One-year Progression-free Survival Rates Research Articles

Neoadjuvant PD-1 Plus Chemotherapy for Locally Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Clinical studies have shown that programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors can activate T cells and inhibit cancer growth. Therefore, the use of a PD-1 inhibitor plus chemotherapy as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced esophageal cancer is worth further exploration. Patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were enrolled in this study to receive two cycles of a preoperative combination of toripalimab, paclitaxel, and cisplatin. Efficacy was evaluated after two treatment cycles. The patients' postoperative pathological staging was analyzed and compared. Surgery was performed within 42 days of the start date of the last chemotherapy cycle. Neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy achieved a high pathologic complete response (pCR) rate (29.0%), major pathological response rate (41.9%), and objective response rate (80.6%) and demonstrated statistically significant downstaging after neoadjuvant therapy (P < .05) with manageable treatment-related adverse effects. No significant association was found between PD-L1 level and pCR (P = .365). In addition, R0 resection was achieved in all 31 (100%) patients during surgery. For all the included patients, the one-year progression-free survival rate was 87.1% (95% CI: 75.3%-98.9%), the one-year overall survival (OS) rate was 96.8% (95% CI: 79.8%-95.9%), and the two-year OS rate was 83.9% (95% CI: 71.6%-92.2%). Our findings indicate that this combination may be a potential neoadjuvant therapy regimen in this setting.

Stereotactic Radiotherapy or Whole Brain Radiotherapy Combined with Pyrotinib and Capecitabine in HER2-Positive Advanced Breast Cancer Patients with Brain Metastases (BROPTIMA): A Prospective, Phase Ib/II Single-Arm Clinical Study

Approximately half of patients with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer (BC) will develop brain metastases (BM) over time. Local therapy including stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) and whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) is the main initial treatment in malignant tumor patients with BM. However, more than 50% patients after radiotherapy in one year suffered intracranial recurrence. Pyrotinib, a small molecule, irreversible, pan-ErbB receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), has a high potency for controlling BM and reducing the occurrence of brain metastases in advanced HER2-positive BC patients. We hypothesized that SRT or WBRT combined with pyrotinib and capecitabine could decrease intracranial progression in HER2 positive BC with newly diagnosed BM. In this prospective single-arm phase Ib/II trial (NCT04582968), eligible patients were assigned to either fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) or whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT), combined with pyrotinib and capecitabine. The primary endpoint was one-year CNS progression-free survival (PFS) rate. Secondary endpoints included intracranial objective response rate (IC-ORR) according to RANO-BM criteria, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and evaluation of safety and neurocognitive function. From January 2020 to August 2022, 40 patients were enrolled. Twenty-nine patients were treated with FSRT in 8 Gy per fraction with 3 to 5 fractions and 11 were treated with WBRT in 3 Gy per fraction with 10 fractions, and then received chemotherapy in a time frame starting from 0 to 7 days after radiotherapy. At a median follow-up of 17.3 months, 1-year CNS-PFS rate was 74.9% (95% CI 61.9-90.7%) and median CNS-PFS was 18 months (95% CI, 15.5 to NA months). One-year PFS rate was 66.9% (53.1-84.2%) and median PFS time was 17.6 months (95% CI 12.8-34.1 months). The best intracranial response rate (IC-ORR: complete response and partial response) was 92.5% (37/40). The most common grade 3 or worse toxicity was diarrhea (7.5%) and asymptomatic radiation necrosis was detected in 4 of 67(6.0%) lesions treated with FSRT. No differences of neurocognitive function evaluated by MMSE (Mini-Mental State Exam) were observed between different groups at any time point. Radiotherapy combined with pyrotinib and capecitabine resulted in a promising efficacy that crossed the pre-specified boundary in patients with HER2-positive advanced breast cancer with brain metastases. This is the first prospective study showing the efficacy and safety of CNS radiotherapy concurrent with pyrotinib and capecitabine in patients with BM from HER2-positive breast cancer. Further investigation in a randomized controlled study is warranted.

Randomized, open-label phase II study of brigatinib and carboplatin plus pemetrexed and brigatinib alone for chemotherapy-naive patients with ALK-rearranged non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer: treatment rationale and protocol design of the B-DASH study (WJOG 14720 L)

BackgroundThe ALTA-1L study compared brigatinib with crizotinib in untreated ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, demonstrating the efficacy of brigatinib. Although the median progression-free survival (PFS) of brigatinib group was 24.0 months, the one-year PFS rate was 70%. In the NEJ009 study, patients with EGFR mutations showed improved outcomes with gefitinib plus chemotherapy compared with gefitinib monotherapy. To evaluate the efficacy of the combination of brigatinib with chemotherapy for patients with ALK-rearranged NSCLC, we designed B-DASH study (WJOG 14720L).MethodsB-DASH study is a multicenter, two-arm, phase II study. Eligible patients have untreated stage IIIB, stage IIIC, stage IV, or postoperative relapse ALK-rearranged nonsquamous NSCLC. Patients will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive brigatinib (180 mg once daily with a 7-day lead-in period at 90 mg) monotherapy or carboplatin (area under the curve = 5 on day 1) plus pemetrexed (500 mg/m2 on day 1) and brigatinib in a 3-week cycle for up to four cycles, followed by pemetrexed and brigatinib as maintenance therapy. The target hazard ratio of 0.62 is set based on the NEJ009 study. With one-sided alpha = 0.20 and power = 0.8, the sample size for the B-DASH study was calculated to be 110, considering the possibility of patients dropping out. The primary endpoint is PFS. The key secondary endpoints are the overall response rate and overall survival. We will evaluate tumor-derived DNA from plasma specimens before treatment, 42 days after administering the study drug, and on the day of progressive disease. Recruitment began in November 2021 and is ongoing.DiscussionThe efficacy of combination therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors and cytotoxic chemotherapy was demonstrated in patients with EGFR mutations but remains unclear in patients with ALK-rearranged NSCLC. The B-DASH study is the only trial of brigatinib combined with chemotherapy in patients with untreated ALK-rearranged NSCLC.Trial registrationjRCT identifier: jRCTs041210103.

Total neoadjuvant chemotherapy according to the FOLFIRINOX regimen for locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the stomach and cardioesophageal junction: interim results

Purpose. To study the efficacy and safety of total neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) with the FOLFIRINOX regimen for locally advanced gastric (GC) and cardioesophageal junction (CEJ) cancer.Patients and methods. Patients with histologically confirmed locally advanced gastric adenocarcinoma and CEJ, clinical stage cT3 or higher and/or regional lymph node involvement (cN+), without evidence of distant metastasis were included in our open-label, single-centre, non-randomised study. In the FLOT control group, patients received 4 courses preoperatively and 4 postoperatively with follow-up. I In the FOLFIRINOX group 8 courses of chemotherapy were administered in neoadjuvant mode, followed by surgery and observation. The tumor regression grade was assessed in accordance with Becker, Mandard and G. A. Lavnikova scales.Results. The study included 136 patients, 119 of whom started treatment according to the protocol (ITT population). Fiſty-nine patients were enrolled into the FLOT group and 60 into the FOLFIRINOX group. One-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 67,5 % in the FLOT group and 90,4 % in the FOLFIRINOX group (p = 0,29). The estimated 2-year PFS in the FLOT group was 61,4 % [95 % CI, 48,4–77,9 %]. Median PFS and overall survival (OS) were not reached. The incidence of events (progression or death) was lower in the FOLFIRINOX group (odds ratio [OR] 0,40 [95 % CI 0,16–0,97, p = 0,047]). Adverse prognostic factors regardless of treatment were lymphatic (L1), vascular (V1) and perineural invasion (Pn1), and regional lymph node involvement aſter chemotherapy (ypN+) [p = 0,046; p = 0,014; p = 0,0021; p = 0,04, respectively]. There was no correlation between pathological complete response and survival rates.Conclusion. Total neoadjuvant chemotherapy with the FOLFIRINOX regimen for locally advanced GC/ CEJ demonstrated comparable to the perioperative FLOT one-year PFS rate. No association was found between tumor regression grade and survival outcomes.

[Bendamustine combined with pomalidomide and dexamethasone in relapsed multiple myeloma with extramedullary disease: a multicenter study].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of bendamustine combined with pomalidomide and dexamethasone (BPD regimen) in the treatment of relapsed multiple myeloma (MM) with extramedullary disease. Methods: This open, single-arm, multicenter prospective cohort study included 30 relapsed MM patients with extramedullary disease diagnosed in seven hospitals including Qingdao Municipal Hospital. The patients were treated with BPD regimen from February 2021 to November 2022. This study analyzed the efficacy and adverse reactions of the BPD regimen. Results: The median age of the 30 patients was 62 (47-72) years, of which 18 (60% ) had first-time recurrence. The overall response rate (ORR) of the 18 patients with first-time recurrence was 100%, of which three (16.7% ) achieved complete remission, 10 (55.5% ) achieved very good partial remission (VGPR), and five (27.8% ) achieved partial remission (PR). The ORR of 12 patients with recurrence after second-line or above treatment was 50%, including zero patients with ≥VGPR and six patients (50% ) with PR. Three cases (25% ) had stable disease, and three cases (25% ) had disease progression. The one-year progression free survival rate of all patients was 65.2% (95% CI 37.2% -83.1% ), and the 1-year overall survival rate was 90.0% (95% CI 76.2% -95.4% ). The common grade 3-4 hematology adverse reactions included two cases (6.7% ) of neutropenia and one case (3.3% ) of thrombocytopenia. The overall adverse reactions are controllable. Conclusions: The BPD regimen has good efficacy and tolerance in relapsed MM patients with extramedullary disease.

A Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Pomalidomide-Based Regimens for the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma After Lenalidomide Exposure

IntroductionThe objective was to assess the benefit of pomalidomide-based combination regimens in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) previously treated with lenalidomide. A pooled estimate was obtained for efficacy outcomes including overall response rate (ORR), complete response (CR) rate, and progression-free survival (PFS) based on multiple trials conducted in this patient population. Patients and MethodsA literature search was conducted on March 22, 2022 for relevant trials published between January 1, 2016 and the search date. The search identified 12 eligible trials with publications dated between 2016 and 2021. The meta-analyses were conducted among the intention-to-treat (ITT) population (patients treated in all lines of therapy) and 2 subpopulations: 2L (only patients treated in the second line [2L]) and ≥2L (patients treated in the 2L and beyond). ResultsFrom the meta-analyses, ORR was 69.9% for ITT, 74.4% for ≥2L, and 87.2% for 2L. CR rate was 12.1% for ITT, 17.6% for ≥2L, and 29.7% for 2L. One-year PFS rates were 55.1% for ITT, 59.1% for ≥2L, and 74.0% for 2L. Two-year PFS rates were 29.3% for ITT, 36.0% for ≥2L, and 41.9% for 2L. ConclusionPomalidomide-based combination regimens were effective in patients with RRMM previously treated with lenalidomide and tended to be associated with better outcomes when used earlier in the treatment pathway. A drug class switch may not always be necessary when making treatment decisions for patients with RRMM for whom the benefits of lenalidomide have been exhausted, although this must be supported by comparative studies.

Efficacy and safety of donafenib combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and anti-PD1 antibody for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC): A retrospective study.

e16120 Background: For unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC), the efficacy of TACE monotherapy is not satisfactory. It has recently been reported that molecular targeted drugs combined with anti-PD1 antibody and TACE exhibit improved anti-tumor efficacy compared with monotherapy. Donafenib is a new generation of multi-kinase inhibitor which is approved as the first-line treatment for uHCC. This study aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of the combination therapy of donafenib, anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody and TACE in patients with uHCC. Methods: This was a single-center retrospective study, and involved patients with uHCC who received donafenib (200 mg po bid) combined with TACE and anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody or donafenib (200 mg po bid) combined with TACE at Shanghai Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital from September 2021 to September 2022. All patients had at least one measurable lesion defined by mRECIST criteria. The objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) data of patients were collected and analyzed. Results: A total of 34 patients with uHCC were included and had a median age of 56 years (32–81 years). Of these patients, 3 (9%) were classed as BCLC stage B, 31 (91%) were BCLC stage C. All 34 patients were complicated with HBV infection. First-line treatment was administered to 24 patients (71%), among which 21 patients received donafenib combined with TACE and anti-PD1 antibody. 3 patients were treated with donafenib combined with TACE. The remaining 10 patients (19%) received second-line treatment, among which 7 patients were treated with donafenib combined with TACE and anti-PD1 antibody. 3 patients received donafenib combined with TACE. There were 14 patients (41%) with baseline AFP ≥400 ng/mL. At data cut-off, the median follow-up time was 5 months [95% CI: 3.42-6.58]. The best overall response rate (BOR) was complete response in 5 patients (14.7%), partial response in 13 patients (38.2%), stable disease in 10 patients (29.4%), and progressive disease in 6 patients (17.6%). The ORR was 52.9% (95%CI: 36.7–68.6%) and DCR was 82.4% (95%CI: 66.5–91.7%). The median PFS and median OS were not reached, the one-year PFS rate was 61.6% (95%CI: 38–78.7%), and the one-year OS rate was 83.1% (95%CI: 56.1–95.2%). The ORR (58%) and DCR (87.5%) of patients receiving first-line treatment were better compared with those of patients receiving second-line treatment (40% and 70%, respectively). Treatment-related adverse events (TRAE) were reported by 30 patients (88.2%), of which 7 patients (20.6%) had grade 3 TRAE. No grade 4 or 5 TRAE was reported. Conclusions: Donafenib combined with TACE and anti-PD-1 antibody exhibited encouraging efficacy and favorable safety profile in patients with uHCC.

Abstract OT3-29-01: A Phase Ib/II Study of anlotinib combined with pyrotinib and capecitabine for HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer

Abstract Background: Preclinical data showed that high levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) may lead to aggressive behavior in breast tumors that overexpress HER2. AVEREL study demonstrated that bevacizumab in combination with trastuzumab and docetaxel as first-line treatment increased progression-free survival (PFS) in HER2 postive metastatic breast cancer (BC) patients (BTH vs TH:16.5m vs 13.7m, HR=0.82, P=0.0775). It is necessary to exploring new effective and tolerable strategy of targeting both HER2 signaling and angiogenesis. PHENIX and PHOEBE studies proved pyrotinib (an irreversible pan-ErbB receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor) plus capecitabine improved prognosis for patients with advanced HER2 positive BC. Anlotinib is a novel multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor that effectively inhibits VEGFR, FGFR, c-KIT, c-MET and RET. This study is aimed to evaluate safety, tolerability and efficacy of anlotinib combined with pyrotinib and capecitabine for HER2-Positive metastatic BC. Methods: This open-label study is designed to include patients with pathologically confirmed HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer that have progressed or relapsed after treatment with trastuzumab or inability to receive trastuzumab in West China Hospital, Sichuan University. Eligible patients have at least one measurable lesion according to RECIST v1.1; previously received taxanes regimen and had ≤2 line of chemotherapy for advanced disease; an ECOG performance status of 0-1; adequate organ function. In the “3+3” dose-exploring phase, pyrotinib and capecitabine are given at a fixed dose of 400mg qd and 1000 mg/m2 bid respectively. Anlotinib is initially given at a dose of 10mg/d (Level I). If the initial dose level could be tolerated, subsequent patients are assigned to the higher level (Level H) with anlotinib 12mg/d; otherwise, to Level L with anlotinib 8 mg/d. Primary endpoints of phase Ib are dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), maximum tolerated dose (MTD), recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D), safety and efficacy. Phase II is an expansion cohort at the recommended phase II dose (RP2D). The primary endpoint for phase II is one-year PFS rate by investigator-assessed, and secondary endpoints include PFS, overall response rate (ORR), clinical benefit rate (CBR), duration of response (DoR), overall survival (OS) and quality of life. A sample size of 23 provided 80% power at 2-sided alpha = 0.20 to detect a minimum of 20% improvement (45% vs. 65%) in one-year PFS. The phase Ib portion of the trial is currently enrolling in China. Clinical trial information: ChiCTR2100045962. Funding: Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. Citation Format: Ting Luo, Xiaorong Zhong, Jie Chen. A Phase Ib/II Study of anlotinib combined with pyrotinib and capecitabine for HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr OT3-29-01.

Feasibility, safety, and efficacy of stereotactic body radiotherapy combined with intradermal heat-killed mycobacterium obuense (IMM-101) vaccination for non-progressive locally advanced pancreatic cancer, after induction chemotherapy with (modified)FOLFIRINOX – The LAPC-2 trial

Background and purposeIn this phase I/II trial, non-progressive locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) patients after (modified)FOLFIRINOX therapy were treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) combined with heat-killed mycobacterium (IMM-101) vaccinations. We aimed to assess safety, feasibility, and efficacy of this treatment approach. Materials and methodsOn five consecutive days, patients received a total of 40 Gray (Gy) of SBRT with a dose of 8 Gy per fraction. Starting two weeks prior to SBRT, they in addition received six bi-weekly intradermal vaccinations with one milligram of IMM-101. The primary outcomes were the number of grade 4 or higher adverse events and the one-year progression free-survival (PFS) rate. ResultsThirty-eight patients were included and started study treatment. Median follow-up was 28.4 months (95 %CI 24.3 – 32.6). We observed one grade 5, no grade 4 and thirteen grade 3 adverse events, none related to IMM-101. The one-year PFS rate was 47 %, the median PFS was 11.7 months (95 %CI 11.0 – 12.5) and the median overall survival was 19.0 months (95 %CI 16.2 – 21.9). Eight (21 %) tumors were resected, of which 6 (75 %) were R0 resections. Outcomes were comparable with the outcomes of the patients from the previous LAPC-1 trial, in which LAPC patients were treated with SBRT, without IMM-101. ConclusionCombination treatment with IMM-101 and SBRT was safe and feasible for non-progressive locally advanced pancreatic cancer patients after (modified)FOLFIRINOX. No improvement in the progression-free survival could be demonstrated by adding IMM-101 to SBRT.

A phase 2, open-label study of neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus tislelizumab followed by radiotherapy-based, bladder-preserving treatment for high risk/locally advanced muscle invasive urothelial bladder cancer (HOPE-02).

516 Background: Tri-modality therapy (TMT) is an alternative to radical cystectomy for selected muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients with bladder-preserving will. Neoadjuvant treatment makes chance for imperfect patients to turn into ideal bladder-sparing patients. This phase 2 study aimed to explore the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus tislelizumab followed by radiotherapy as a strategy of bladder-sparing therapy for high risk/locally advanced MIBC (Trial registration number: ChiCTR2100045213). Methods: Pathological and imaging diagnosed cT2-4bN0-3M0-1a MIBC received 3-4 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (gemcitabine and cisplatin or carboplatin) plus tislelizumab (200mg every three weeks for one year). Radiotherapy (60.4-64.4 Gy /1.8Gy/33-35f to bladder with 50.4 Gy/1.8Gy/28f to pelvic) were given to patients with non- progressed disease (PD) after neoadjuvant therapy. The primary endpoint was complete response rate (CR, including T0/Ta/Tis), and the secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), bladder-intact disease free survival (BI-DFS), overall survival (OS) and toxicity. Results: The simple size is 43 participants. Until now, 28 patients were included, of which 23 patients received radiotherapy and 16 patients finished efficacy evaluation with imaging and cystoscopic biopsy after radiotherapy. Median follow-up time was 14.2 (1.5-17.4) months (m). Two of the 16 patients were Tis and 14 were T0 after radiotherapy, indicating the primary CR rate were 100%. For the 2 patients with Tis received BCG vaccine intravesical perfusion, and T0 was achieved when the second therapy evaluation. No patient died and only one patient had distant metastasis. The one-year PFS rate, one-year BI-DFS and one-year OS were 100%. Grade 3 and 4 hematological system adverse events were 23.3% and 2.3%. One patient had reduced bladder capacity (100-200 mL) with 2-h intervals of micturition, and 3 patients had frequency with urgency, nocturia and dysuria. Three patients had grade1 immunotherapy related abnormality of thyroidal function and 3 patients suffered from grade 2 myositis. The current bladder-preserving therapies research were well-tolerated with acceptable and manageable toxicities. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus tislelizumab followed by radiotherapy showed perfect efficacy and acceptable toxicities, which maybe an optimal strategy for high risk/locally advanced MIBC patients with bladder-preserving willingness. Clinical trial information: ChiCTR2100045213 .

Nivolumab and brentuximab vedotin with or without bendamustine for R/R Hodgkin lymphoma in children, adolescents, and young adults

AbstractChildren, adolescents, and young adults (CAYA) with relapsed/refractory (R/R) classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) without complete metabolic response (CMR) before autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (auto-HCT) have poor survival outcomes. CheckMate 744, a phase 2 study for CAYA (aged 5-30 years) with R/R cHL, evaluated a risk-stratified, response-adapted approach with nivolumab plus brentuximab vedotin (BV) followed by BV plus bendamustine for patients with suboptimal response. Risk stratification was primarily based on time to relapse, prior treatment, and presence of B symptoms. We present the primary analysis of the standard-risk cohort. Data from the low-risk cohort are reported separately. Patients received 4 induction cycles with nivolumab plus BV; those without CMR (Deauville score >3, Lugano 2014) received BV plus bendamustine intensification. Patients with CMR after induction or intensification proceeded to consolidation (high-dose chemotherapy/auto-HCT per protocol). Primary end point was CMR any time before consolidation. Forty-four patients were treated. Median age was 16 years. At a minimum follow-up of 15.6 months, 43 patients received 4 induction cycles (1 discontinued), 11 of whom received intensification; 32 proceeded to consolidation. CMR rate was 59% after induction with nivolumab plus BV and 94% any time before consolidation (nivolumab plus BV ± BV plus bendamustine). One-year progression-free survival rate was 91%. During induction, 18% of patients experienced grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events. This risk-stratified, response-adapted salvage strategy had high CMR rates with limited toxicities in CAYA with R/R cHL. Most patients did not require additional chemotherapy (bendamustine intensification). Additional follow-up is needed to confirm durability of disease control. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02927769.

Immune checkpoint blockers in patients with unresectable or metastatic thymic epithelial tumours: A meta-analysis

BackgroundFor patients with advanced thymic epithelial tumours (TET), there is no standard second-line treatment after platinum-based chemotherapy. Although immune checkpoint blockers (ICB) are a potential treatment strategy, their efficacy seems limited with an increased risk of immune-related adverse events (ir-AEs), thus hampering their application in daily clinical practice. MethodsWe performed a meta-analysis to better evaluate the existing evidence about the activity and safety of ICB in the setting of unresectable or metastatic advanced TET previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. ResultsSix phase I/II trials met the eligibility criteria including a total of 166 evaluable patients (77% thymic carcinoma, 23% thymoma) evaluable for activity after being treated with pembrolizumab, nivolumab, avelumab or atezolizumab. The overall response rate to ICB was 18.4% (95% CI: 12.3–26.5), and the one-year progression-free survival rate and one-year overall survival rate were 26.0% (95% CI: 19.6–34.6) and 66.9% (95% CI: 59.6–75.2%), respectively. The incidence of grade 3–5 ir-AEs was 26.4%, with 17.1% in thymic carcinoma and 58.3% in thymoma. ConclusionsDespite the absence of a robust demonstration of efficacy in the context of randomised trials, our results suggest ICB as a potential strategy in patients with pretreated TET, mainly among patients with thymic carcinoma. Close monitoring is strongly advised to detect severe immune-toxicity.

Comparison of Several Salvage Treatments of Relapsed/Refractory Large B-Cell Lymphoma Including Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who are ineligible for or failed autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) are known to have a grave prognosis. Several recommended treatments, including chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CART) by current guidelines, are available for this patient population, but identifying a better treatment remains elusive. We aimed to determine which study-level factors and a group of treatments affect clinical outcomes. Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify prospective phase II or III clinical studies evaluating the efficacy of treatments for ASCT-failed or ineligible R/R DLBCL. The MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases, as well as abstracts from international hematology congresses (ASH, ASCO, and EHA), were searched from inception to May 2022. Random effects models were utilized to estimate one-year progression-free survival rate, complete remission rate, and subgroup differences. Meta-regression models were performed with adjustment for relevant covariates, particularly the median number of previous lines of systemic therapy. CART was used as a reference treatment in meta-regression analysis. Results: Overall, 56 cohorts from 50 studies comprising 3,544 R/R DLBCL patients were included in the pooled analysis. Treatment regimens were divided into nine groups: CART, chemotherapy, lenalidomide-based therapy, ibrutinib-based therapy, tafasitamab-based therapy, polatuzumab plus bendamustine and rituximab (pola-BR), loncastuximab, selinexor, and others. Others mainly consisted of treatments not included in the guidelines. The pooled one-year progression-free survival rate was 0.40 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.35-0.46) for CART, 0.23 (95% CI 0.16-0.30) for chemotherapy, 0.28 (95% CI 0.19-0.37) for lenalidomide, 0.24 (95% CI 0.14-0.34) for ibrutinib, 0.46 (95% CI 0.37-0.56) for tafasitamab, 0.35(95% CI 0.27-0.43) for pola-BR, 0.26(95% CI 0.19-0.33) for loncastuximab, 0.21 (95% CI 0.15-0.29) for selinexor, and 0.16 (95% CI 0.10-0.21) for others (Figure A). CART was significantly better than others, chemotherapy, lenalidomide, selinexor, and ibrutinib, but loncastuximab, pola-BR, and tafasitamab were shown to have no significant different efficacy with CART, with adjustment for the median number of prior lines of treatment in meta-regression analysis (Table B). Conclusions: Despite the fact that distinct groups were pooled and analyzed, tafasitamab showed the trend of best efficacy in this patient group, and CART did not demonstrate better effectiveness over tafasitamab, loncastuximab and pola-BR. Due to the study's heterogeneity, randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these results. Figure 1View largeDownload PPTFigure 1View largeDownload PPT Close modal

Efficacy of Gemcitabine, Paclitaxel, and Oxaliplatin Protocol in the Treatment of Relapsed or Refractory Germ Cell Tumours.

To determine the survival endpoints and treatment-related adverse events after the use of the gemcitabine, paclitaxel, and oxaliplatin (GemPOx) protocol in relapsed/refractory germ cell tumours (GCTs) who had previously received multi-line systemic treatments including high-dose chemotherapy. Observational study. Clinic of Medical Oncology, Gulhane School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey, between January 2017 and August 2021. Clinical characteristics of adult patients with relapsed/refractory GCTs treated with the GemPOx protocol were recorded from the hospital's patient registry database. Patients without a medical record were not included in the study. Objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), one-year PFS rate, one-year OS rate, and treatment-related haematological side effects were determined after GemPOx. Fifty-three adult patients were included (47 of them were male). Seventy-eight percent had Stage 3 at initial diagnosis. Twenty-four percent of the patients received more than four lines of systemic chemotherapy. Ninety-six percent of the patients received high-dose chemotherapy prior to GemPOx. ORR, which is the sum of the complete and partial response rates, was 69.8%. PFS was determined as 8.5 ± 5.4 months. The one-year PFS rate was 30.3%. OS was 15.9 ± 10.6 months. The one-year OS rate was 72.6%. Febrile neutropenia was observed in 15.1% of the patients. In patients with relapsed/refractory GCTs receiving multi-line systemic chemotherapy, significant PFS and OS are achievable, and a manageable spectrum of haematological side effects is observed with GemPOx. Gemcitabine, Paclitaxel, Oxaliplatin, Germ cell tumour.

Genetic characterization of advanced conjunctival melanoma and response to systemic treatment

BackgroundConjunctival melanoma is a rare type of ocular melanoma, which is prone to local recurrence and metastasis and can lead to patient death. Novel therapeutic strategies have revolutionized cutaneous melanoma management. The efficacy of these therapies in conjunctival melanoma, however, has not been evaluated in larger patient cohorts. MethodsIn this multi-center retrospective cohort study with additional screening of the ADOREG database, data were collected from 34 patients with metastatic conjunctival melanoma who received targeted therapy (TT) (BRAF ± MEK inhibitors) or immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) (anti-PD-1 ± anti-CTLA4). In 15 cases, tissue was available for targeted next-generation-sequencing (611 genes) and RNA sequencing. Driver mutations, tumor mutational burden, copy number variations and inflammatory/IFNγ gene expression signatures were determined. ResultsGenetic characterization identified frequent BRAF (46.7%, 7/15), NRAS (26.7%, 4/15), NF1 (20%, 3/15), and TERT promoter (46.7%, 7/15) mutations. UV associated C>T and CC>TT mutations were common. Median follow-up time after start of first TT or ICI therapy was 13.2 months. In 26 patients receiving first-line ICI, estimated one-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 42.0%, PFS and overall survival (OS) 6.2 and 18.0 months, respectively. First-line TT was given to 8 patients, estimated one-year PFS rate was 54.7%, median PFS and OS 12.6 and 29.1 months, respectively. ConclusionsOur findings support the role of UV irradiation in conjunctival melanoma and the genetic similarity with cutaneous melanoma. Conjunctival melanoma patients with advanced disease benefit from both targeted therapies (BRAF ± MEK inhibitors) and immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Real-world study of chemotherapy plus immunotherapy versus chemotherapy alone as neoadjuvant treatment guided bladder-sparing therapy for localized muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

499 Background: Bladder-preserving combined-modality therapy has been a popular research field as an alternative to radical cystectomy for selected patients with localized muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). This real-world study aimed to compare the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus immunotherapy versus chemotherapy alone as one of bladder-sparing therapies for localized MIBC. Methods: Patients with cT2-4bN0-3M0-1a pathological and imaging diagnosed MIBC were included in the study. Either chemotherapy (gemcitabine and cisplatin/carboplatin) plus immunotherapy (PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor, including pembrolizumab，tislelizumab and toripalimab) or chemotherapy alone were given as patients’ wish. The primary endpoint was complete response rate (CR, T0/Ta/Tis), and the secondary endpoints were disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), bladder-intact disease-free survival (BI-DFS) and toxicity. Results: In total, 41 patients were included, 25 in combination group and 16 in chemotherapy group respectively. The baseline characteristics were well balanced in two groups. Median follow-up time was 15.3 ±4.4 months(m). No patient died. The efficacy evaluable population was consisted of 34 pts (22 in combination group; 12 in chemotherapy alone group). The CR rate for combination group was 50.0% and 0 for chemotherapy alone group. One patient suffered from disease progression in combination group and three in chemotherapy group. The DCRs for combination group and chemotherapy group were 95.5% and 66.7%, respectively ( p= 0.003). Twelve patients had radiotherapy and six patients had radical cystectomy followed by neoadjuvant treatments in combination group. And two patients had radiotherapy and three patients had radical cystectomy in chemotherapy group. The one-year PFS rates were 95.5% and 62.5% for combination group and chemotherapy group( p= 0.010), and the one-year BI-DFS were 66.1% versus 27.5% respectively( p= 0.159). The bladder-preserving combined-modality therapies used were well-tolerated with acceptable and manageable toxicities. Grade ¾ hematological system adverse events were 15.9% and 6.4% in combination group and chemotherapy group, respectively ( p= 0.021). Conclusions: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus immunotherapy showed better efficacy compared with chemotherapy alone as an important bladder-sparing therapy for locally advanced MIBC with acceptable and manageable toxicities.

Optimal application of stereotactic body radiotherapy and radiofrequency ablation treatment for different multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma lesions in patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage A4\u2013B1: a pilot study

BackgroundIn clinical practice, many hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients in Barcelona Clinical Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage A4–B1 cannot receive the curative treatments of liver transplantation, resection, and radiofrequency ablation (RFA), which are the recommended options according to liver cancer guidelines. Our aim is to study the feasibility of RFA and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) as a curative treatment for different multifocal HCCs in BCLC stage A4–B1 patients.MethodsFrom September 2014 to August 2019, 39 multifocal HCC lesions (median diameter: 16.6 mm) from 15 patients (median age: 73 years) were retrospectively selected. Among them, 23 were treated by RFA and the other 16 by SBRT because of predictable insufficiency and/or risk related to RFA performance. The indicators for evaluating this novel therapy were the tumor response, prognosis (recurrence and survival), and adverse effects (deterioration of laboratory test values and severe complications).ResultsThe median follow-up duration was 31.3 months (range: 15.1–71.9 months). The total patients with a one-year complete response, stable disease, or disease progression were 11, 1, and 3, respectively. In total, 8 and 2 patients had confronted intrahepatic or local recurrence, respectively. The one-year progression-free survival rate and local control rate were 80% (12/15 patients) and 97.4% (38/39 lesions), respectively. The median time to progression was 20.1 (2.8–45.1) months. The one- and two-year survival rates were 100 and 88.9%, respectively. In up to five months’ observation, no patient showed severe complications. Seven, four, and two patients had slight changes in their white blood cells, platelet count, or albumin–bilirubin grade, respectively.ConclusionsFor patients with BCLC stage A4–B1, RFA and SBRT treatment for different multifocal HCCs may be a potential option because of the favorable prognosis and safety. However, before its application in clinical practice, prospective, controlled, large-scale studies are needed to further confirm our conclusions.

Addition of Metformin to Concurrent Chemoradiation in Patients With Locally Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has relatively poor outcomes. Metformin has significant data supporting its use as an antineoplastic agent. To compare chemoradiation alone vs chemoradiation and metformin in stage III NSCLC. The NRG-LU001 randomized clinical trial was an open-label, phase 2 study conducted from August 24, 2014, to December 15, 2016. Patients without diabetes who were diagnosed with unresectable stage III NSCLC were stratified by performance status, histology, and stage. The setting was international and multi-institutional. This study examined prespecified endpoints, and data were analyzed on an intent-to-treat basis. Data were analyzed from February 25, 2019, to March 6, 2020. Chemoradiation and consolidation chemotherapy with or without metformin. The primary outcome was 1-year progression-free survival (PFS), designed to detect 15% improvement in 1-year PFS from 50% to 65% (hazard ratio [HR], 0.622). Secondary end points included overall survival, time to local-regional recurrence, time to distant metastasis, and toxicity per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.03. A total of 170 patients were enrolled, with 167 eligible patients analyzed after exclusions (median age, 64 years [interquartile range, 58-72 years]; 97 men [58.1%]; 137 White patients [82.0%]), with 81 in the control group and 86 in the metformin group. Median follow-up was 27.7 months (range, 0.03-47.21 months) among living patients. One-year PFS rates were 60.4% (95% CI, 48.5%-70.4%) in the control group and 51.3% (95% CI, 39.8%-61.7%) in the metformin group (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.77-1.73; P = .24). Clinical stage was the only factor significantly associated with PFS on multivariable analysis (HR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.19-2.69; P = .005). One-year overall survival was 80.2% (95% CI, 69.3%-87.6%) in the control group and 80.8% (95% CI, 70.2%-87.9%) in the metformin group. There were no significant differences in local-regional recurrence or distant metastasis at 1 or 2 years. No significant difference in adverse events was observed between treatment groups. In this randomized clinical trial, the addition of metformin to concurrent chemoradiation was well tolerated but did not improve survival among patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02186847.

RELAY Subgroup Analyses by EGFR Ex19del and Ex21L858R Mutations for Ramucirumab Plus Erlotinib in Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

In EGFR-mutated metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), outcomes from EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors have differed historically by mutation type present, with lower benefit reported in patients with ex21L858R versus ex19del mutations. We investigated if EGFR-activating mutation subtypes impact treatment outcomes in the phase III RELAY study. Associations between EGFR mutation type and preexisting co-occurring and treatment-emergent genetic alterations were also explored. Patients with metastatic NSCLC, an EGFR ex19del or ex21L858R mutation, and no central nervous system metastases were randomized (1:1) to erlotinib (150 mg/day) with either ramucirumab (10 mg/kg; RAM+ERL) or placebo (PBO+ERL), every 2 weeks, until RECIST v1.1-defined progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary and exploratory endpoints included overall response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR), PFS2, time-to-chemotherapy (TTCT), safety, and next-generation sequencing analyses. Patients with ex19del and ex21L858R mutations had similar clinical characteristics and comutational profiles. One-year PFS rates for ex19del patients were 74% for RAM+ERL versus 54% for PBO+ERL; for ex21L858R rates were 70% (RAM+ERL) versus 47% (PBO+ERL). Similar treatment benefits (ORR, DOR, PFS2, and TTCT) were observed in RAM+ERL-treated patients with ex19del and ex21L858R. Baseline TP53 comutation was associated with superior outcomes for RAM+ERL in both ex19del and ex21L858R subgroups. EGFR T790M mutation rate at progression was similar between treatment arms and by mutation type. RAM+ERL provided significant clinical benefit for both EGFR ex19del and ex21L858R NSCLC, supporting this regimen as suitable for patients with either of these EGFR mutation types.

Oncological outcomes of dose reductions in cisplatin due to renal dysfunction for patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma.

ObjectiveTo investigate whether dose reductions in cisplatin due to renal dysfunction were associated with worse clinical outcomes in metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) patients.Patients and methodsOne hundred and fifty one metastatic UC patients who received first‐line gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GC) salvage chemotherapy without a previous history of peri‐surgical chemotherapy were included in this retrospective study. Patients with endogenous creatinine clearance of 60 mL/min or more were treated with a full dose of cisplatin, while those with 45‐59 and 30‐44 mL/min were treated with 75% and 50% doses, respectively. Patients were divided into three groups based on the average administered dose of cisplatin of 100% (Group A, N = 43), 99%‐75% (Group B, N = 59), and less than 75% (Group C, N = 49), and therapeutic responses and the toxicity of GC were compared.ResultsComplete response rates were 9.3%, 13.6%, and 14.3% in groups A, B, and C, respectively. One‐year progression‐free survival rates were 22.9%, 31.1%, and 36.7% in groups A, B, and C with no significant differences. One‐year cancer‐specific survival rates were 56.1%, 71.1%, and 68.3% in groups A, B, and C with no significant differences. A multivariate Cox's regression analysis showed that the dose of cisplatin was not an independent prognostic factor for disease progression and cancer death. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in the incidence of severe adverse events.ConclusionsDose reductions in cisplatin due to renal dysfunction did not worsen clinical outcomes for metastatic UC.