Platinum Doublet Chemotherapy Research Articles

Abstract 748: Genomic characterization of recurrent small cell lung cancer through research autopsy reveals clonal diversity and candidate driver of chemoresistance

Abstract Genomic characterization of recurrent small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is needed to dissect the molecular mechanisms of relapse, metastatic dissemination, and chemoresistance. SCLC is a highly aggressive, lethal neuroendocrine cancer arising from the bronchial epithelium that develops in heavy smokers. Although many SCLC patients demonstrate sensitivity to first-line platinum-doublet chemotherapy, the response is short-lived and nearly all patients progress during therapy or relapse within several months of completing treatment. Treatment options beyond first-line chemotherapy are limited and ineffective. Metastatic SCLC has a poor prognosis and is associated with a 5-year overall survival rate of 5-10%. A well-characterized genetic hallmark of SCLC is the concurrent inactivation of tumor suppressor genes TP53 and RB1. Additional SCLC candidate driver genes have been reported and include CREBBP, MLL, NOTCH1-4, SOX2 and MYC. However, most SCLC tumors profiled in these studies were obtained from treatment-naïve patients. Therefore, genomic alterations that are acquired during therapy and drive the development of chemoresistance in recurrent SCLC remain undefined. We present results from whole exome sequencing (WES) of multiple metastatic tumors procured from five treatment-refractory SCLC patients who underwent research autopsy. WES was also performed on pre-treatment samples from three of these patients. Our results showed universal TP53 alterations and to a lesser extent RB1 mutations in our SCLC cohort. Next, we utilized bioinformatics methods to analyze clonal heterogeneity and evolution in these SCLC patients. This analysis demonstrated the existence of multiple clones of tumor cells in both the pre-treatment and treatment-resistant autopsy SCLC samples, suggesting that tumor heterogeneity occurs early in SCLC development and is subsequently maintained. Furthermore, allele-specific analysis of copy number variations in our SCLC cohort demonstrated near universal deletion of a region on chromosome 5q containing the tumor suppressor APC, consistent with a recently reported role for deregulated WNT signaling in chemoresistance development in relapsed SCLC. Finally, in one SCLC patient, we identified PTEN deletion (loss of heterozygosity) as a potential mechanism of metastasis specifically to the brain. In conclusion, we have performed genomic characterization of recurrent SCLC, defined by significant clonal diversity, through research autopsy and identified candidate genetic drivers of treatment resistance and organ-specific metastasis. Citation Format: Hui-Zi Chen, Russell Bonneville, Melanie A. Krook, Michele R. Wing, Julie W. Reeser, Jharna Miya, Anoosha Paruchuri, Eric Samorodnitsky, Lianbo Yu, Amy M. Smith, Thuy Dao, Dorrelyn Martin, Qishan Guo, Hailey Magenheim, Aharon G. Freud, Sharon Cole, Gregory Otterson, Peter Shields, David P. Carbone, Patricia Allenby, Sameek Roychowdhury. Genomic characterization of recurrent small cell lung cancer through research autopsy reveals clonal diversity and candidate driver of chemoresistance [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 748.

Platinum-doublet Chemotherapy and Nivolumab for the Treatment of Subjects With Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (NENs) of the Gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) Tract or of Unknown (UK) Origin.

Platinum-doublet Chemotherapy and Nivolumab for the Treatment of Subjects With Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (NENs) of the Gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) Tract or of Unknown (UK) Origin.

Randomized, double-blind, phase 3 trial of first-line pembrolizumab + platinum doublet chemotherapy (chemo) ± lenvatinib in patients (pts) with metastatic nonsquamous non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC): LEAP-006.

TPS9118 Background: Lenvatinib (multiple-receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors 1–3, fibroblast growth factor receptors 1–4, platelet-derived growth factor receptors α, c-kit, and RET) has antitumor activity in combination with pembrolizumab (anti–PD-1 inhibitor) or with chemo in advanced NSCLC. LEAP-006 (NCT03829319) evaluates first-line lenvatinib with pembrolizumab + chemo for metastatic nonsquamous NSCLC. Methods: This randomized, double-blind, 2-part, phase 3 study enrolls pts ≥18 years with histologically/cytologically confirmed metastatic, nonsquamous, treatment-naive NSCLC without sensitizing genetic aberrations. Pts receive lenvatinib 8 mg daily or matching placebo + pembrolizumab 200 mg + pemetrexed 500 mg/m2 + carboplatin AUC 5 mg/mL/min or cisplatin 75 mg/m2 Q3W (4 cycles) followed by maintenance pembrolizumab (35 cycles) + lenvatinib/placebo + pemetrexed (no limit). In part 1 (open-label safety run-in), ~12 pts receive lenvatinib + pembrolizumab + chemo (n ≥6 in each chemo arm). If < 3 dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs; select prespecified AEs) occur in 6 pts in each arm in cycle 1, part 2 will begin enrolling. If ≥3 DLTs occur in 6 pts in each arm, enrollment in part 1 may continue with advisement by the study oversight committee. In part 2, pts are randomized 1:1 to lenvatinib or placebo + pembrolizumab + chemo, stratified by PD-L1 tumor proportion score ( < 50%/≥50%), geographic site (East Asian/other), and ECOG PS (0/1). Tumor imaging occurs at baseline and Q6W until wk 18; then Q9W until wk 54; then Q12W until verified PD, initiation of new cancer therapy, study withdrawal, or death. AEs are graded by NCI CTCAE v4.0. The primary endpoint in part 1 is safety. The primary endpoints in part 2 are PFS (RECIST v1.1 by BICR) and OS, analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method and stratified log-rank test. Secondary endpoints in part 2 are ORR and DOR (RECIST v1.1 by BICR), safety, and quality of life. Enrollment into part 1 will begin in March 2019. For part 2, approximately 714 pts will enroll in 160 sites in 17 countries. Clinical trial information: NCT03829319.

A retrospective review on extended carboplatin infusion and incidence of hypersensitivity reaction in gynecologic malignancies in a single institution.

e17102 Background: Carboplatin has been the standard treatment for advanced gynecologic malignancies in the first line setting as well as treatment of relapsed disease. Carboplatin induced hypersensitivity reaction (HSR) is observed more frequently in a second line setting and symptoms can range from rash to life threatening symptoms such as anaphylaxis, which could preclude further treatment. A retrospective study by O’Cearbhaill showed HSR rate with extended infusion protocol to be 3.4%. However, two subsequent prospective studies by Lax and O’Cearbhaill did not find that extended infusion reduced the risk or severity of HSR. We reviewed the incidence of HSR with three hour extended-infusion carboplatin at our institution. Methods: Our practice at the Monter Cancer Center changed from standard 1 hour carboplatin retreatment infusion to extended-infusion in 2011. We reviewed charts of 162 patients from 2011 to present who received a three hour extended infusion of carboplatin. All patients received prophylactic H1 and H2 blockers along with steroids. HSR was determined in two ways: 1) Identifying patients who reported clinical symptoms of HSR. 2) Identifying which patients had received diphenhydramine, hydrocortisone and/or epinephrine as indicated for an infusion reaction. Results: 162 patients were identified: 83 with ovarian cancer, 44 with uterine cancer, and 16 with fallopian tube cancer, 10 with primary peritoneal cancer, and 9 with cervical/vulvar cancer. Most had relapsed disease and were previously treated for stage IV (35%), or stage III (47%) with platinum doublet chemotherapy at least six months prior. Only 1 out of 162 (0.6%) had a grade 1 reaction with hives and was treated with dexamethasone and diphenhydramine. She was previously treated with carboplatin 17 months prior. Her current HSR occurred during her fifth cycle of retreatment. She was not re challenged with the drug and elected not to undergo desensitization. Conclusions: Hypersensitivity reactions develop in about 12-33% of women retreated with carboplatin peaking at eight cycles (Lax et al.). The mechanism behind HSR is unclear but considered to be from repeated exposure to free platinum metal concentration. Incidence of HSR at our institution was lowest ever-reported at 0.6%, suggesting that our extended infusion protocol with the appropriate premedication is appropriate for carboplatin-retreat patients. Further prospective studies to evaluate this regimen is warranted.

Phase 2 trial of first-line pembrolizumab with platinum doublet chemotherapy and radiotherapy in patients (pts) with unresectable, locally advanced stage III non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC): KEYNOTE-799.

TPS8575 Background: Standard therapy for pts with unresectable stage III NSCLC is concurrent platinum doublet chemotherapy with radiotherapy (CCRT); however, this therapy does not reduce the risk of distant relapse, and the 5-y survival rate is low. The anti–PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab has durable clinical activity as first-line therapy for advanced/metastatic NSCLC: as monotherapy for PD-L1–positive tumors and in combination with chemotherapy irrespective of PD-L1 status. KEYNOTE-799 evaluates the safety/efficacy of first-line pembrolizumab plus CCRT for unresectable, locally advanced stage III NSCLC. Methods: This nonrandomized, open-label phase 2 study enrolls pts ≥18 y with previously untreated, unresectable, pathologically confirmed stage IIIA–C NSCLC with measurable disease per RECIST 1.1. Pts receive 17 cycles of pembrolizumab 200 mg Q3W plus standard thoracic radiotherapy in cycles 2 and 3 (60 Gy in 30 daily 2 Gy fractions). In cycles 1–3, treatment also includes investigator’s choice of either paclitaxel 200 mg/m2 and carboplatin area under the curve (AUC) 6 Q3W for 1 cycle, followed by paclitaxel 45 mg/m2 and carboplatin AUC 2 weekly for 6 weeks, or cisplatin 75 mg/m2 and pemetrexed 500 mg/m2 Q3W (nonsquamous only). Tumor imaging occurs at baseline and Q9W until week 54, verified PD, initiation of new cancer therapy, study withdrawal, or death. AEs are graded by NCI CTCAE v4.0. Primary endpoints are the rate of grade ≥3 pneumonitis and ORR (RECIST 1.1 by blinded independent central review [BICR]); confidence intervals for both will be estimated by the Clopper-Pearson method. Secondary endpoints are PFS (RECIST 1.1 modified to follow ≤10 target lesions; ≤5 per organ by BICR), OS, and safety. PFS and OS will be analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method. Approximately 216 pts (108 per cohort) will be enrolled in 59 sites in 10 countries beginning on Nov 5, 2018. As of Feb 12, 2019, 30 pts have enrolled. Continuous interim analyses using binomial sequential testing will be performed after ≥36 pts have ≥15 weeks of follow up in each cohort, to allow earlier treatment discontinuation, if required. Clinical trial information: NCT03631784.

Incidence and patterns of immune related adverse events (irAEs) during chemoimmunotherapy (ChemoIO) in patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC.

e20705 Background: Based on superior outcomes noted in KEYNOTE-189 with the addition of pembrolizumab to platinum doublet chemotherapy, a majority of pts with nonsquamous NSCLC are now treated with chemoIO. irAEs can cause significant morbidity and occasionally mortality in pts treated with immunotherapy. Since chemotherapy is immunosuppressive, it is plausible that incidence of irAEs would be lower in pts receiving chemoIO compared to immunotherapy. The incidence of irAEs in KEYNOTE-189 was 22.7% vs 29.2% in KEYNOTE-024 with pembrolizumab monotherapy. We sought to evaluate the incidence and patterns of irAEs in pts with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC treated with chemoIO at our institution and to determine if the rate varied with the intensity of chemotherapy [carboplatin/ pemetrexed/ pembrolizumab (CPP) vs pemetrexed/ pembrolizumab (PP)]. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 73 pts with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC who received CPP followed by maintenance PP. In addition to clinicopathologic variables, we noted the date, incidence, type and grade of irAEs. Descriptive statistics were used to report the incidence and patterns of irAEs. McNemar’s test was used to determine if there was a significant difference in rate of irAEs during CPP vs PP. Results: Of the 73 pts, 52% were females, 67% former smokers, 49% had previously received radiation and 11% had a history of autoimmune disease. 35 pts received 4 cycles of CPP. 21 patients (28%) developed irAEs, of which 6 had irAEs during CPP and 15 developed irAEs on PP. The rate of irAEs was significantly higher after stopping carboplatin (p = 0.049). 10 pts (13%) stopped pembrolizumab due to irAEs. Organ systems involved and grade of irAEs are listed below. Conclusions: The immunosuppressive effects of intensive chemotherapy may be protective against irAEs in pts receiving chemoIO. [Table: see text]

Phase 2 study of tremelimumab plus durvalumab for previously-treated malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM).

8549 Background: Treatment options are limited for patients (pts) with MPM who experience disease progression after first-line pemetrexed-based chemotherapy. This study was designed to explore the activity of combined CTLA-4 + PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibition using tremelimumab plus durvalumab in previously-treated MPM. Methods: We conducted a phase 2 study of tremelimumab 75 mg plus durvalumab 1500 mg administered intravenously every 4 weeks for four cycles followed by durvalumab maintenance every 4 weeks. Eligible pts had previously received pemetrexed-based platinum doublet chemotherapy and had measurable disease using modified RECIST criteria for mesothelioma. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR) and secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and duration of response (DoR) as well as safety and tolerability of this combination. A Simon two-stage design was employed to enroll up to 40 patients if 4 or more responses were observed among the first 19 study patients. Pre-treatment, on-treatment, and optional post-progression biopsies underwent flow cytometric immunoprofiling for correlative studies. Results: Among 19 pts enrolled in this study, the best objective response was a confirmed partial response in one patient (5%), stable disease in 9 pts (47%), progressive disease in 8 pts (42%), and not evaluable in one patient. At a median follow-up of 7.1 months, the median PFS was 2.8 months (95% CI 2.04-5.72), and the median OS was 7.8 months (95% CI 6.24-not reached). Of 17 PD-L1 evaluable cases, 10 (59%) were PD-L1 negative, and 7 (41%) had a PD-L1 tumor proportion score of ≥1%. Treatment was generally well-tolerated and there were no treatment-related study discontinuations or deaths. Flow cytometric immunologic changes over the course of treatment associated with disease control will be presented. Conclusions: Tremelimumab + durvalumab was well-tolerated in unselected pts with previously-treated MPM. This study did not meet its primary endpoint. Additional strategies are necessary to develop novel immunotherapeutics and biomarkers of response in MPM. Clinical trial information: NCT03075527.

Association of STK11/LKB1 genomic alterations with lack of benefit from the addition of pembrolizumab to platinum doublet chemotherapy in non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

102 Background: Addition of pembrolizumab (P) to platinum-doublet chemotherapy [carboplatin (or cisplatin) and pemetrexed (CP)] prolongs overall survival and is a standard of care (SOC) for the 1st line treatment of metastatic EGFR/ALK wild-type (wt) non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (mnsNSCLC). Despite widespread adoption of the CPP regimen, molecular determinants of clinical benefit from the addition of P to CP remain poorly defined. We previously identified genomic alterations in STK11/LKB1 as a major driver of primary resistance to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in mnsNSCLC. Here, we examine the impact of STK11/LKB1 alterations on clinical outcomes with CPP chemo-immunotherapy. Methods: 497 pts with mnsNSCLC and tumor genomic profiling encompassing STK11/LKB1 from 17 academic institutions in the US and Europe were included in this study. Clinical outcomes were collected for two distinct patient cohorts: a) 377 pts treated with first-line CPP (or > 1st line following FDA-approved TKIs) that were alive for 14 days thereafter and b) 120 STK11/LKB1-mt pts that received CP prior to regulatory approval of CPP. Results: Among 377 CPP-treated pts, STK11/LKB1 genomic alterations (N = 102) were associated with significantly shorter PFS (mPFS 4.8m vs 7.2m, HR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.0; P = 0.0063) and shorter OS (mOS 10.6m vs 16.7m, HR 1.58, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.27; P = 0.0083) compared with STK11/LKB1-wt tumors (N = 275). ORR also differed significantly between the two groups (32.6% vs 44.7%, P = 0.049). Similar results were obtained when limiting the analysis to EGFR and ALK-wt tumors (N = 333). Importantly, in pts with STK11/LKB1-mt mnsNSCLC, addition of pembrolizumab to CP did not improve PFS (mPFS 4.8m vs 4.3m, HR 1.13, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.54, P = 0.75) or OS (mOS 10.6m vs 10.3m, HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.49, P = 0.79) compared to CP alone. Conclusions: In mnsNSCLC, STK11/LKB1 alterations define a subgroup of pts with inferior clinical outcomes with CPP and lack of benefit from the addition of pembrolizumab to CP chemotherapy. Novel therapeutic strategies are required to establish effective antitumor immunity in STK11/LKB1-mutant NSCLC.

Outcomes to first-line pembrolizumab in patients with non-small cell lung cancer and a PD-L1 tumor proportion score ≥90%.

9111 Background: In non-small cell lung cancers with a programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) tumor proportion score (TPS) of ≥50%, first-line treatment with the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab improves survival compared to platinum-doublet chemotherapy. Whether higher PD-L1 expression levels within the TPS range of 50-100% predict for even greater benefit to pembrolizumab is currently unknown. Methods: In this multicenter retrospective analysis, we analyzed the impact of PD-L1 expression levels on the overall response rate (ORR), median progression-free survival (mPFS), and median overall survival (mOS) in patients who received commercial pembrolizumab as first-line treatment for advanced NSCLC with a PD-L1 TPS of ≥50%. Results: Among 196 patients with NSCLC treated with first-line pembrolizumab, the ORR was 43.8% (95%CI: 36.8-51.1). At a median follow-up of 12.6 months (95%CI: 11.6-13.7), the mPFS was 6.2 months (95% CI: 4.2-8.2) and the mOS was not reached. The median PD-L1 TPS among patients who experienced a response to pembrolizumab was significantly higher than in patients with stable or progressive disease (TPS 90% vs 70%, P < 0.001), so a TPS cut point of 90% was chosen for further analysis. Baseline clinicopathological characteristics were well-balanced between patients with a PD-L1 TPS of 50-89% vs 90-100%. Compared to patients with a PD-L1 TPS of 50-89% (N = 114, 58.2% of the cohort), patients with a TPS of 90-100% (N = 82, 41.8% of the cohort) had a significantly higher ORR (61.0% versus 31.6%, P < 0.001), a significantly longer mPFS (13.2 versus 3.7 months, HR: 0.48 [95% CI: 0.33-0.71], P < 0.001), and a significantly longer mOS (NR versus 16.0 months, HR: 0.38 [95% CI: 0.21-0.70], P = 0.002). After adjusting for ECOG performance status and smoking history, PD-L1 TPS of 90-100% was significantly associated with improved mPFS (HR: 0.51 [95% CI: 0.34-0.75], P < 0.001) and mOS (HR: 0.38 [95% CI: 0.21-0.70], P = 0.001). Conclusions: Among patients with NSCLC and a PD-L1 TPS ≥50%, clinical outcomes are improved in the subgroup of patients with a PD-L1 TPS of ≥90%. These findings have implications for treatment selection as well as for clinical trial interpretation and design.

AVAiLABLE NIS \u2013 AVASTIN\xae in lung cancer treatment in routine oncology practice in Germany

BackgroundBevacizumab (Avastin®), a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody, in combination with platinum-doublet chemotherapy has become a routine treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The post-authorization, non-interventional study ‘AVAiLABLE’ assessed the effectiveness and safety of bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy as first-line treatment.MethodsNine hundred and eighty-seven adult patients (mean age 61.5 years, 59.8% male) with non-resectable advanced, metastatic or recurrent, predominantly non-squamous NSCLC were evaluated at 185 sites across Germany. 72.8% of the patients had stage IV disease at start of observation, 90.1% had histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma and 80.8% met the bevacizumab label ‘NSCLC other than predominantly squamous cell histology’. According to bevacizumab label, chemotherapy plus bevacizumab was recommended, followed by bevacizumab maintenance therapy. Effectiveness endpoints included response rates and progression-free survival (PFS); safety endpoints comprised adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Patients were followed until progression or intolerable toxicity. Data were evaluated by descriptive statistical methods.ResultsMedian PFS was 7.4 months (95% CI: 7.1; 8.4), overall response rate (ORR) 45.6% and disease control rate (DCR) 75%. The majority of patients (72.7%) achieved partial response or stable disease. Complete response was reached by 2.3%. 33.6% of patients experienced an ADR of grade ≥ 3. Bevacizumab-related ADRs of grade ≥ 3 occurred in 5.7% of patients, with the highest incidence for leukopenia, neutropenia, and hypertension.ConclusionsResults of the non-interventional study ‘AVAiLABLE’ confirmed the effectiveness and safety of bevacizumab in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy as first-line treatment for advanced NSCLC in accordance with previous studies. No new safety signals were identified. Maintenance therapy with bevacizumab was well tolerated and safe even over extended periods (> 20 cycles).Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02596958; registered on 4 November 2015.

Real-world treatment patterns among patients with unresected stage III non-small-cell lung cancer.

Aim: Little is known about recent treatment patterns among patients with unresected stage III NSCLC in the real world. This retrospective study used medical records from USA community oncology practices to address this knowledge gap. Materials & methods: Eligible patients were stage III NSCLC adults diagnosed between 1 January 2011 and 1 March 2016 without surgical resection. Treatment patterns were assessed across three progression intervals, from stage III diagnosis through third progression. Results: The most common regimen in interval 1 was platinum doublet chemotherapy+radiation therapy, in interval 2 was chemotherapy only, and in interval 3 was non-platinum chemotherapy monotherapy. Conclusion: Most patients were treated following national guidelines, but important unmet needs remain.

The vertebral 3'-deoxy-3'-18F-fluorothymidine uptake predicts the hematological toxicity after systemic chemotherapy in patients with lung cancer.

Although hematological toxicities (HT) are the leading adverse events of systemic chemotherapy, the estimation of severe HT is challenging. Recently, 3'-deoxy-3'-[18F]-fluorothymidine (18F-FLT) accumulation with PET has been considered a biomarker of the cell proliferation. This study aims to elucidate whether the vertebral accumulation of 18F-FLT could estimate severe HT during platinum-doublet chemotherapy. In this Institutional Review Board-approved retrospective study, 50 patients with primary lung cancer underwent 18F-FLT PET scan before platinum-doublet chemotherapy. We evaluated the standardized uptake value, total vertebral proliferation (TVP), and TVP/body surface area (TVP/BSA) of the vertebral body (Th4, Th8, Th12, and L4), and then the associations between those parameters and frequency of severe HT during platinum-doublet chemotherapy were assessed. Severe HT (grade 3/4) was observed in 40.0% of patients during the first cycle. The ROC curve analyses revealed that the TVP/BSA of L4 was the most discriminative parameter among PET parameters for the prediction of severe HT. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed the TVP/BSA of L4 (odds ratio [OR], 0.94; p = 0.0036) and the frequency of the grade 3/4 hematological toxicity in previous clinical trials (OR, 1.03; p = 0.023) were independent predictors. Furthermore, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the TVP/BSA of L4 cut-off of 68.7 to predict grade 3/4 HT were 80.0%, 86.7%, and 84.0%, respectively. A low TVP/BSA of L4 (< 68.7) as a binary variable was a significant indicator of severe HT (OR, 26.0; p = 0.000026). The low 18F-FLT uptake in the lower vertebral body is a predictor of severe HT in patients with lung cancer who receive platinum-doublet chemotherapy. Trial registration: UMIN000027540 KEY POINTS: • The vertebral 18 F-FLT uptake with PET is an independent predictor of the severe hematological toxicity during the first cycle of platinum-doublet chemotherapy. • The 18 F-FLT uptake in L4 vertebral body estimated hematological toxicities better than that in the upper vertebra (Th4, Th8, and Th12). • The evaluation of the amount and activity of hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow cavity using 18 F-FLT PET imaging could provide predictive data of severe hematological toxicities and help determine an appropriate drug combination or dose intensity in patients with advanced malignant diseases.

First-line afatinib for advanced EGFRm+ NSCLC: Analysis of long-term responders in the LUX-Lung 3, 6, and 7 trials

ObjectivesIn patients with advanced epidermal growth factor receptor mutation-positive (EGFRm+) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), first-line afatinib significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) and objective response vs. platinum-doublet chemotherapy in the phase III LUX-Lung 3 and LUX-Lung 6 trials, and significantly improved PFS, time to treatment failure and objective response vs. gefitinib in the phase IIb LUX-Lung 7 trial. We report post-hoc analyses of efficacy, safety and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in afatinib long-term responders (LTRs) in these trials. MethodsTreatment-naïve patients with stage IIIB/IV EGFRm + NSCLC randomized to afatinib in LUX-Lung 3/LUX-Lung 6/LUX-Lung 7 were included in the analysis. Patients treated with afatinib for ≥ 3 years were defined as LTRs. ResultsIn LUX-Lung 3, LUX-Lung 6, and LUX-Lung 7, 24/229 (10%), 23/239 (10%) and 19/160 (12%) afatinib-treated patients were LTRs. Baseline characteristics were similar to the study populations, except for the proportions of women (LUX-Lung 3/LUX-Lung 6 only; 92/78% vs. 64% overall) and Del19-positive patients (63–79% vs. 49–58% overall). Median treatment duration among LTRs was 50, 56 and 42 months, and median PFS was 49.5, 55.5, and 42.2 months in LUX-Lung 3/LUX-Lung 6/LUX-Lung 7, respectively. Median overall survival could not be estimated. Frequency of afatinib dose reduction was consistent with the LUX-Lung 3/LUX-Lung 6/LUX-Lung 7 overall populations. PROs were stable in LTRs, with slight improvements after 3 years of afatinib treatment vs. baseline scores. ConclusionsIn the LUX-Lung 3/LUX-Lung 6/LUX-Lung 7 trials, 10–12% of afatinib-treated patients were LTRs. Long-term afatinib treatment was independent of tolerability-guided dose adjustment and had no detrimental impact on safety or PROs.

Cost-effectiveness of second-line atezolizumab in Canada for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Aim: To assess the cost-effectiveness in Canada of atezolizumab compared with docetaxel or nivolumab for the treatment of advanced NSCLC after first-line platinum-doublet chemotherapy.Materials and methods: A three-state partitioned-survival model was developed. Clinical inputs were obtained from the phase III OAK trial comparing atezolizumab with docetaxel in patients with advanced NSCLC who progressed after first-line platinum-doublet chemotherapy. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were extrapolated beyond the trial period using parametric models. A cure model assuming a 1% cure fraction was fitted to the OS data for atezolizumab. Outcomes for nivolumab were informed by a network meta-analysis (NMA) vs atezolizumab. Resource use and costs were informed by clinical expert opinion and published Canadian sources. Utility values were obtained from the OAK trial. The perspective of the analysis was that of the Canadian publicly-funded healthcare system. The base case time horizon was 10 years, and the discount rate was 1.5% annually for both costs and effects. Scenario analyses were performed to test the robustness of the results and all analyses were performed probabilistically.Results: Atezolizumab demonstrated a quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gain of 0.60 compared with docetaxel at an incremental cost of $85,073, resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $142,074/QALY. Atezolizumab dominated nivolumab (regardless of dosing regimen), based on modest differences in both QALYs and costs. Docetaxel was most likely to be cost effective at willingness-to-pay (WTP) thresholds below $125,000/QALY gained, while atezolizumab was most likely to be cost effective beyond this WTP threshold. In most scenario analyses, the results remained robust to changes in parameters. A reduced time horizon and alternative approaches to the NMA had the greatest impact on cost-effectiveness results.Conclusion: Atezolizumab represents a cost-effective therapeutic option in Canada for the treatment of patients with advanced NSCLC who progress after first-line platinum doublet chemotherapy.

Survival prediction of tuberous sclerosis complex gene variant in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer treated with platinum doublet.

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) 1 and 2 function as tumor suppressors by inactivating the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. Although the effect of platinum on TSC function has been studied, associations between TSC gene variants and survival of cancer patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy were not evaluated. Genetic variants of TSC1 and TSC2 were identified by next-generation sequencing and selected for further clinical evaluation based on predetermined criteria. Associations of the gene variants with treatment outcomes (progression-free survival, PFS; overall survival, OS) were evaluated in testing and validation sets of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated with the multivariable Cox model. The TSC1 Met322Thr (rs1073123) variant met the criteria for further analysis in testing and validation sets each containing 183 patients. The median PFS for the 366 patients was 4.9 months. Fifty-three patients (14.5%) had the TSC1 (Met322Thr or Thr322Thr) variant. TSC1 Met322Thr associated with longer PFS in the testing set (HR adjusted for age, gender, smoking habits, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, histology, and stage [aHR] and 95% CI: 0.63 and 0.45–0.87, Cox P=0.009), and this was confirmed in the validation set (aHR and 95% CI: 0.58 and 0.36–0.93, Cox P=0.004). However, no association was found between the TSC1 gene variant and OS. These findings suggest that the TSC1 gene variant is an important predictive marker for platinum doublet chemotherapy outcomes in NSCLC patients.

HSR19-085: A Real World Observational Assessment of the Impact of Immunotherapy on the Treatment of Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

Background: NSCLC is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Recently reported clinical trials have firmly established the role of PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors in the treatment of patients (pts) with metastatic NSCLC (mNSCLC). We have established the prospective, observational, real-world Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Holistic Registry (ANCHoR) to understand how the advent of immunotherapy impacts treatment choices and clinical outcomes. Objectives: The aim of this analysis is to measure the impact of immunotherapy on the treatment choice for the first-line treatment of mNSCLC and to determine the link between PD-L1 expression and the treatment choices made in routine clinical practice at the MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDA). Methods: From May 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018, English-speaking pts with mNSCLC at MDA who provided written informed consent were enrolled in ANCHoR and longitudinally followed. The PD-L1 testing rates were captured and the treatment decisions made were also captured and tabulated. The time of data cutoff for this study is June 30, 2018. Results: Of the 296 pts enrolled in the registry at the time of data cutoff, there were 49.7% males, 82.1% white, 45.9% ≥65 years old, 69.3% smokers, 83.1% with an initial stage IV diagnosis, 87.2% with nonsquamous histology, 36.1% with bone metastasis, 29.4% with brain metastasis, 43.2% with 0–1 performance status, and 21.6% with a known EGFR or ALK mutation. A total of 233 pts had been tested for PD-L1 (78.7%). Predominant reasons for not testing (63 pts) include not having available tissue (26 pts) or the test was not requested by the physician (31 pts). As of June 30, 2018, 38.5% of patients received immunotherapy as first-line therapy either as a single agent (18.9%, 56 pts) or in combination with chemotherapy (19.6%, 58 pts). Only 35.8% of the patients received platinum doublet chemotherapy alone. Two pts received chemotherapy combined with an anti-angiogenesis agent (0.68%). Targeted therapy was utilized either as a single agent (20.6%) or in combination with immunotherapy (2.4%). Conclusion: Immunotherapy is now utilized as a single agent or in combination in more than one-third of patients with mNSCLC. These numbers are expected to increase as data from recently reported studies get incorporated into common clinical practice. Compared to historic experience, there has been a dramatic decline in the use of chemotherapy with an anti-angiogenesis agent.

Combination of Peri- and Intratumoral Radiomic Features on Baseline CT Scans Predicts Response to Chemotherapy in Lung Adenocarcinoma.

To identify the role of radiomics texture features both within and outside the nodule in predicting (a) time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) as well as (b) response to chemotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Data in a total of 125 patients who had been treated with pemetrexed-based platinum doublet chemotherapy at Cleveland Clinic were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided randomly into two sets with the constraint that there were an equal number of responders and nonresponders in the training set. The training set comprised 53 patients with NSCLC, and the validation set comprised 72 patients. A machine learning classifier trained with radiomic texture features extracted from intra- and peritumoral regions of non-contrast-enhanced CT images was used to predict response to chemotherapy. The radiomic risk-score signature was generated by using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator with the Cox regression model; association of the radiomic signature with TTP and OS was also evaluated. A combination of radiomic features in conjunction with a quadratic discriminant analysis classifier yielded a mean maximum area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.82 ± 0.09 (standard deviation) in the training set and a corresponding AUC of 0.77 in the independent testing set. The radiomics signature was also significantly associated with TTP (hazard ratio [HR], 2.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.95, 4.00; P < .0001) and OS (HR, 2.35; 95% CI: 1.41, 3.94; P = .0011). Additionally, decision curve analysis demonstrated that in terms of clinical usefulness, the radiomics signature had a higher overall net benefit in prediction of high-risk patients to receive treatment than the clinicopathologic measurements. This study suggests that radiomic texture features extracted from within and around the nodule on baseline CT scans are (a) predictive of response to chemotherapy and (b) associated with TTP and OS for patients with NSCLC.© RSNA, 2019Supplemental material is available for this article.

Evaluation of safety and tolerability of durvalumab (D) and tremelimumab (T) in combination with first-line chemotherapy in patients (pts) with esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC).

146 Background: Platinum-doublet chemotherapy in first-line (1L) ESCC pts has reached a therapeutic plateau, and new therapeutic strategies are needed. Adding D (anti-PD-L1 mAb) and T (anti-CTLA-4 mAb) to 1L platinum-based chemotherapy may improve outcome in pts with advanced/metastatic ESCC. Methods: In Part A of this Phase 1b study (NCT02658214), dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) for D+T (D 1.5 g + T 75 mg on d1, q4w) plus 5-FU+cisplatin (5-FU 800 mg/m2 + cisplatin 80 mg/m2 d1-5, q4w) were evaluated for the first 4 cycles in pts with advanced/metastatic ESCC who were eligible for 1L chemotherapy. The primary objective was safety and tolerability and exploratory objectives included antitumor activity and biomarker analysis. Results: Pts (N = 6) were enrolled to receive D+T + 5-FU+cisplatin between November 13, 2017, and February 14, 2018. Median age was 56 years, 83% were male, and all were ECOG PS 1. Four pts had recurrent disease and 2 were newly diagnosed with advanced/metastatic disease. All 6 pts had ≥1 treatment-related adverse event (trAE), 3 pts had grade ≥3 trAEs. All pts experienced 5-FU+cisplatin-related AEs. All grade ≥3 trAEs were neutropenia and considered due to 5-FU+cisplatin treatment; 2 were grade 3 and 1 was grade 4, which was the only serious trAE reported. Two pts had D- and/or T-related trAEs. Immune-mediated AEs were grade 1 or 2 and included diarrhea (n = 1), pruritus (n = 1), rash (n = 1), and increased AST (n = 1). There were no trAEs that led to discontinuation or death. Two of the 6 pts had a confirmed partial response that was ongoing at data cutoff (June 29, 2018). Conclusions: For patients in the ESCC DLT evaluation cohort, D+T + 5-FU+cisplatin was tolerable, and no unexpected toxicities occurred. No DLTs were observed for this regimen. The majority of trAEs and all trAEs grade ≥3 were attributed to 5-FU+cisplatin, and all were manageable. AEs related to D and/or T were all grade 1 or 2. No treatment discontinuation or death was attributed to trAEs. The study has been expanded to further evaluate this regimen in additional patients for efficacy, safety, and biomarkers. Clinical trial information: NCT02658214.

Combining CDK4/6 inhibition with taxanes enhances anti-tumor efficacy by sustained impairment of pRB-E2F pathways in squamous cell lung cancer.

The CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib reduces tumor growth by decreasing retinoblastoma (RB) protein phosphorylation and inducing cell cycle arrest at the G1/S phase transition. Palbociclib in combination with anti-hormonal therapy brings significant benefit to breast cancer patients. In this study, novel combination approaches and underlying molecular/cellular mechanisms for palbociclib were explored in squamous cell lung cancer (SqCLC), the second most common subtype of non-small cell lung cancer. While approximate 20% lung patients benefit from immunotherapy, most SqCLC patients who receive platinum-doublet chemotherapy as first-line treatment, which often includes a taxane, are still in need of more effective combination therapies. Our results demonstrated enhanced cytotoxicity and anti-tumor effect with palbociclib plus taxanes at clinically achievable doses in multiple SqCLC models with diverse cancer genetic backgrounds. Comprehensive gene expression analysis revealed a sustained disruption of pRB-E2F signaling by combination that was accompanied with enhanced regulation of pleiotropic biological effects. These included several novel mechanisms such as abrogation of G2/M and mitotic spindle assembly checkpoints, as well as impaired induction of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α). The decrease in HIF-1α modulated a couple key angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors, resulting in an enhanced anti-angiogenic effect. This preclinical work suggests a new therapeutic opportunity for palbociclib in lung and other cancers currently treated with taxane based chemotherapy as standard of care.

18F-FDG and 11C-4DST PET/CT for evaluating response to platinum-based doublet chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a prospective study

Background4′-[Methyl-11C] thiothymidine (4DST) PET/CT provides DNA synthesis imaging, which represented a higher correlation with the proliferation in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) than that from imaging with FDG. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the potential of 4DST in early therapy monitoring for advanced NSCLC, and to compare the results with those from CT and FDG PET/CT.ResultsPatients who had been pathologically diagnosed with advanced NSCLC and were scheduled to receive platinum-doublet chemotherapy (PT-DC) were eligible. PET/CT imaging with 4DST and with FDG, and CT were performed at baseline and after 2 cycles of PT-DC (interim). Patients were evaluated semi-quantitatively after the 2 cycles of PT-DC using several PET parameters, response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST) 1.1 based on CT measurements, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) criteria and PET Response Criteria in Solid Tumors (PERCIST) 1.0 based on PET/CT measurements. Baseline measurement data and metabolic response were compared between patients with progression-free survival (PFS) > 4 months and ≤ 4 months, and PFS and overall survival (OS) were compared between patients with and without metabolic response measured with each of the different parameters, using Kaplan-Meier statistics and log-rank testing. A total of 22 patients were included in this study. For predicting PFS > 4 months and ≤ 4 months, metabolic tumor volume (MTV) of baseline 4DST showed the highest area under the curve (0.73), positive predictive value (80.0%), negative predictive value (66.7%), and accuracy (72.7%) among baseline measurement data and metabolic responses from 4DST PET/CT, FDG PET/CT, and CT. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests for PFS with MTV of baseline FDG and baseline 4DST, and for OS with MTV of baseline FDG and baseline TLG, and MTV of baseline 4DST revealed significant results.ConclusionsMTV of baseline 4DST PET/CT along with MTV of baseline FDG PET/CT represent promising predictors of PFS, and MTV of baseline 4DST PET/CT along with MTV and TLG of baseline FDG PET/CT are possible predictors of OS in patients with advanced NSCLC.