RR followed by dCRT appears promising compared to historical data. The strategy of induction immunochemotherapy showed effective in identifying candidates suitable for dCRT in patients with resectable CESCC. Enrollment is ongoing. Clinical trial information: ChiCTR2200057732.

Induction immunotherapy-based regimens followed by palliative CCRT may lead to conversion surgery in selected patients and boost survival for stage IV ESCC.

e16059 Background: ESCC is still a health burden in Taiwan; besides, double cancers easily occur in Taiwan, like HypoCa &amp; ESCC or OSCC and ESCC. ESCC is still an immunogenic cancer type. Nivolumab with chemotherapy or nivolumab with ipilimumab in CM648 study and pembrolizumab with chemotherapy in KN590 study have also won survival benefits compared with chemotherapy alone in frontline treatment for R/M ESCC, esp. for PDL1+ patients. In our previous study, EGFR TKI, such as afatinib, have multiple immuno-modulatory effects and may help to increase immunotherapy benefits in the 1st line(67% ORR) of CT-unfit advanced ESCC. Following KN590 or chemotherapy failure, good rescue efficacy(70% ORR) was also seen in subsequent afatinib with anti-PD1.(ASCO-GI2022). Methods: We try to analyze the treatment options and final survivals of 72 patients with stage IV ESCC from 2010 to 2019 in my institution from National Taiwan University Hospital, Yun-lin Branch. Results: See Table. Conclusions: In this 10-year experience in one institution, we suggested induction Immuno-chemotherapy, Bio-immunochemotherapy, &amp; Bio-immunotherapy may lead to coversion chemoradiation, even to final surgery for stage IV ESCC with well systemic control in selected fit patients to boost further survival. Maintenance metronomic UFUR with anti-PD1 may also be beneficial. Afatinib with anti-PD1 could be a good option for (1)frontline treatment for double cancers or CT-unfit patients; (2)salvage treatment in later lines, even failing KN590 or CM648. [Table: see text]

Induction Immunochemotherapy Yields a Higher Conversion Rate and Better Overall Survival than Chemotherapy in Initially Unresectable Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

This study compared the surgical conversion rate and overall survival (OS) between induction chemotherapy (iC) and induction immunochemotherapy (iIC) for patients with initially unresectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (iuESCC). In this multicenter, retrospective cohort study, patients from four high-volume institutions with unresectable diseases were included. The primary endpoints were the conversion surgery rate and OS. A multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to identify the independent significant prognostic factors associated with OS. The stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting was applied to confirm the survival comparison between the iIC and iC cohorts. A total of 309 patients (150 in the iIC cohort and 159 in the iC cohort) were included. A significantly higher conversion surgical rate was observed in the iIC cohort (iIC vs. iC: 127/150, 84.7% vs. 79/159, 49.7%, P < 0.001). The pathological complete response rates were 22.0% and 5.1% in the iIC and the iC cohorts, respectively (P = 0.001). A significant difference in the OS was observed between the iIC (not reached) and iC cohorts (median 95% CI 36.3 [range 27.2-45.5]). The stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting yielded similar results. Regimen (iIC vs. iC, HR 0.215, 95% CI 0.102-0.454, P < 0.001) and operation (yes vs. no, HR 0.262, 95% CI 0.161-0.427, P < 0.001) were the significant prognostic factors for OS. Immunochemotherapy plus conversion surgery in the induction setting may be a better treatment option to achieve high pathological responses and improve OS in iuESCC patients.

Clinical efficacy of induction chemoimmunotherapy for locally advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma: a prospective phase Ⅱ study

Objective: To evaluate the objective response rate (ORR) of induction chemoimmunotherapy with camrelizumab plus TPF (docetaxel, cisplatin, and capecitabine) for locally advanced hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LA HSCC) and potential predictive factors for ORR. Methods: A single-center, prospective, phase 2 and single-arm trial was conducted for evaluating antitumor activity of camrelizumab+TPF(docetaxel+cisplatin+capecitabine) for LA HSCC between May 21, 2021 and April 15, 2023, patients admitted to the Eye & ENT Hospital affiliated with Fudan University. The primary endpoint was ORR, and enrolled patients with LA HSCC at T3-4N0-3M0 received induction chemoimmunotherapy for three cycles: camrelizumab 200 mg day 1, docetaxel 75 mg/m2 day 1, cisplatin 25 mg/m2 days 1-3, and capecitabine 800 mg/m2 days 1-14. Patients were assigned to radioimmunotherapy when they had complete response or partial response (PR)>70% (Group A), or assigned to surgery plus adjuvant radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy when they had PR≤70% (Group B), and the responses were defined by using tumor volume evaluation system. Tumor diameter was also used to assess the treatment responses by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1. Use SPSS 23.0 software was used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 51 patients were enrolled who underwent the induced chemoimmunotherapy for three cycles, and all were males, aged 35-69 years old. After three cycles of induction immunochemotherapy, 42 (82.4%) patients existed in Group A (complete response or PR>70%) and 9 patients (17.6%) in Group B (PR≤70%), the ORR was 82.4%. The primary endpoint achieved expected main research objectives. Compared to the patients of Group A, the patients of Group B showed the higher T stage and the larger volume of primary tumor before induced immunochemotherapy, and also had the less regression of tumor volume after induced immunochemotherapy (all P<0.05). The optimal cutoff value of pre-treatment tumor volume for predicting ORR was 39 cm3. The T stage (OR=12.71, 95%CI: 1.4-112.5, P=0.022) and the volume (OR=7.1, 95%CI: 1.4-36.8, P=0.018) of primary tumor were the two main factors affecting ORR rate of induction chemoimmunotherapy. Conclusion: The induction chemoimmunotherapy with camrelizumab plus TPF shows an encouraging antitumor efficacy in LA HSCC.

Objectification of the method for glomerular filtration rate assessing in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma during induction immunochemotherapy

Aim. To study the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) dynamics calculated by creatinine and cystatin C during induction immunochemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in order to objectify the method for estimation.Materials and methods. The open longitudinal study included 39 patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma who received specialized treatment at the Oncohematology Department of National Medical Research Centre for Oncology (Rostov-on-Don) in 2021. Patients received induction immunochemotherapy according to the R-CHOP regimen (rituximab, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisolone) in combination with accompanying therapy (allopurinol 300 mg/day). Blood sampling was carried out at 0, 24, 48, 72, 120 hours and on 21st day of the 1st therapy cycle. Patients were divided into 2 groups depending on the GFR level, calculated by creatinine, before treatment: group A – 27 (69 %) patients with GFR &gt;90 ml/min/1.73 m2, group B – 12 (31 %) patients with GFR &lt;90 ml/min/1.73 m2.Results. During the immunochemotherapy in patients with initially reduced GFR, a further decrease was observed with the restoration of the initial level by day 21 of therapy. When calculating GFR by cystatin C, in contrast to the calculation by creatinine, it revealed the dependence of GFR level on pathological process stage: GFR in group A patients with stages I–II is 20.4 % lower than in patients with stages III–IV, in group B – by 30.5 %. The use of the fisher test at GFR thresholds of 90 and 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 revealed a greater advantage in establishing absolute GFR levels, especially in the range of 60 to 90 ml/min/1.73 m2.Conclusion. The data obtained confirm that the determination of GFR by cystatin C in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is a more sensitive method that objectively reflects the functional state of the kidneys, especially when values are within the “gray area” – from 90 to 60 ml/min/1.73 m2.

Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery Versus Thoracotomy Following Neoadjuvant Immunochemotherapy in Resectable Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Among Chinese Populations: A Multi-Center Retrospective Cohort Study

BackgroundImmune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment but may pose greater technical challenges for surgery. This study aims to assess the feasibility and oncological effectiveness of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for resectable stage III NSCLC after neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy. MethodsInitial stage IIIA-IIIB NSCLC patients with neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy undergoing either VATS or open lobectomy at 6 medical centers during 2019-2023 were retrospectively identified. Perioperative outcomes and 2-year survival was analyzed. Propensity-score matching (PSM) was employed to balance patient baseline characteristics. ResultsAmong the total 143 patients, PSM yielded 62 cases each for VATS and OPEN groups. Induction-related adverse events were comparable between the 2 groups. VATS showed a 14.5% conversion rate. Notably, VATS decreased numeric rating scales for postoperative pain, shortened chest tube duration (5[4-7] vs. 6[5-8] days, P = .021), reduced postoperative comorbidities (21.0% vs. 37.1%, P = .048), and dissected less N1 lymph nodes (5[4-6] vs. 7[5-9], P = .005) compared with thoracotomy. Even when converted, VATS achieves perioperative outcomes equivalent to thoracotomy. Additionally, over a median follow-up of 29.5 months, VATS and thoracotomy demonstrated comparable 2-year recurrence-free survival (77.20% vs. 73.73%, P = .640), overall survival (87.22% vs. 88.00%, P = .738), cumulative incidences of cancer-related death, and recurrence patterns. Subsequent subgroup comparisons and multivariate Cox analysis likewise revealed no statistical difference between VATS and thoracotomy. ConclusionVATS is a viable and effective option for resectable stage III NSCLC patients following neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy, leading to decreased surgical-related pain, earlier chest tube removal, reduced postoperative complications, and similar survival outcomes compared to thoracotomy.

Induction immunochemotherapy followed by definitive chemoradiotherapy for unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a multi-institutional retrospective cohort study.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of induction immunochemotherapy followed by definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC). We identified unresectable stage III NSCLC patients who received induction immunochemotherapy. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were the primary endpoints. From February 2019 to August 2022, 158 patients were enrolled. Following the completion of induction immunochemotherapy, the objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were 52.5% and 83.5%, respectively. The ORR of CRT was 73.5%, representing 68.4% of the total cohort. The median PFS was 17.8 months, and the median OS was 41.9 months, significantly higher than in patients who received CRT alone (p<0.001). Patients with concurrent CRT demonstrated markedly improved PFS (p=0.012) and OS (p=0.017) than those undergoing sequential CRT. Additionally, those with a programmed-death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression of 50% or higher showed significantly elevated ORRs (72.2%vs. 47.2%, p=0.011) and superior OS (median 44.8vs. 28.6 months, p=0.004) compared to patients with PD-L1 expression below 50%. Hematologic toxicities were the primary severe adverse events (grade ≥ 3) encountered, with no unforeseen treatment-related toxicities. Thus, induction immunochemotherapy followed by definitive CRT demonstrated encouraging efficacy and tolerable toxicities for unresectable LA-NSCLC.

Up-Front ASCT Overcomes the Survival Benefit Provided By HDAC-Based Induction Regimens in Mantle Cell Lymphoma: Data from a Real-Life and Long-Term Cohort

Introduction: Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare malignancy with heterogeneous behavior. Despite the therapeutic advances recently achieved, MCL remains incurable. Currently, the standard of care for young and fit patients involves induction immunochemotherapy followed by up-front autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). However, the role of more intensive induction regimens, such as those based on high-doses of cytarabine (HDAC) remains controversial in the management of ASCT-eligible patients. Based on this premise, the current study aims to describe clinical and laboratory characteristics, assess outcomes, determine survival predictors, and compare responses between different primary therapeutic strategies, with focus on assessing the impact of HDAC-based regimens on outcomes in ASCT-eligible patients. Methods: This retrospective, observational, and single-center study involved 165 MCL patients, diagnosed and treated at the Department of Hematology, University of São Paulo, Brazil, from January 2010 to December 2022. Endpoints included overall survival (OS), event-free survival (EFS), and progression of disease within 24 months (POD-24) from up-front treatment. Survival curves were constructed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Log-Rank test was used to assess the relationship between variables and outcomes. Univariate analysis was performed using the semi-parametric Cox test and multivariate analysis by Cox regression method or proportional ratios model. The results were presented in hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI), and a p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The median age at diagnosis was 65 years (38-89) and 73.9% (122/165) were male. More than 90% of cases (150/165) had a classic nodal variant (cnMCL), 76.4% (120/157) had bone marrow infiltration, and 56.4% (93/165) presented splenomegaly. Bulky ≥ 7 cm, B-symptoms, ECOG ≥ 2, and advanced-stage III/IV were observed in 32.7% (54/165), 64.8% (107/165), 32.1% (53/165), and 95.8% (158/165), respectively [ Table 1]. Sixty-four percent of patients (106/165) were categorized as high-risk according to MIPI score. Table 2 summarizes the main therapeutic modalities applied to the whole cohort. With a median follow-up of 71.1 months (95% CI: 61.8-80.4) the estimated 2-year OS and EFS were 64.1% (95% CI: 56.2-71.9%) and 31.8% (95% CI: 23.0-40.6%), respectively. The ORR for the whole cohort was 64.7% (95% CI: 57.1-71.7%), with CR achieved in 41.5% (95% CI: 34.1-49.1%). POD-24 was observed in 46.7% (95% CI: 39.1-54.3%), and the overall mortality rate (OMR) during all follow-up was 58.2% (95% CI: 50.6-65.5%), with disease progression being the main cause of death. Patients treated with R-HDAC-based regimens (43.4%-66/152) had higher ORR (85.9% vs 65.7%, p=0.007) compared to those receiving R-CHOP (46.0%-70/152), as well as lower POD-24 rates (61.9% vs 80.4%, p=0.043) and lower mortality (43.9% vs 68.6%, p=0.004). However, intensified induction regimens using R-HDAC were not associated with a real OS benefit in MCL patients undergoing up-front consolidation with ASCT (N=41) (2-year OS: 88.7% for R-HDAC plus ASCT vs 78.8% for R-CHOP plus ASCT, p=0.289), as summarized in Figure 1. Furthermore, up-front ASCT was independently associated with increased OS (p&amp;lt;0.001), EFS (p=0.005), and lower POD-24 rates (p&amp;lt;0.001) in MCL. Additionally, CNS involvement (HR: 3.12, 95% CI: 1.45-6.73, p=0.004), tumor lysis syndrome (HR: 2.79, 95% CI: 1.13-6.86, p=0.026), albumin &amp;lt; 3.5 g/dL (HR: 2.69, 95% CI: 1.61-4.50, p&amp;lt;0.001), and failure to achieve remission after induction therapy (HR: 3.71, 95% CI: 2.07-6.67, p&amp;lt; 0.001) were predictors of poor OS. Conclusion: In the largest Latin American cohort of MCL reported to date, we confirmed the OS benefit promoted by up-front consolidation with ASCT in young anf fit patients, regardless of the intensity of the immunochemotherapy regimen used in the pre-ASCT induction. Although HDAC-based regimens were not associated with an unequivocal increase in OS, it was associated with higher ORR and lower rates of early-relapses.

The Outcome of the First-Line Therapy of Patients with Follicular Lymphoma during COVID-19 Pandemic. a Real-World Data from the Polish Lymphoma Research Group (PLRG)

Introduction: Anti-CD20 antibody plus chemotherapy is one of the standard treatments for follicular lymphoma (FL) patients in need of therapy. Obinutuzumab-based regimens demonstrated improved progression- free survival (PFS) compared to rituximab plus chemotherapy (NCT01332968). Recently, the course of treatment of FL patients was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic due to immunosuppressive nature of therapy, in particular, of the maintenance treatment with the anti-CD20 antibody. Patients and Methods: We report on the results of obinutuzumab combined with different chemotherapy induction regimens in consecutive FL patients who started treatment at hemato-oncology centers in Poland between August 2018 and December 2022. The choice of chemotherapy (CVP, CHOP or bendamustine) was left to the discretion of the centre providing the treatment. Obinutuzumab maintenance was given to patients who achieved at least partial response (PR) after induction immunochemotherapy. Patients, who developed signs or symptoms suggesting acute COVID-19 infection were tested for the presence of SARS-COV 2. In other cases tests were performed according to local policy. The response was evaluated with computed tomography or positron emission tomography according to Lugano 2014 Criteria. Chi-square test was used to compare percentages. Survival analyses were based on the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: The study group included 257 treatment-naive FL patients. The median age (range) was 55 (27-89) years, 42.4% of patients were males. 65.0% (n=167) of patients had comorbidities. According to FLIPI 47.1% of patients were classified as high risk, 33.9% as intermediate and 19.1% as low risk, whereas 39.5%, 23.2% and 37.3% of patients were in PRIMA PI high, intermediate and low risk groups, respectively. Median number of GELF criteria was 3 (range 0-9). Induction chemotherapy included: CVP in 52.1% (n=134), CHOP in 33.1% (n=85) and bendamustine in 14.8% (n=38) of patients. Median number of cycles was 6 (range 1 - 8). After induction immunochemotherapy complete response (CR), PR, stable disease (SD) and progression disease (PD) rates were: 66.0%, 29.6%, 0.4% and 4.0%, respectively. Maintenance treatment was given to 217 patients (85.1%). Progression within 2 years of the start of treatment (POD24) occurred in 5.8% (n=15) of patients. With a median follow up of 23.7 months, 7.4% patients (n=19) relapsed, 13.2% of patients died (n=34). Death was caused by COVID-19 in 20, and by other infection in 2 cases. Three patients died from FL, 2 patients - due to other malignancy, and one each from myocardial infarction and treatment toxicity. Cause of death was unknown in five cases. The SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected in 125 patients with no apparent relation to the type of chemotherapy regimen (p=0.762). COVID-19 severity was unknown in 8.1% (n=9) and defined by investigators as asymptomatic in 23.4% (n=26), mild in 44.1% (n=49), severe 19.8% (n=22) and critical in 4.5% (n=5). The highest increase in the number of COVID-19 occurred in the first six months of 2022. 13.8% of patients (n=17) had SARS-COV-2 infection prior to immunochemotherapy, 28.5% (n=35) during induction immunochemotherapy, 53.7% (n=66) during maintenance, and 4.1% (n=5) after completion of the treatment. 3-year OS and PFS was 84% (95%CI: 78%-90%) and 74% (95%CI: 66% - 82%), respectively (Figure 1AB). 3-year OS of patients without COVID-19 was 92% (95%CI: 87% - 98%), while 3-year OS of patients with COVID-19 was 78% (95%CI: 69% - 88%) (p = 0.007), (Figure 1C). Conclusions: The survival of our real-world series of patients treated with obinutuzumab-based regimens was apparently worse than in the original study. These results may have been influenced by more prevalent high and intermediate risk factors, high tumor burden, as well as high frequency of SARS-COV 2 infection in our group of patients. OS was particularly lower among patients who had symptomatic COVID disease . These results seem to support a recommendation to initiate treatment in strictly symptomatic FL patients only, even if they formally meet GELF criteria. In the context of COVID-19 pandemic, CVP or CHOP might be preferred over more immunosuppressive bendamustine, and obinutuzumab maintenance treatment should be considered with caution as appropriate.