Platinum-based Combination Chemotherapy Research Articles

MiR-195-5p inhibits cisplatin resistance in lung adenocarcinoma by regulating DNA damage via targeting E2F7.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) emerges as one of the most lethal malignant tumors worldwide. Platinum-based combination chemotherapy remains one of the main methods for patients with advanced LUAD. Due to the resistance, the effect of this chemotherapy was not satisfactory. Therefore, studying the mechanism of cisplatin (DDP) resistance is essential for promoting the effect of this therapeutic strategy. Therefore, this work sought to probe the impact of E2F Transcription Factor 7 (E2F7) on LUAD resistance and the molecular regulatory mechanism. The mRNA expression level of the target gene E2F7 in LUAD was predicted by bioinformatics analysis, and regulatory miRNA upstream of the target gene was identified. The mRNA and protein expression of E2F7 in LUAD cells was detected through quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot, respectively. The expression of miR-195-5p in LUAD cells was measured via qRT-PCR. E2F7 high and low expression groups underwent enrichment analysis by utilizing Gene Set Enrichment Analysis software. The targeting relationship of miR-195-5p and E2F7 was validated by conducting a dual-luciferase reporter assay. The cell viability was tested through cell counting kit-8. The cell cycle was examined by flow cytometry. DNA damage level was determined via Comet assay and Western blot assay. The findings indicated that the mRNA and protein levels of E2F7 were high in LUAD. MiR-195-5p was the regulatory miRNA upstream of E2F7, and lowly expressed in LUAD. The cell experiments suggested that E2F7 advanced the DDP resistance of LUAD cells by repressing DNA damage. Finally, the rescue assay manifested that miR-195-5p overexpression could abate inhibition of E2F7 overexpression on the DNA damage and the DDP sensitivity of LUAD cells. MiR-195-5p raised the DDP sensitivity of LUAD cells by advancing the DNA damage in LUAD cells via inhibition of E2F7.

Immune-Cell-Derived Exosomes as a Potential Novel Tool to Investigate Immune Responsiveness in SCLC Patients: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly invasive and rapidly proliferating lung tumor subtype. Most patients respond well to a combination of platinum-based chemotherapy and PD-1/PDL-1 inhibitors. Unfortunately, not all patients benefit from this treatment regimen, and few alternative therapies are available. In this scenario, the identification of new biomarkers and differential therapeutic strategies to improve tumor response becomes urgent. Here, we investigated the role of exosomes (EXs) released from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of SCLC patients in mediating the functional crosstalk between the immune system and tumors in response to treatments. In this study, we showed that PBMC-EXs from SCLC patients with different responses to chemoimmunotherapy showed different levels of immune (STING and MAVS) and EMT (Snail and c-Myc) markers. We demonstrated that PBMC-EXs derived from best responder (BR) patients were able to induce a significant increase in apoptosis in SCLC cell lines in vitro compared to PBMC-EXs derived from non-responder (NR) SCLC patients. PBMC-EXs were able to affect cell viability and modulate apoptotic markers, DNA damage and the replication stress pathway, as well as the occurrence of EMT. Our work provides proof of concept that PBMC-EXs can be used as a tool to study the crosstalk between cancer cells and immune cells and that PBMC-EXs exhibit an in vitro ability to promote cancer cell death and reduce tumor aggressiveness.

The metastatic and advanced upper tract urothelial carcinoma-a separate entity or bladder cancer's younger sibling?

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is acancer that is often already in an advanced stage at the time of initial diagnosis. Although urothelial carcinoma of the upper and lower urinary tracts both originate from the urothelium and have similar genetic alterations, there are significant differences in their distribution. In localized high-risk UTUC, radical nephroureterectomy is the gold standard therapy. In metastatic UTUC, major changes are emerging in sequential therapy due to the investigation of new classes of drugs. In addition to platinum-based combination chemotherapy and immunotherapy, new substances such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and FGFR inhibitors are used.

Real-World Experience of First-Line Osimertinib in EGFR Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers from a Tertiary Cancer Center, India

Osimertinib is approved in the first line in patients with mutations in the sensitive gene epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation. There is lack of real-world evidence to illustrate the effectiveness and safety of osimertinib that can reflect the current medical practice especially in resource-constrained setting. A total of 129 patients with histology-proven metastatic non-small cell lung cancer with EGFR mutation registered at Tata Memorial Hospital between from March 2018 and May 2023 were analyzed. The parameters studied included demographics, outcomes, safety analysis, and secondary mutations. Most common EGFR mutation was exon 19 deletion 58.9% followed by EGFR exon 21 L858R 39.5% and others 1.5%. The overall median progression-free survival was 21.9 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 16.0–58.1) and median overall survival was 31 months (95% CI: 17.8–45). The median duration of response was 21.3 months (95% CI: 17.1–25.5). Of 129 patients, 77.5% had partial response (PR), 10.1% had stable disease (SD), and 6.2% patients had progressive disease (PD) as the first best response with overall disease control rate was 87.2%. In patients with baseline central nervous system disease, 8.9% had complete response, 75.5% had PR and 8.9% had SD, and 2.2% had PD as best response. The overall intracranial response rate was 84.4% and disease control was 93.3%. Skin toxicities (27.1%) and gastrointestinal toxicities (17%) were most frequently observed toxicities. Overall, 63 patients had progression of disease on osimertinib. Subsequently, 58.7% (n = 37) patients received second line of therapy and 27% (n = 17) patients received third line of therapy. Platinum-based combination chemotherapy was the most common subsequent treatment after progression on osimertinib. Repeat biopsy was done in 33 patients (52.3%) and next-generation sequencing was done in 30 patients (47.6%). The most common resistance alteration detected was TP53 in 30% cases followed by mesenchymal epithelial transition (MET) amplification which was seen in 20% cases. Our study confirms similar efficacy and safety of osimertinib as first-line treatment of mutated non-small cell lung cancer in real-world setting irrespective of the type of common EGFR mutation and similar intracranial activity as well.

Comparison of platinum combination chemotherapy plus pembrolizumab versus platinum combination chemotherapy plus nivolumab–ipilimumab for treatment-naive advanced non-small-cell lung cancer in Japan (JCOG2007): an open-label, multicentre, randomised, phase 3 trial

The combination of platinum-based chemotherapy and an antibody to PD-1 or to its ligand PD-L1, with or without an antibody to CTLA-4, has improved the survival of individuals with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, no randomised controlled trial has evaluated the survival benefit of adding a CTLA-4 inhibitor to platinum-based chemotherapy plus a PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitor. This open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial was conducted at 48 hospitals in Japan. Eligible patients were aged 20 years or older with previously untreated advanced NSCLC and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1. Patients with known driver oncogenes were excluded. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive platinum-based chemotherapy (four cycles) plus pembrolizumab (pembrolizumab group) or platinum-based chemotherapy (two cycles) plus nivolumab-ipilimumab (nivolumab-ipilimumab group). The primary endpoint was overall survival and assessed in all randomly assigned patients on an intention-to-treat basis. The trial is registered in the Japan Registry for Clinical Trials, jRCTs031210013, and is now closed to new enrolment and is ongoing. Between patient accrual initiation on April 6, 2021, and discontinuation of the trial on March 30, 2023, 11 (7%) of 148 patients in the nivolumab-ipilimumab group had a treatment-related death. Because of the high number of treatment-related deaths, patient accrual was terminated early, resulting in 295 patients (236 [80%] male and 59 [20%] female) enrolled; the primary analysis was done on the basis of 117 deaths (fewer than the required 329 deaths). By May 25, 2023 (data cutoff), overall survival did not differ significantly between the nivolumab-ipilimumab group and the pembrolizumab group (median 23·7 months [95% CI 17·6-not estimable] vs 20·5 months [17·6-not estimable], respectively; hazard ratio 0·98 [90% CI 0·72-1·34]; p=0·46). Non-haematological adverse events of grade 3 or worse occurred in 87 (60%) of 146 patients in the nivolumab-ipilimumab group and 59 (41%) of 144 patients in the pembrolizumab group. The pembrolizumab group tended to have a better quality of life compared with the nivolumab-ipilimumab group. The safety and efficacy data suggest an unfavourable benefit-risk profile for nivolumab-ipilimumab combined with platinum-based chemotherapy relative to pembrolizumab combined with platinum-based chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for patients with advanced NSCLC, although a definitive conclusion awaits an updated analysis of overall survival. The National Cancer Center Research and Development Fund and Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development.

Conventional versus high-dose salvage chemotherapy for relapsed testicular germ cell tumours

Since the introduction of cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy, patients with metastatic germ cell tumours achieve very high cure rates of >80%. Nevertheless, about 30% of patients relapse despite guideline-endorsed first-line treatment. Of these, again about 50% of patients can still achieve cure with platinum-based salvage chemotherapy and eventually post-chemotherapy residual mass resection.Salvage chemotherapy generally involves platinum-based combination chemotherapy, either as conventional dose cisplatin-based combinations again or as high-dose chemotherapy with subsequent autologous stem cell transplantation.To date, high level evidence from randomised trials supporting the use of salvage high-dose chemotherapy for all patients relapsing after first-line treatment remains lacking, but a large international retrospective registry study had shown a 15% overall survival benefit for patients undergoing salvage high-dose chemotherapy.In this article, we summarise the available literature on the different salvage treatment approaches and discuss these in the light of current treatment guideline recommendations for the management of testicular cancer.

Current developments in small cell lung cancer

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC), often associated with smoking, is characterized by its aggressive biology and potential for early metastasis. It accounts for approximately 15% of all lung cancer patients. The combination of platinum-based chemotherapy and etoposide has been used for many years in the treatment of SCLC. The prognosis for patients with SCLC who are treated as a single group is still quite poor. Recent research has provided a new perspective on the biology of SCLC. A survival benefit has been demonstrated by adding immune checkpoint inhibitors to chemotherapy in patients with extensive stage SCLC. The study of the molecular, biological, and immunological properties of the heterogeneous structure of SCLC is a promising area of research for the future. Identification of distinct gene expression profiles (ASCL1, NEUROD1, POU2F3, and YAP1) of SCLC patients may form the basis of the most effective and individualized therapeutic treatments in disease management. More research is needed to identify SCLC subtypes and develop effective treatments for this group of patients who have a poor prognosis.

Advances in precision therapy of low-grade serous ovarian cancer: A review.

Low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGSOC) is a rare subtype of ovarian cancer that accounts for approximately 6% to 10% of serous ovarian cancers. The clinical treatment of LGSOC is similar to that of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, however, its clinical and molecular characteristics are different from those of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. This article reviews the research on gene diagnosis, surgical treatment, chemotherapy, and biological therapy of LGSOC, providing reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment of LGSOC. Surgery is the cornerstone of LGSOC treatment and maximum effort must be made to achieve R0 removal. Although LGSOC is not sensitive to chemotherapy, postoperative platinum-based combination chemotherapy remains the first-line treatment option for LGSOC. Additional clinical trials are needed to confirm the clinical benefits of chemotherapy and explore new chemotherapy protocols. Hormone and targeted therapies may also play important roles. Some patients, particularly those with residual lesions after treatment, may benefit from hormone maintenance therapy after chemotherapy. Targeted therapies, such as MEKi, show good application prospects and are expected to change the treatment pattern of LGSOC. Continuing to further study the genomics of LGSOC, identify its specific gene changes, and combine traditional treatment methods with precision targeted therapy based on second-generation sequencing may be the direction for LGSOC to overcome the treatment bottleneck. In future clinical work, comprehensive genetic testing should be carried out for LGSOC patients to accumulate data for future scientific research, in order to find more effective methods and drugs for the treatment of LGSOC.

Metabolic Tumor Volume as Significant Predictor for Chemotherapy Containing PD-L1 Blocker in Extensive Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Chemo-immunotherapy, including the programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibody, is an effective treatment for patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). However, no biomarker has been established for the prediction of chemo-immunotherapy. Therefore, we investigated the potential of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) as a predictive marker. Forty-six patients with ES-SCLC who received 18F-FDG-PET immediately before combined platinum-based chemotherapy with PD-L1 blockade as a first-line treatment were eligible, and the maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) on 18F-FDG uptake were evaluated. PD-L1 and tumor infiltrative lymphocytes (TILs) were immunohistochemically analyzed in 36 of the 46 patients. A high MTV was significantly associated with poor performance status and low albumin levels, and there was a significant association between low albumin and high TLG. Univariate analysis identified sex, Brinkman index, and MTV as significant predictors of progression-free survival (PFS), and sex, SUVmax, MTV, and TLG as significant factors of overall survival (OS). Multivariate analysis revealed that sex, Brinkman index, and MTV were independent prognostic factors for PFS, and sex, SUVmax, MTV, and TLG were significant predictors of OS. SUVmax was significantly higher in patients with positive PD-L1 expression than in those with negative expression but was not significantly different between positive and negative TILs. Moreover, the levels of MTV and TLG were not closely associated with the levels of PD-L1 and TILs. MTV or TLG metabolic tumor activity is suitable for the prediction of chemo-immunotherapy outcomes in patients with ES-SCLC.

Primary results of the AGO-Zervix-1 Study: A prospective, randomized phase III study to compare the effects of paclitaxel and topotecan with those of cisplatin and topotecan in the treatment of patients with recurrent and persistent cervical cancer

BackgroundBefore the era of immunotherapies and antibody–drug conjugates, there were limited chemotherapeutic options for patients with recurrent and metastatic cervical cancer. Combination therapies with cisplatin have shown some superiority over monotherapy. This study examined platinum-free treatment regimens, comparing a combination of topotecan and paclitaxel (TP) with topotecan and cisplatin (TC) in patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer, with or without prior platinum-based treatment. MethodsThe AGO-Zervix-1 Study (NCT01405235) is a prospective, randomized phase III study in which patients were randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio to treatment within the control arm with topotecan (0.75 mg/m2) on days 1–3 and cisplatin (50 mg/m2) on day 1 every 3 weeks and in the study arm topotecan (1.75 mg/m2) and paclitaxel (70 mg/m2) on days 1, 8, and 15 every 4 weeks or treatment. The primary study aim was overall survival; progression-free survival, toxicity, and quality of life were secondary aims. The interim and final analysis is here reported after recruitment of 173 of 312 planned patients. ResultsMedian overall survival in the TP arm was 9.6 months, compared with 12.0 months in the TC arm (log-rank test, P = 0.33). Median progression-free survival rates were 4.4 months with TP and 4.2 months with TC (log-rank test, P = 0.47). Leukopenia and nausea/vomiting were more frequent in the cisplatin-containing arm. Otherwise, toxicity profiles were comparable. There were no differences in FACT-G–assessed quality of life. ConclusionPlatinum-based combination chemotherapy remains the standard of care chemotherapy regimen for patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer.

Secondary cytoreductive surgery followed by olaparib tablets as maintenance therapy in patients with BRCA mutated recurrent ovarian cancer: A multi-center retrospective study

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of secondary cytoreductive surgery (SeCRS) followed by platinum-based chemotherapy (PBC) and olaparib tablets as maintenance therapy in patients with BRCA mutated recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer. MethodsThis was a retrospective study of a prospective database. We collected information on 623 patients diagnosed with BRCA mutated recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer, all of whom underwent SeCRS followed by PBC in combination with or without olaparib. Overall survival and progression-free survival were measured to evaluate treatment effectiveness. ResultsOf the 623 patients recruited, 240 underwent SeCRS plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy followed by PBC and olaparib maintenance therapy (Group A), 248 underwent SeCRS followed by PBC and olaparib maintenance therapy (Group B), and 135 underwent SeCRS followed by PBC only upon recurrence (Group C). The median progression-free survival for Group A was significantly longer than that for Group B (32.5 vs. 24.2 months, P<0.001), and Group B was significantly longer than Group C (24.2 vs. 15.1 months, P<0.001). The median overall survival for Groups A was significantly longer than that for Group B (71.4 vs. 63.5 months, P<0.001), and Group B was significantly longer than Group C (63.5 vs. 47.5 months, P<0.001). ConclusionsThis study suggested that SeCRS followed by PBC and olaparib maintenance therapy resulted in longer overall survival and progression-free survival than SeCRS followed by PBC only in patients with BRCA mutated recurrent ovarian cancer, especially in patients treated with SeCRS plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Real-World Evidence of Hetrombopag for Cancer Therapy-Induced Thrombocytopenia Among Patients with Gynecologic Malignancies

Background: Despite the widespread use of platinum-based combination chemotherapy, particularly when complemented with taxanes, for the treatment of gynecologic malignancies, its administration often results in myelosuppression. This effect can be potentiated across cumulative chemotherapy cycles, thereby inducing a more persistent condition known as cancer therapy-induced thrombocytopenia (CTIT). Traditionally, preferred treatments for CTIT entail platelet transfusion or the use of recombinant human thrombopoietin (rhTPO), or recombinant human interleukin-11 (rhIL-11). However, the efficacy of platelet transfusion tends to decrease with repetitive administration, and it carries inherent risks of infectious diseases. Additionally, rhIL-11 may induce severe hypersensitivity reactions, necessitating permanent discontinuation of the drug. Emerging as an appealing alternative, thrombopoietin-receptor agonists (TPO-RAs) present a promising approach for CTIT treatment. Among these, hetrombopag, an orally administered small-molecule TPO-RA, has demonstrated notable platelet-boosting effects and a favorable safety profile not only in patients with immune thrombocytopenia and severe aplastic anemia but also in those suffering from persistent CTIT. This study aims to appraise the real-world effectiveness and safety of hetrombopag, administered either alone or in conjunction with other platelet-boosting agents, for the management of CTIT in patients diagnosed with gynecologic malignancies. Methods: In this retrospective study conducted from January 2022 to June 2023, we examined the role of hetrombopag in treating CTIT among patients with gynecologic malignancies. The patients, aged 18 years and above, had experienced thrombocytopenia (platelet counts&amp;lt;100×10 9/L) following platinum-based chemotherapy or other antitumor treatments and subsequently received hetrombopag either as monotherapy or in combination with other platelet-boosting agents, such as rhTPO or rhIL-11. The primary outcome was platelet response within 14 days, denoted by a recovery in platelet counts to ≥100×10 9/L or an increase of ≥50×10 9/L or at least double from the baseline. Results: This study comprised 38 patients, with 55.3% diagnosed with ovarian cancer, 36.8% with cervical cancer, 5.3% with endometrial cancer, and 2.6% with other types. The median age was 58 years, with the majority (73.7%) at clinical stages III/IV. As for the antitumor regimens, 89.5% incorporated platinum, 68.4% included taxanes, 26.3% used antiangiogenic agents, and 15.8% employed PD-1 inhibitors. Among the patients, 15.8% received hetrombopag 2.5 mg/day monotherapy, while the remainder received hetrombopag in combination with rhTPO or rhIL-11. Baseline platelet counts prior to hetrombopag therapy averaged 46.5±24.9×10 9/L. Encouragingly, the 14-day platelet response rate was 71.1%, with a median time to response of 10 days (95% confidence interval, 5-14). Following treatment with hetrombopag, patients exhibited a gradual increase in platelet levels, recording mean platelet counts of 48.7, 67.1, 95.5, 108.5, 146.5, and 131.9×10 9/L on days 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 14 respectively. Importantly, hetrombopag was well-tolerated, with no treatment-related adverse events observed during the treatment course. Conclusion: In conclusion, our findings suggest hetrombopag, either alone or in combination with other therapies, displays preliminary effectiveness and safety in treating CTIT. Given its convenient oral administration and promising platelet-boosting effects observed in this study, prospective investigations of hetrombopag monotherapy for CTIT in gynecologic malignancies are warranted.

Immunotherapy for advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC): rational and current evidence.

Combination platinum-based chemotherapy has been the standard of care for several decades in first-line treatment of advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC) patients. UC is often chemosensitive, though durable responses are quite rare and the development of chemoresistance still leads to poor clinical outcomes. Up until a few years ago, UC patients could not benefit from any valuable alternatives to cytotoxic chemotherapy, but the scenario has been recently transformed by the advent of immunotherapy. Molecular biology of UC is characterised by a relatively high prevalence of alterations in DNA damage response pathway, genomic instability, high tumour burden, and elevated programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) protein expression, which are established factors predicting favourable response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in several tumour types. To date, various ICIs have been approved as systemic anti-cancer therapy for advanced UC in multiple settings, including first-line, maintenance, and second-line therapy. ICIs are also in development either as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy or other targeted agents. Moreover, a number of alternative ICIs, interleukins, and novel immune molecules have been identified as promising agents in advanced UC. Herein, we review rational and current literature evidence supporting the clinical development and current indications of immunotherapy, particularly focusing on ICIs.

Extragonadal Germ Cell Tumors: A Single Institution Experience with Clinicopathological Correlation.

Background. Extragonadal germ cell tumors (EGCTs) are a rare heterogeneous group of tumors without evidence of primary gonadal germ cell tumors. They account for 2%-5% of overall malignancies. EGCTs are often not clinically suspected, making them challenging for pathologists. In this retrospective observational study, we describe our institutional experience among EGCTs with clinicopathological correlation. Materials and methods. All patients diagnosed as EGCTs from January 2014 to April 2023 were collected. All relevant clinical data and serum markers were retrieved from hospital medical records. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry slides were reviewed. Results. The present study included a total of 56 patients; 34 (60%) men and 22 (40%) women with a men-to-women ratio of 1.5:1. Of them, 1 patient had congenital/neonatal EGCTs, 21 patients had prepubertal EGCTs, and 34 had post-pubertal EGCTs. The common sites included are mediastinum (45%), sacrococcyx (18%), retroperitoneum (14%), and central nervous system (12%). The other rare sites were the vagina, liver, colon, and duodenum. The common germ cell tumor included mature teratoma (34%), mixed germ cell tumor (27%), seminoma/germinoma (12%), pure yolk sac tumor (11%), immature teratoma (9%), mature teratoma with somatic tumor (5%), and embryonal carcinoma (2%). All histological diagnoses of germ cell tumors were confirmed with IHC markers like PLAP, CD117 (KIT), AFP, LIN28, CD30, and β-hCG. Pre and posttreatment serum tumor marker levels were available in 37 patients. All our treated patients had a decrease or normal tumor marker levels post-therapy. Conclusion. In our study, a heterogeneous group of germ cell tumors was seen. Most of them were seen in post-pubertal adolescents and young adults. Early intervention by platinum-based combination chemotherapy in seminoma and nonseminomatous germ cell tumors has significantly improved the prognosis of malignant EGCTs similar to their germ cell counterparts.

CRTAC1 enhances the chemosensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer to cisplatin by eliciting RyR-mediated calcium release and inhibiting Akt1 expression

Sensitivity to platinum-based combination chemotherapy is associated with a favorable prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, our results obtained from analyses of the Gene Expression Omnibus database of NSCLC patients showed that cartilage acidic protein 1 (CRTAC1) plays a role in the response to platinum-based chemotherapy. Overexpression of CRTAC1 increased sensitivity to cisplatin in vitro, whereas knockdown of CRTAC1 decreased chemosensitivity of NSCLC cells. In vivo mouse experiments showed that CRTAC1 overexpression increased the antitumor effects of cisplatin. CRTAC1 overexpression promoted NFAT transcriptional activation by increasing intracellular Ca2+ levels, thereby inducing its regulated STUB1 mRNA transcription and protein expression, accelerating Akt1 protein degradation and, in turn, enhancing cisplatin-induced apoptosis. Taken together, the present results indicate that CRTAC1 overexpression increases the chemosensitivity of NSCLC to cisplatin treatment by inducing Ca2+-dependent Akt1 degradation and apoptosis, suggesting the potential of CRTAC1 as a biomarker for predicting cisplatin chemosensitivity. Our results further reveal that modulating the expression of CRTAC1 could be a new strategy for increasing the efficacy of cisplatin in chemotherapy of NSCLC patients.

Clinicogenomic factors and treatment patterns among patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer with or without brain metastases in the United States.

This retrospective, real-world study evaluated the prevalence of brain metastases, clinicodemographic characteristics, systemic treatments, and factors associated with overall survival among patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC) in the US. We also described the genomic characterization of 180 brain metastatic specimens and frequency of clinically actionable genes. De-identified electronic health records-derived data of adult patients diagnosed with aNSCLC between 2011 and 2017 were analyzed from a US-nationwide clinicogenomic database. Of 3257 adult patients with aNSCLC included in the study, approximately 31% (n = 1018) had brain metastases. Of these 1018 patients, 71% (n = 726) were diagnosed with brain metastases at initial NSCLC diagnosis; 57% (n = 583) of patients with brain metastases received systemic treatment. Platinum-based chemotherapy combinations were the most common first-line therapy; single-agent chemotherapies, epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and platinum-based chemotherapy combinations were used in second line. Patients with brain metastases had a 1.56 times greater risk of death versus those with no brain metastases. In the brain metastatic specimens (n = 180), a high frequency of genomic alterations in the p53, MAPK, PI3K, mTOR, and cell-cycle associated pathways was observed. The frequency of brain metastases at initial clinical presentation and associated poor prognosis for patients in this cohort underscores the importance of early screening for brain metastasis in NSCLC. Genomic alterations frequently identified in this study emphasize the continued need for genomic research and investigation of targeted therapies in patients with brain metastases.

Survival in patients with cancer of unknown primary site (CUP): Mayo Clinic experience.

e18802 Background: CUP is a rare cancer with an incidence of 7–12 cases per 100,000/year. CUP is defined as metastatic cancer with no identifiable primary tumor despite comprehensive evaluation. Despite its heterogeneous clinicopathological presentation, the treatment of CUP has primarily been with platinum-based combination chemotherapies but results are poor and survival is short. Here, we describe survival outcomes in real-world dataset of patients with CUP seen at a tertiary referral center. Methods: Retrospective study of patients treated at Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN, from 2010 to 2021. Survival probabilities were estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method. We used Cox proportional hazard regression with forward modeling to explore the association between each variable and death. Overall survival (OS) analysis was conducted in the entire cohort, and it was stratified by histological subtype. For the hypothesis test, we considered p &lt; 0.05 to be statistically significant; all tests were two-sided. All data were analyzed by the SPSS version 22.0 software (SPSS, Chicago, IL, United States). Results: From a total of 214 patients, 198 patients were included in the survival analysis. The patients were predominantly white (87%), female (50.2%), with a mean age of 63 (SD: 13) without history of smoking (51%). The predominant histology was adenocarcinoma (30%), followed by neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN) (27%), carcinoma NOS (25%), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (10%) and non-classifiable tumors (7%). The median follow-up time was 23 months, and medial OS was 23 months in the entire cohort. OS by histology was as follows: 51 months for NEN, 34 months for SCC, 18 months for carcinomas NOS and 11 months for adenocarcinomas (p &lt; 0.001) (fig.1). Similar OS trends were observed when we restricted the analysis to poorly differentiated tumors. The 3- and 5-year cumulative survival by histology were as follows: 7% and 0% for adenocarcinoma, 25% and 8% for carcinoma NOS, 39% and 17% for SCC, and 56% and 22% for NEN. In Cox regression models we did not identify any prognostic factors among patients with adenocarcinoma. Conclusions: Patients with adenocarcinoma of unknown primary possess a considerable challenge and the OS is short. CUP of other histologies have higher OS. This study highlights the need of accurate tumor identification and better treatment, perhaps as a multiomics therapeutic approach.

KontRASt-02: A phase III trial investigating the efficacy and safety of the KRASG12C inhibitor JDQ443 vs docetaxel in patients with previously treated, locally advanced or metastatic, KRAS G12C-mutated NSCLC.

TPS9144 Background: Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog ( KRAS) is the most frequent mutated oncogene in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). KRAS G12C is the most common KRAS variant, present in ~13% of patients (pts) with non-squamous NSCLC. KRAS G12C mutations cause the accumulation of active, GTP-bound KRAS, which leads to activation of downstream pathways involved in cell proliferation and invasiveness. JDQ443 is a potent, structurally novel, selective KRASG12C inhibitor that irreversibly traps KRASG12C in its inactive, GDP-bound form. Data from the JDQ443 monotherapy arm of the first-in-human KontRASt-01 study demonstrated encouraging anti-tumor activity and an acceptable safety profile of JDQ443 in pts with previously treated, KRAS G12C-mutated, advanced NSCLC. For pts with advanced NSCLC who progress following first-line immunotherapy or doublet platinum-based chemotherapy, single agent docetaxel remains a standard option, although it presents modest activity and is generally poorly tolerated. In this context, alternative treatment options are needed to improve pt outcomes. Methods: KontRASt-02 (NCT05132075) is a global, Phase III, open-label, randomized, multicenter study evaluating JDQ443 as a monotherapy in comparison to docetaxel in pts with KRAS G12C-mutated, advanced NSCLC previously treated with PD-(L)1 inhibitors and platinum-based chemotherapy (either in combination or as sequential treatments). Approximately 360 pts stratified by ECOG performance status (0 vs 1 and 2) and prior therapy (platinum-based chemotherapy and immunotherapy combined vs sequential) will be randomized at 1:1 to receive 200 mg oral JDQ443 twice daily continuously or 75 mg/m2 intravenous docetaxel once every 21 days. The primary endpoint of this study is progression-free survival (PFS) per Blinded Independent Review Committee (BIRC) according to RECIST version 1.1. The key secondary endpoint is overall survival (OS); other secondary endpoints include objective response rate, disease control rate, time to response, duration of response, PFS on subsequent therapy, safety of JDQ443 monotherapy, pt-reported outcomes, pharmacokinetics, time to deterioration of ECOG performance status, and safety in pts who crossover from docetaxel to JDQ443. Exploratory objectives include biomarker analyses aimed at investigating predictors of responsiveness to JDQ443. Pts randomized to docetaxel will be allowed to crossover to JDQ443 following confirmed disease progression per BIRC. To allow more pts to be treated with JDQ443, crossover will also be offered to all patients on docetaxel if the primary endpoint (PFS) is met. Treatment beyond progression will be allowed for pts receiving JDQ443 according to investigator judgement. The KontRASt-02 study is currently enrolling pts. Clinical trial information: NCT05132075 .

Preliminary efficacy and safety of camrelizumab plus metronomic oral vinorelbine as first-line therapy for people aged 70 and above with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from a phase II trial.

e14677 Background: Traditional platinum-based combination chemotherapy used as the standard first‐line treatment for advanced NSCLC poses potential safety risk for patients (pts) aged 70 years and above. Moreover, data on immune checkpoint inhibitors treating older pts with lung cancer in the current pivotal trials is limited. Metronomic chemotherapy (MCT) is the frequent administration of chemotherapy drugs at lower doses each time. Compared with traditional chemotherapy, MCT shows better safety profile and antitumor angiogenesis and immunomodulatory effects. Camrelizumab, an anti-PD-1 inhibitor, demonstrated encouraging efficacy in NSCLC (CameL study and CameL-sq study). Here, we designed a phase II trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of camrelizumab plus metronomic oral vinorelbine (mOV) as first-line therapy for Chinese older pts with advanced NSCLC. Methods: Key inclusion factors were pts aged 70 years and above, histologically or cytologically confirmed unresectable stage III and IV NSCLC without positive EGFR mutation, ALK fusions or ROS1 fusions, ECOG performance status 0-2, no previous systematic treatment. Pts received camrelizumab (200mg, D1, q3w) combined with mOV (30mg, tiw1, day 1-3-5 per week) for 6 cycles, followed by camrelizumab monotherapy maintenance until disease progression or intolerable side effects. The primary endpoint was progression free survival (PFS). The secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), duration of response (DoR) and safety. Results: From March 2021 to November 2022, 12 pts were evaluable for inclusion in the study. The median age was 77 (range: 70-85) with 8 (67%) males. Median follow-up was 7.2 months (range 2.8 months-22.1 months). The median PFS was 9.3 months (95%CI: 3.9 months-14.7 months). The one-year OS rate was 66.3%. The ORR and DCR were 50% (95%CI: 25.4%-74.6%) and 83.3% (95%CI: 50.9%-90.1%), respectively. Pts with positive or negative PD-L1 responded similarly to the treatment (respectively at 5/8 and 1/2 on ORR). The median OS and DoR have not been reached. Adverse events (AEs) with any grade were observed in 10 (83.3%) pts, of which grade III-IV AEs were observed in 2 (16.7%) pts with neutropenia and interstitial pneumonia, respectively. Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) occurred in 3 (25%) pts, of which grade III-IV irAEs occurred in one (8.3%) patient with interstitial pneumonia. No grade 5 adverse event happened. Conclusions: The regimen of camrelizumab plus mOV for the first-line therapy for older NSCLC pts showed initial promising efficacy and safety profile, which suggests it is worth further exploration. Clinical trial information: ChiCTR2100049487 .

Efficacy of avelumab in the treatment of oncourological malignances. Results of registration studies and own experience

Background. In the JAVELIN Bladder 100 trial, 1st line maintenance with avelumab in combination with best supportive care significantly increased (9.2 months) overall survival compared to best supportive care in patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer without progression after 1st line platinum-based chemotherapy: 29.7 months versus 20.5 months, respectively. Trial results led to inclusion of avelumab into the international guidelines as a standard of care with the highest level of evidence. Combined therapy with avelumab + axitinib in patients with previously untreated metastatic renal cell carcinoma showed higher progression-free survival and objective response rate compared to sunitinib in all IMDC (International Metastatic Renal Cancer Database Consortium) groups. Avelumab + axitinib is one of the immuno-oncology combinations with proven effectiveness for progression-free survival and objective response rate.Aim. To evaluate the effectiveness of avelumab in treatment of oncological urological diseases in routine clinical practice. Materials and methods. At the N.A. Lopatkin Scientific Research Institute of Urology and Interventional Radiology - branch of the National Medical Research Radiology Center, 12 patients with locally advanced inoperable and metastatic urothelial cancer without progression after 1st line platinum-based chemotherapy in combination with gemcitabine received maintenance avelumab therapy. Median follow-up was 10 months. Primary endpoints were overall survival from the start of avelumab maintenance therapy and safety.Combined therapy with avelumab + axitinib was administered in 18 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Median follow-up was 9 (3-16) months. Overall survival, progression-free survival, response rate and safety in the overall population and according to IMDC groups were evaluated.Results. At data cut-off (March 2023) with median follow-up of 10 months, overall survival was 100 %, progression-free survival was 66.7 % (among patients who received more than 3 infusions - 100 %). Progression-free survival was higher in patients with tumors of the lower urinary tract compared to upper (72.5 % versus 60 %), complete response to induction platinum-based chemotherapy compared to partial response and stable disease (100 % versus 66.7 %) and presence of metastases in the lymph nodes only compared to visceral and bone metastases (100 % versus 66.7 %). Adverse events were observed in 4 (66.7 %) patients.Among 18 patients who received avelumab + axitinib, complete response was observed in 2 (11.1 %) patients, partial response in 6 (33.3 %) patients, stable disease in 9 (50 %) patients, disease progression in 1 (5.6 %) patient. Response to therapy was observed in patients of all prognosis groups; for large (&gt;5 cm) metastases in the lungs, soft tissues, lymph nodes and bones response was observed 3 months after treatment start. Overall survival for this follow-up duration was 100 %, progression-free survival was 96.4 ± 11.2 %. Adverse events were observed in 8 (44.4 %) patients, and in 6 (75 %) of them they were grade I—II and did not require infusion regimen correction or axitinib dose reduction.Conclusion. Avelumab maintenance therapy in the 1st line is the standard of care for patients with locally advanced and metastatic urothelial cancer without disease progression during 1st line platinum-based chemotherapy. Maintenance therapy allows to achieve better overall survival and progression-free survival irrespective of the choice of platinum regimen (cisplatin or carboplatin), response to platinum-based chemotherapy, number of chemotherapy cycles, tumor localization and advancement.Experience of the N.A. Lopatkin Scientific Research Institute of Urology and Interventional Radiology confirms results of the JAVELIN Bladder 100 trial on the effectiveness of avelumab maintenance therapy in routine clinical practice. Combination drug therapy with avelumab and axitinib in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma is an effective and safe treatment method which allows to achieve fast objective response and has good tolerability in patients irrespective of IMDC group or metastasis location. Effectiveness and favorable safety profile of avelumab + axitinib combination were proven in the context of routine clinical practice.