R0 Resection Research Articles

A randomized, open-label phase II/III efficacy and safety study of atezolizumab in combination with FLOT versus FLOT alone in patients with gastric cancer and adenocarcinoma of the oesophagogastric junction and high immune responsiveness: The IKF633/DANTE trial, a trial of AIO in collaboration with SAKK.

TPS4184 Background: Despite recent advances, long-term survival of patients with locally advanced, operable esophagogastric adenocarcinoma (EGA) is below 50%. Immune checkpoint inhibitors in the neoadjuvant setting of this tumor type have lately been shown to increase pathological responses in all comers (IKF633/DANTE pII, KEYNOTE-585, Matterhorn), but the effect on survival is still unknown. The IKF633/DANTE pIII trial evaluates the efficacy and clinical activity of atezolizumab (ATZ) with perioperative FLOT in patients (pts) with locally advanced, resectable EGA considered having an immune-responsive profile. Methods: IKF633/DANTE is conducted as a randomized, multinational, multicenter, prospective, investigator-initiated, open label phase II/III trial. For the phase III portion, pts with histologically confirmed EGA of a clinical stage ≥cT2 and/or cN+ without evidence of distant metastases and with at least one immune response criterium (MSI, PD-L1 CPS≥1, TMB ≥10/MB or EBV+) are eligible. Pts are stratified acc. to nodal stage (cN- vs. cN+), tumor site (GEJ type I vs. GEJ type II/III vs. gastric) and PD-L1 expression levels (CPS≥5 vs. CPS<5). Pts are randomized 1:1 to receive 4 pre- and post-operative cycles FLOT/ATZ, followed by 8 cycles ATZ maintenance (Arm A) or 2x4 perioperative cycles FLOT alone (Arm B). In total, 556 pts will be enrolled, thereof 379 pts in phase III. This estimates to a recruitment time of 30 months plus 18 months follow-up for 80% statistical power and a significance level of p<0.05 (two-sided log rank test). The primary endpoint is event-free survival (EFS) with a target hazard ratio of 0.72, reflecting a clinically relevant improvement to 41.65 months in arm A. Main secondary endpoints are pCR, overall survival (OS) also in high immune-responsive subgroups (CPS ≥5/ CPS≥ 10/ MSI), R0 resection rate and safety/tolerability. In addition, a prospective biomarker study with serial circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis accompanying therapy is performed to explore the prognostic impact of ctDNA on efficacy and survival parameters, as well as on relapse incidence. Recruitment of phase III started in Aug 2023 and is still ongoing. Clinical trial information: NCT03421288 .

Neoadjuvant camrelizumab combined with chemotherapy for resectable stage IIIA-IIIb non-small cell lung cancer: Single arm phase II study.

e20074 Background: This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of neoadjuvant camrelizumab combined with chemotherapy in patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: In this single-arm phase II clinical trial, patients aged 18-75 with pathologically confirmed resectable stage IIIA-IIIB (T3-4N2) NSCLC without EGFR, ALK, and ROS1 gene mutations were enrolled since December 2022. Patients were assigned to receive 3 cycles of camrelizumab (200 mg) plus chemotherapy (nab-paclitaxel, 130 mg/m2 or pemetrexed (for adenocarcinoma), 500mg/m2 plus platinum [cisplatin, 75 mg/m2; carboplatin, area under the curve, 5]). Radical surgery was performed within 4-6 weeks after neoadjuvant therapy. Patients undergo 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT scans within 1 week before treatment and surgery, respectively. The primary endpoints for follow-up are pathologic complete response (pCR) rate and major pathological response (MPR) rate, while secondary endpoints include safety and disease-free survival (DFS). Exploratory endpoints include molecular imaging research and biomarker analysis. Results: Up to December 2023, 30 patients (median age: 64 years) have been enrolled, including 22 cases of squamous carcinoma and 8 cases of adenocarcinoma. All patients received 3 cycles of neoadjuvant camrelizumab plus chemotherapy, and 27 patients underwent radical sugery. Three patients did not receive surgical treatment, 2 of whom refused surgery and 1 was unable to undergo surgery due to disease progression. Among patients received surgery, 27 (100%) achieved R0 resection, 10 (37.0%) achieved pCR, and 15 (55.6%) achieved MPR. For patients with squamous cell carcinoma, the MPR and pCR rates were 70% (14/20) and 45% (9/20), respectively, while for adenocarcinoma patients, the MPR and pCR rates were 14.3% (1/7) and 14.3% (1/7), respectively. There was no significant difference in pathological response rates between the PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥ 1% group and the PD-L1 TPS < 1% group. Most of treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were grade 1-2, and the most common TRAEs was leukopenia (63.0%). Five patients (18.5%) developed grade ≥ 3 TRAEs, including 3 leukopenia, 1 neutropenia, and 1 pneumonia. Biomarker analysis showed that among patients with pCR, the proportion of increased circulating M1 macrophages and decreased mononuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (M-MDSCs) and M2 macrophages after treatment was higher than those in non-pCR patients. Circulating ctDNA analysis showed that the ctDNA concentration of patients with non-pCR after treatment was higher than that of patients with pCR. Patients with ctDNA remaining positive after treatment were all in the non-pCR group. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant camrelizumab combined with chemotherapy for NSCLC patients show promising pathological response rates and tolerable safety. Clinical trial information: NCT06241807 .

Neoadjuvant serplulimab in combination with concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced, resectable esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma.

e16103 Background: Surgery combined with perioperative therapy was recommended as standard treatment for patients with locally advanced esophagogastric junction (EGJ) adenocarcinoma, but the survival rate was still poor. Immunotherapy has shown antitumor activity and an acceptable safety profile in advanced EGJ cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant Serplulimab combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy in previously untreated locally advanced resectable EGJ adenocarcinoma. Methods: Eligible patients with resectable EGJ(Siewert Type II and Type III, Siewert classification 2000)adenocarcinoma stage cT3-4 or N+ were enrolled. Patients received neoadjuvant Serplulimab (300mg on day 1) plus SOX(oxaliplatin at 130mg/㎡on day 1; TS1 40-60mg two times per day on D1-D14, Q3W) in first cycle, followed by Serplulimab (300mg on day 1) combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (Reduced SOX regimen: oxaliplatin at 100mg/㎡on day 1, TS1 40-60mg two times per day on D1-D14, Q3W; Radiotherapy dose:45Gy in 25f) in second and third cycle. The patient finished the preoperative treatment and rested for 6-8 weeks for surgery. The primary endpoint was pathological complete response (pCR) rate. Secondary endpoints were major pathological response(MPR) rate, R0 resection rate, objective response rate(ORR), disease-free survival(DFS), overall survival(OS), and toxicity. Results: From March 8, 2023 to January 31,2024,15 patients were enrolled. Nine patients completed neoadjuvant therapy. Eight of these patients underwent radical surgical resection. One out of nine achieved a confirmed pathological complete response (pCR) after three cycles of neoadjuvant treatment. Additionally, two out of nine patients achieved major pathological response(MPR). So, the pCR rate was 11.1%, and the MPR rate was 22.2%. The Tumor and Lymph Nodes downstaging rates are 62.5% and 87.5%, respectively. The median DFS and OS were not reached. In terms of safety, fifteen patients who received at least one cycle of neoadjuvant therapy were included. The most common treatment-related adverse events(TRAE) across all grades were nausea/vomiting(6/15), anorexia(5/15), thrombocytopenia(4/15), and fatigue(4/15). Four patients (26.7%) had grade≥3 adverse events during preoperative therapy, with thrombocytopenia(3/15) and hepatic veno-occlusive disease(1/15). Immune-related adverse reactions(irAE) included myositis(1/15) and rash(1/15), both were grade 1. No grade 4 or higher TRAEs were observed. Conclusions: Initial benefits were demonstrated when using Serplulimab with concurrent chemoradiotherapy for the treatment of locally advanced, resectable EGJ adenocarcinoma patients. The efficacy and safety of Serplulimab with chemoradiotherapy will be further investigated in this trial later. Clinical trial information: NCT05918419 .

Neoadjuvant SHR-1701 with or without chemotherapy in unresectable stage III NSCLC (TRAILBLAZER): Efficacy, safety and feasibility of surgical conversion outcomes from a proof-of-concept, phase 2 trial.

8082 Background: Consolidation immunotherapy after chemoradiation is the standard of care for unresectable stage III NSCLC. Addition of immunotherapy-based induction treatment may further improve outcome, partly by enabling surgery. We conducted a proof-of-concept, phase 2 trial to assess neoadjuvant SHR-1701 (an anti-PD-L1/TGF-β bifunctional fusion protein) with or without chemotherapy, followed by surgery or radiotherapy in unresectable stage III NSCLC and without EGFR/ ALK alterations. Methods: Patients with MDT-assessed surgically unresectable disease were given 3 cycles of neoadjuvant SHR-1701 (30 mg/kg Q3W) with or without chemotherapy (paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 Q3W + carboplatin AUC = 5 Q3W).Patients with PD-L1 TPS < 50% received combination therapy (arm A) and those with PD-L1 TPS ≥50% were randomized (1:1) to receive combination therapy (arm B) or SHR-1701 alone (arm C). After reassessment by MDT, patients received either surgery or definitive radiotherapy (60 Gy/30 fractions) plus concurrent cisplatin (30 mg/m2 QW), all followed by consolidation SHR-1701 for 16 cycles. The primary endpoints were post-induction objective response rate (ORR) and 18-month event-free survival (EFS) rate. Arm A+B (patients receiving neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy) was the primary analysis cohort. Results: Between Nov. 20, 2020 and Jan. 27, 2022, 107 patients were enrolled (arm A/B/C, n = 88/9/10). Median follow-up was 22.2 months. In arm A+B, both primary endpoints were met, with a post-induction ORR of 58% (95% CI 47-68) and an 18-month EFS rate of 56.6% (95% CI 45.2-66.5). In arm C, the post-induction ORR was 40% (95% CI 12-74) and 18-month EFS rate was 77.1% (95% CI 34.5-93.9). 24-month overall survival rate was 78.3% (95% CI 68.0-85.7) in arm A+B and 100% in arm C. Overall, 27 (25% of 107; arm A+B/C, n = 24/3) patients underwent surgery; all achieved R0 resection. Among them, 12 (44%) MPR and seven (26%) pCR were recorded. The 18-month EFS rate was 74.1% (95% CI 53.2-86.7) in resected patients and 57.3% (43.0-69.3) in those receiving radiotherapy. Across arms, all grade ≥3 TRAEs with frequency ≥10% were hematological toxicities. No new safety signals were identified. Conclusions: NeoadjuvantSHR-1701 with chemotherapy, followed by surgery or radiotherapy, showed promising anti-tumor activity with a tolerable safety profile in unresectable stage III NSCLC. We provided first evidence that surgical conversion was feasible in a notable proportion of patients, and was associated with better survival outcomes. Clinical trial information: NCT04580498 .

Laparoscopic Pancreaticoduodenectomy Combined With Portal-Superior Mesenteric Vein Resection and Reconstruction: Inferior-Posterior "Superior Mesenteric Artery-First" Approach.

Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) with portal-superior mesenteric vein (PV/SMV) resection and reconstruction is increasingly performed. We aimed to introduce a safe and effective surgical approach and share our clinical experience with LPD with PV/SMV resection and reconstruction. We reviewed data for the patients undergoing LPD and open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD) combined with PV/SMV resection and reconstruction at the First Hospital of Jilin University between April 2021 and May 2023. The inferior-posterior "superior mesenteric artery-first" approach was used. We compared the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative clinicopathological data of the 2 groups to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of LPD with major vascular resection. A cohort of 37 patients with periampullary and pancreatic tumors underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) with major vascular resection and reconstruction, consisting of 21 LPDs and 16 OPDs. The LPD group had a longer operation time (322 vs. 235 min, P =0.039), reduced intraoperative bleeding (152 vs. 325mL, P =0.026), and lower intraoperative blood transfusion rates (19.0% vs. 50.0%, P =0.046) compared with the OPD group. The LPD group had significantly shorter operation times in end-to-end anastomosis (26 vs. 15 min, P =0.001) and artificial grafts vascular reconstruction (44 vs. 22 min, P =0.000) compared with the OPD group. There was no significant difference in the rate of R0 resection (100% vs. 87.5%, P =0.096). The length of hospital stay and ICU stay did not show significant differences between the 2 groups (15 vs. 18d, P =0.636 and 2.5 vs. 4.5d, P =0.726, respectively). However, the postoperative hospital stay in the LPD group was notably shorter compared with the OPD group (11 vs. 16d, P =0.007). Postoperative complication rates, including postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) Grade A/B, biliary leakage, and delayed gastric emptying (DGE), were similar between the two groups (38.1% vs. 43.8%, P =0.729). In addition, 1 patient in each group developed thrombosis, with vascular patency improving after anticoagulation treatment. LPD combined with PV/SMV resection and reconstruction can be easily and safely performed using the inferior-posterior "superior mesenteric artery-first" approach in cases of venous invasion. Further studies are required to evaluate the procedure's long-term outcomes.

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) combined with sequential tislelizumab for resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC): Preliminary results of a single-arm, open-label phase Ib trial (CRIS).

e16116 Background: Neoajuvant chemoradiation is the standard treatment for resectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown a survival benefit for advanced ESCC and showed promising efficacy in neoadjuvant treatment for several cancers. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) combined with sequential tislelizumab followed by surgery for resectable ESCC. Methods: This is a single-arm, phase Ib study. Eligibility criteria include histologically confirmed ESCC and clinical T3-4aN0M0 or T2-4aN+M0 (AJCC/UICC 8th). Patients received neoadjuvant radiotherapy (41.4Gy in 23 fractions) with concurrent chemotherapy (paclitaxel, 50 mg/m2, carboplatin area under the curve of 2mg/mL/min, QW*5). Then followed by two cycles of tislelizumab (200mg, Q3W). The primary endpoint was the pathological complete response (pCR) rate and safety. Results: From Feb 2022 to Jan 2024, 35 patients had been enrolled, of whom the median age was (65.5 (95%CI, 59-67), including 31 (88.6%) males. 12 patients were still undergoing chemoradiotherapy and 2 patients did not receive immunotherapy due to pneumonia and myocarditis after chemoradiotherapy. 16 patients completed all 2 cycles tislelizumab preoperatively and 5 patients completed 1 cycle tislelizumab because of AEs. Two patients refused surgery after achieved complete clinical response under radiology and were still alive, the other 19 patients underwent resection. The R0 resection rate was 94.7% (18/19). The pCR rate was 63.2% (12/19) and the MPR rate was 78.9% (15/19). During neoadjuvant treatment, 8 patients had a grade 3 or worse adverse event including leukopenia (33.3%, 7/21, Grade 3), esophagitis (4.8%, 1/21, Grade 3) and anemia (4.8%, 1/20, Grade 4). One patient developed grade 4 postoperative complication (5.3%, 1/19, pneumonia) and died within 90 days of surgery due to COVID-19. Grade 1-2 postoperative complications occurred in 21.1% (4/19) patients, including anastomotic fistula (21.1%, 4/19), chylothorax (5.3%, 1/19) and pneumonia (10.5%, 2/19). Conclusions: Preliminary results showed that neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) combined with sequential tislelizumab showed promising outcomes and well tolerated for resectable ESCC patients. Further larger prospective studies are needed to confirm such findings.

Neoadjuvant docetaxel, oxaliplatin, and S-1 plus surgery followed by adjuvant docetaxel and S-1 for patients with large type 3 or type 4 gastric cancer: Short-term outcomes of the phase II OGSG1902 trial.

4031 Background: Patients with large type 3 (≥8 cm) or type 4 gastric cancer (GC) face a dismal prognosis, necessitating the development of multidisciplinary treatment, including neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We present the short-term results from the OGSG1902 (jRCTs051190060) trial, where resectable large type 3 or type 4 GC patients were treated with neoadjuvant docetaxel (DTX)/oxaliplatin (L-OHP)/S-1 (DOS) plus surgery and adjuvant DTX/S-1 (DS) therapy. Methods: Untreated large type 3 or type 4 GC patients without distant metastasis other than positive peritoneal lavage cytology (CY), aged 20-80 years, and with ECOG PS 0-1, were enrolled. Patients received three cycles of DTX (40 mg/m2, day1) + L-OHP (100 mg/m2, day1) + S-1 (80 mg/m2, day1-14) every 3 weeks, followed by gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection and 1-year DS therapy. The primary end point was the 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate. The secondary end points included PFS time, overall survival time, pathological response rate, response rate according to RECIST version 1.1, neoadjuvant chemotherapy completion rate, R0 resection rate, protocol completion rate, CY negative conversion rate, adverse event occurrence rate, and nutritional evaluation. Results: Forty-eight patients (pts) were enrolled from 2019 to 2022. The neoadjuvant chemotherapy completion rate was 91.7%, pathological response rate (≥Grade 1b) was 66.7%, response rate according to RECIST version1.1 for 10 pts with measurable lesions was 50.0%, CY negative conversion rate for nine CY positive pts was 88.9%, R0 resection rate was 89.6%, and the protocol completion rate was 45.8%. Adverse events (≥CTCAE Grade 3) during neoadjuvant DOS included neutropenia in 18 pts (38%), febrile neutropenia in one pt (2%), nausea in five pts (10%), diarrhea in six pts (13%), and anorexia in 18 pts (38%). Gastrectomy was performed in 47 pts [total/distal gastrectomy: 32(68%)/15(32%)]. Major postoperative complication (≥Clavien-Dindo Grade IIIa) was observed in one pt (2%), including pleural infection. Adverse events (≥CTCAE Grade 3) in 39 patients receiving adjuvant DS therapy included neutropenia in 16 pts (41%), anemia in five pts (13%), nausea in one pt (3%), diarrhea in two pts (5%), anorexia in nine pts (23%), fatigue in three pts (8%), and febrile neutropenia in four pts (10%). No treatment-related deaths were observed. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant DOS therapy for large type 3 or type 4 GC demonstrates promising efficacy with high histological response and acceptable adverse events. Future analysis of survival outcomes is planned. Clinical trial information: jRCTs051190060 .

Individualized tumor-informed circulating tumor DNA analysis for molecular residual disease detection in predicting recurrence and efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in colorectal cancer.

3615 Background: Molecular residual disease (MRD) using circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) may identify recurrent risk and guide adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) in colorectal cancer (CRC). This study explored the feasibility of a tumor-informed personalized approach to predict recurrence, comparing with tumor-informed (TI) and tumor naïve (TN) fixed panel approaches. Methods: Patients with stage I-IV CRC eligible for R0 resection were recruited. Blood samples were collected preoperatively, at postoperative day 7 and 30 (POD7/30), and every 3-6 months thereafter, which were tested by brPROPHET assay, using up to 50 highly ranked variants identified by whole-exome sequencing of surgical tissue samples. A fixed 168-gene panel was applied for TI and TN fixed panel tests. Results: A total of 214 patients were enrolled. With a median follow-up of 13.2 months, 20 (9.3%) participants relapsed. The brPROPHET assay had a positivity rate of 96% in preoperative samples. ctDNA positivity indicated by brPROPHET predicted worse recurrence-free survival (RFS) at both POD7 (hazard ratio [HR]=7.35, 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 3.04-17.78, P<0.001) and POD30 (HR=5.18, 95% CI, 2.00-13.38, P<0.001). Higher mean tumor molecules (MTM) level >0.0316/mL was observed in surveillance of 15 relapsed patients, which was associated with worse RFS (HR=44.47, 95% CI, 12.83-154.12, P<0.001). In ctDNA positive patients at POD7, patients benefit from ACT (HR=0.23, 95% CI, 0.05-1.00, P=0.03), which was not observed in ctDNA negative patients (HR=1.80, 95% CI, 0.48-6.81, P=0.38). Among the patients with results of all three approaches (n=168), the brPROPHET assay outperformed TI and TN fixed-panel assays in predicting RFS at POD7 (HR, 7.52 vs 3.43 and 5.60). Of note, the brPROPHET assay identified 6 additional relapsed patients beyond the fixed panels, with more than 87.5% of the positive sites derived from personalized designs. Conclusions: The individualized tumor-informed brPROPHET assay effectively identified postoperative patients with high risk of recurrence and benefit from ACT. Using a personalized tumor-informed panel that covers sites outside fixed panels may improve the utility of MRD detection. [Table: see text]

Safety and efficacy of intensified preoperative management of locally advanced gastrorsophageal junction cancer (INPROVE).

e16110 Background: The optimal management of locally advanced gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (LAGEJad) is not fully established yet. Both neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and perioperative taxane-based triplet chemotherapy (CT) are acknowledged treatment options for Siewert I and II cancers. In this retrospective study, we aimed to assess the safety and outcomes of an intensified preoperative regimen combining taxane-based triplet CT and CRT. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of a cohort comprising 16 consecutive HER2 negative patients (pts) with LAGEJad treated at the Centro di Riferimento Oncologico of Aviano between 2019 and 2022. All pts received induction CT (iCT) consisting of fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin and docetaxel, followed by CRT (45Gy/25Fr) with simultaneous boost and concomitant CT. Surgery (Ivor-Lewis or McKeown) was performed 8 weeks post-CRT. Clinico-pathological (CP) and treatment features were analyzed using logistic regression to assess their association with response to iCT-CRT. The association of iCT-CRT with survival outcomes was investigated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Key CP data are summarized in Table 1. Median age was 59 years, all pts were male. At diagnosis, 81.2% of pts exhibited cT3+ and cN+ disease. All pts received iCT and CRT. The rate of partial responses was 50% after iCT and 68.8% after CRT. Overall, 12 pts underwent surgery, all achieving R0 resections within a median timeframe of 9 [8.5;11] weeks post-CRT. Among them, 25% had a pathologic complete response, while 62.5% attained a Mandard tumor regression grade (TRG) of 1-2. No new safety signals emerged from iCT (only 2 pts had ≥G3 diarrhea) or CRT (≥G3 mucositis occurred in 6.2% and anemia in 6.2% of pts). No significant surgical delays were observed, although 5 pts experienced post-operative complications (4 grade I, 1 grade IIa). There were no statistically significant associations between CP variables and response to the iCT-CRT. Relapses were seen in 8 pts (2 locoregionally); 3-year survival was 46%. Median event-free survival was 5 [5;11] months, while median overall survival 34 [14;NR] months. Conclusions: The intensification of preoperative treatment in pts with LAGEJad is active and safe: the surgical schedule was not significantly delayed, and the safety profile remained comparable to standard regimens, with no major complications reported. Randomized clinical trials are ongoing to assess the clinical benefits of this approach. [Table: see text]

A prospective phase 2 single-arm study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (Keypoint-1).

4088 Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the most prevalent esophageal cancer type worldwide with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Combination immunotherapy and chemotherapy improved the outcomes in patients (pts) with metastatic esophageal cancer. However, the benefit of neoadjuvant immuno-chemotherapy in pts with locally advanced ESCC is unknown. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant treatment with pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy in pts with locally advanced ESCC. Methods: Eligible pts who were aged 18-80 years with untreated, locally advanced ESCC were enrolled in this single-arm, phase 2 trial at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (China) from July 2020 to April 2022. Pts received neoadjuvant treatment with docetaxel 75 mg/m2, carboplatin area under the curve (AUC) 4-5 (or cisplatin 75 mg/m2), and pembrolizumab 200 mg via IV every 3 weeks. Within 4-8 weeks of completion of neoadjuvant treatment, pts underwent surgery. The primary endpoint was pathological complete response (pCR) rate. The secondary endpoints were treatment-related adverse events and R0 resection rate. The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05302011). Results: Thirty pts were enrolled (Table). As of December 1, 2023, median follow-up time was 27.9 months. Twenty-eight pts received 4 cycles and 2 received 3 cycles of the neoadjuvant treatment. Six pts did not proceed with surgery because of disease progression (3/6) and personal choice (3/6). Twenty-four pts (24/30, 80%) underwent minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE). The R0 resection rate was 100%. Perioperative complications were manageable, including anastomotic leakage (2/24, 8.3%) and nerve injury (1/24, 4.2%). Of these 24 pts, 7 (29.2%) achieved pCR and 5 (20.8%) were CAP1 (near complete response, College of American Pathologists protocol). The median disease-free survival (DFS) was 30.6 months. Median overall survival data is not yet available. Grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events include leukopenia (10, 33.3%), alopecia (3, 10.0%), and pneumonitis (1, 3.3%). One patient died of Stevens-Johnson syndrome. We are conducting molecular and immunological correlative studies to explore potential biomarkers related to the treatment. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant treatment with combination pembrolizumab and chemotherapy demonstrated encouraging anti-tumor activities, good surgical outcomes and a manageable safety profile in pts with locally advanced ESCC, supporting further evaluation in a prospective randomized phase 3 trial. Clinical trial information: NCT05302011 . [Table: see text]

EGFR-TKI as neoadjuvant treatment in patients with NSCLC with EGFR sensitive mutation: A retrospective real-world analysis.

8081 Background: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and outcome of Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) as preoperative neoadjuvant treatment in patients with NSCLC and EGFR sensitive mutation. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted. Patients with resectable stage I-III NSCLCs and received neoadjuvant treatment with any generation of EGFR-TKI before surgical resection were enrolled. The primary endpoint were major pathological response (MPR) and objective response rate (ORR), the second endpoints included diseases down staging, surgical outcomes, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: A total of 58 patients were enrolled. Female accounted for 62.1% and most of them (77.6%) were never-smoker. Forty-five (77.6%) patients received the first generation of EGFR-TKI and 11 received the third. The median duration of EGFR-TKI before surgery was 3.6 months (0.7-19.5m). Nine (15.5%) patients achieved MPR and one patient (1.71%) achieved pathological complete response (pCR). The ORR was 60.3% (35/58) according to RECIST v1.1. Eighteen patients achieved TNM downstaging with T downstaging occurred in 44.8% of patients and N downstaging was about 32.8%. Majority of patients (96.6%) underwent thoracoscopic surgery and the rate of R0 resection was 82.8% (48/58). The DFS and OS of the whole cohort was 25.7months and not reached respectively. Patients with MPR had statistically improved outcomes than those without. What noticeable was that patients with tumor regression grade 3 (13/58) (residual viable tumor cells counts for 10% to 50%) also demonstrated a significant benefit from EGFR-TKI preoperative treatment than those with TRG4 or 5 (residual viable tumor cells>50%) (p = 0.01). We define patients with TRG1 to TRG3 as deep pathological regression (DPR) and the rest as non-DPR, and the DPR cohort showed significantly prolonged DFS than those with non-DPR (median DFS, 60.9 vs 16.7 months; HR, 0.29 (95%CI: 0.11-0.74), p = 0.006), the data of OS was not mature. Subgroup analysis validated DPR was an independent predictive factor for DFS. Conclusions: EGFR-TKI as neoadjuvant therapy had good effect on tumor pathological regression and disease downstaging, DPR patients were more likely to achieve long-term disease-free survival. Patients with NDPR should be closely followed up and appropriate adjuvant therapy was necessary after surgery due to the high risk of reccurence.

Perioperative pembrolizumab and lenvatinib for resectable hepatocellular carcinoma: A single-arm, multi-center, phase II trial (NeoLEAP-HCC).

4120 Background: The high recurrence rate after resection hinders the survival of patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Perioperative treatment has the potential to reduce the burden of micrometastasis and improve outcomes in many types of cancers. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib as perioperative treatment in patients with resectable HCC. Methods: This was a single-arm, multi-center, phase II study (NCT05389527). Resectable HCC patients with a high risk of recurrence and naïve to systemic therapy received pembrolizumab 200 mg Q3W and lenvatinib 12 or 8 mg QD for 3 cycles followed by resection. Pembrolizumab and lenvatinib were given for up to 12 months after resection. The primary endpoint was major pathological reactions (MPR), defined as viable tumor cells in ≤ 50% of tumor bed. Secondary endpoints were complete pathological reactions (pCR), objective response rate (ORR, by RECIST v1.1 and mRECIST), disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Results: Between Sep 30, 2022, and Aug 15, 2023, 43 patients were enrolled, and the enrollment has been completed. At the data cutoff (Dec 15, 2023), 42 patients have received at least one post-treatment radiological evaluation, ORR before surgery based on RECIST v1.1 and mRECIST were 11.9% and 47.6%, respectively. Forty (93.0%) patients completed neoadjuvant therapy and underwent R0 resection, of which 37 patients were pathologically confirmed HCC, 2 patients were combined HCC and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), and 1 patient was ICC. Three patients did not proceed with planned surgery (1 patient with disease progression,1 with tumor rupture, and 1 refused surgery). Of the 37 patients with resected HCC, 14 (37.8%) patients achieved MPR, of which 3 (8.1%) patients achieved pCR. Eleven (29.7%) patients had significant tumor necrosis (necrosis tumor cells≥50% of tumor bed). The pathological response of all resected HCC lesions was evaluated in 39 patients. MPR was achieved in 15 (38.5%) patients, of which 3 (7.7%) patients achieved pCR. Twelve (30.8%) patients had significant tumor necrosis. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAE) of any grade during the neoadjuvant period occurred in 32 (74.4%) patients and grade 3 TRAEs occurred in 6 (14.0%) patients. No grade 4-5 TRAEs occurred. One patient delayed the surgery due to grade 3 immune-related hyperglycemia with ketoacidosis. The most common TRAEs of any grade during the neoadjuvant period were hypertension (10, 23.3%), stomatitis (5, 11.6%), and rash (4, 9.3%). The data of DFS and OS was immature, and follow-up is continuing. Conclusions: Pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib demonstrated promising anti-tumor efficacy with manageable toxicity in the neoadjuvant setting for resectable HCC. Clinical trial information: NCT05389527 .

Prediction for major pathologic response after neoadjuvant tislelizumab combined with chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by RNA sequencing: A single-arm, phase II trial.

4078 Background: Although neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy is evolved into standard-of-care treatment in locally advanced esophageal cancer (EC) patients (pts), nearly half of pts experience relapse and death within 5 years. It is therefore important to establish novel and effective treatment strategies for further improve survival. With successful treatment of unresectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, which are expected to provide better benefits in resectable ESCC preoperatively. However, owing to lack effective predictors in MPR in neoadjuvant immunotherapy, efficacy of treatment is unsatisfactory. In this study we sought to explore potential biomarkers in treatment of locally advanced ESCC with tislelizumab combined with chemotherapy preoperatively. Methods: In this single centre, perspective, single arm study, 62 locally advanced (stage II-IVA) ESCC pts were enrolled from January 2023 to December. Pts received tislelizumab (200mg/ d1 Q3W) and chemotherapy (Albumin Paclitaxel 240 mg/m2, Carboplatin: AUC=5 Q3W, d1 or Nedaplatin: 70mg d1 Q3W). Minimally invasive esophagectomy was performed within 4-6 weeks after preoperative therapy. The primary endpoint was MPR rate and secondary endpoints were R0 resection rates and adverse events (AEs). Exploratory biomarker analysis was performed on tumor biopsy before neoadjuvant therapy. Results: 62 pts were enrolled who received all cycles of tislelizumab plus chemotherapy and 84% (52/62) of whom proceeded to surgery. Grade I AEs were observed in 57 (91.3%) pts and most common of which was anemia (49/62, 79%). 19 (30.6%) pts had grade II and 4 (6.4%) had grade III AEs. No higher AEs was observed. Reasons for not undergoing surgery was patient refusal (10/62, 16.1%). No perioperative death was observed. MPR, pCR and R0 resection rate were (55.8%), (23.1%) and (100%), respectively. The mediate follow-up time was 7.4 (1.7-12.6) months and no relapse was found before the last follow-up.10 pts underwent RNA-sequencing, of which 5 achieved MPR and 5 were not. Compared to MPR pts, 393 upregulated and 1950 downregulated genes were found in non-MPR patients. Additionally, it was indicated that immunomodulatory, keratinocyte differentiation and calcium signaling pathway may correlate with MPR status by GSEA, GO and KEGG analysis. Moreover, some hub genes, such as IL6, MMP1, SPPR3, CRNN, were identified to be associate with non-MPR after neoadjuvant therapy. Conclusions: Our results indicated that tislelizumab combined with chemotherapy is a feasibility and effective neoadjuvant treatment option for locally advanced ESCC. In addition, some hub genes were found to be associated with non-MPR after neoadjuvant therapy. Further experimental studies are needed to investigate these findings. Clinical trial information: NCT05880082 .

Outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection versus esophagectomy for poorly differentiated superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: A 10-year cohort study

BackgroundsThe efficacy of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) to treat poorly differentiated superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SESCC) is unclear. AimsTo exploring the efficacy and prognosis of ESD treatment poorly differentiated SESCC compared with esophagectomy. MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted, the data of poorly differentiated SESCC patients who received ESD or esophagectomy from Jan 2011 to Jan 2021 were analyzed. Overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and procedure-related variables were compared between ESD and esophagectomy group. Results95 patients underwent ESD, while 86 underwent esophagectomy. No significant differences were found between the two groups in OS (P = 0.587), DSS (P = 0.172), and RFS (P = 0.111). Oncologic outcomes were also similar between the two groups in propensity score–matched analysis. For T1a ESCC, the rates of R0 resection, LVI or nodal metastasis and additional therapy were similar between ESD and esophagectomy groups. But for T1b ESCC, the rates of positive resection margin and additional therapy were significantly higher in ESD group than those in esophagectomy group. ConclusionsESD is a minimally invasive procedure that has comparable oncologic outcomes with esophagectomy for treatment poorly differentiated T1a ESCC. However, ESD is not suitable for poorly differentiated T1b ESCC, additional surgery or radiochemotherapy should be required.

Perioperative PD-1 antibody tislelizumab plus chemotherapy for locally advanced gastro-oesophageal junction cancer: A prospective, nonrandomized, open-label, phase II trial.

4083 Background: The combination of PD-1 antibody and chemotherapy was shown to be effective in advanced gastric cancer, but has not yet been comprehensively investigated in locally advanced patients, especially in the context of adenocarcinoma of gastro-oesophageal junction (GEJ). In this study, we conducted a prospective, nonrandomized, open-label phase II trial to evaluate the effectiveness of adding PD-1 antibody to perioperative chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced resectable GEJ cancer. Methods: In this nonrandomized, open-label, phase II study, patients with resectable GEJ adenocarcinoma clinically staged as cT3-4aNanyM0 or cT1-2N+M0 were allocated three preoperative and five postoperative 3-week cycles of PD-1 antibody tislelizumab plus SOX (S-1 and oxaliplatin) regimen. The primary endpoint was major pathological response (MPR) rate. The secondary endpoints were pathological complete response (pCR), pathological complete /moderate regression rate (TRG 0/1), R0 resection rate, recurrence-free survival, event-free survival, overall survival, treatment safety and quality of life. The trial is registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, identifier: ChiCTR2200058732. Results: Between Oct 2022 and June 2023, 32 patients were enrolled and assessed using intention-to-treat analysis. The median age was 60 years (range: 28-74 years), and 53.1% (17/32) patients were Siewert III type. All patients received at least one cycle of assigned preoperative treatment, and 96.9% (31/32) patients completed three cycles of assigned preoperative tislelizumab and SOX. R0 resection rate was 96.9% (31/32). The MPR rate was 37.5% (12/32, 95% CI: 21.1%-56.3%) and the pCR rate was 28.1% (9/32, 95% CI: 13.7%-46.7%). The surgical morbidity was 12.5% (4/32), and no 30-day mortality was observed. In the preoperative and postoperative treatment period, treatment-related grade 3-4 adverse events was 9.4% (3/32). At the date of 6th Feb 2024, three (9.4%) patients occurred recurrence. Conclusions: This is the first prospective study that focus on the perioperative immunotherapy in patients with resectable GEJ adenocarcinoma. Perioperative PD-1 antibody tislelizumab plus chemotherapy demonstrated a significantly improved pathological regression and might be a promising option for patients with locally advanced resectable GEJ adenocarcinoma. Clinical trial information: ChiCTR2200058732.

Efficacy and safety of disitamab vedotin (RC48) combined with camrelizumab and S-1 for neoadjuvant therapy of locally advanced gastric cancer with HER2 overexpression: Preliminary results of a prospective, single-arm, phase II study.

e16100 Background: A combination of HER2-targeted therapy, immunotherapy and chemotherapy is being explored in the perioperative treatment of gastric/gastric junction (GC/GEJ) adenocarcinoma.Disitamab vedotin (RC48), a HER2-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), demonstrated significant anti-tumor activity. Moreover, data suggest that the combination of RC48 with immunotherapy exhibits a synergistic effect. Therefore, we conducted the study to investigate the effects of combining RC48 with camrelizumab and S-1 in the neoadjuvant setting for locally advanced, resectable GC/GEJC with HER2 overexpression. Methods: In this prospective, phase II, single-arm study, we included patients with histologically confirmed, resectable gastric/gastric junction adenocarcinoma (GC/GEJ) staged as cT3-4aN1-3M0 according to the TNM 8th edition, and demonstrating HER2 overexpression (IHC 3+ or IHC 2+). Participants received three cycles of treatment on a three-weekly basis (Q3W). Surgical resection was scheduled to occur 3-4 weeks following the completion of neoadjuvant therapy. The primary endpoint was the pathological complete response (pCR) rate; the secondary endpoints included the major pathological response (MPR) rate, clinical downgrading rate, disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Results: Between Sep 18, 2022 and Feb 2, 2024, a total of 23 patients were enrolled. Seven patients had not completed neoadjuvant treatment.Two patients refused surgery due to organ preservation. Two patients refused study therapy after 2 cycles of neoadjuvant treatment. 12 patients who experienced D2 resection, 6 (50%) achieved MPR, including 4 (33.3%) with pCR (ypT0N0M0).The R0 resection rate was 100%. Median DFS and OS have not been reached. The most common reported AEs (grade≥3) were decreased neutrophil count (10%), bowel obstruction (5%), ALT increased (5%) and AST increased (5%). There have been no treatment-related mortalities documented. Conclusions: The preliminary findings suggest that the neoadjuvant combination of RC48, camrelizumab and S-1 presents a promising and safe treatment option for locally advanced resectable GC/GEJ adenocarcinoma with HER2 overexpression. Clinical trial information: ChiCTR2300075446.

Efficacy and safety of surufatinib, toripalimab, nab-paclitaxel in combination with radiotherapy or surgery in the first-line treatment of esophageal squamous cell cancer: A single-centered prospective clinical trial.

e16047 Background: Chemotherapy(CT) plus immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has become the current standard of care in the first-line treatment of metastatic esophageal squamous cell cancer(ESCC). In locally advanced setting, radiochemotherapy with or without resection remains the standard of care. Surufatinib, a novel small-molecule kinase inhibitor targeting VEGFR1-3, FGFR and CSF-1R, in combination with PD-1 inhibitors have demonstrated synergistic anti-tumor activities in previous studies. This single-centered prospective clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of surufatinib(SUR), toripalimab(TOR), nab-paclitaxel(NAB) in combination with radiotherapy or surgery in the first-line treatment of locally advanced(LA) or metastatic(R/M) ESCC. Methods: Eligible patients(pts) with confirmed LA or R/M, ECOG PS 0-2 and no prior systematic treatment were enrolled in the trial. Pts would receive 260mg/m2 NAB and TOR 240mg on day 1 and SUR 250mg once daily in each 21-day cycle as induction therapy for two cycles, followed by surgery or another two cycles of concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CCRT) with NAB, SUR and radiotherapy, in which involved-field irradiation were conducted at the dose of 50-63 Gy/25-30F, 1.8-2 Gy per fraction, 5 fractions per week. As maintenance therapy, daily SUR and TOR every three week were administered until disease progression or unacceptable toxicities. Progression-free survival (PFS) was the primary endpoint. Results: As of Jan 7, 2024, 16 pts were enrolled, of whom 15 were evaluable. 14(87.5%) pts were male. The median age was 69.5 (range: 45-79). Tumor located in upper(18.8%), middle(25%) and lower(56.2%) thoracic. 1(6.2%) is Stage II disease, 12(75%) Stage III and 3(18.8%) Stage IV. 8 (50%) pts were with PD-L1 CPS greater than 1, 5 (31.25%) pts greater than 5, and 3 (18.75%) pts greater than 10. PD-L1 CPS of 6(37.50%) pts was unknown. With a median follow-up time of 5 (range: 1-12) months, despite the immatureness of PFS, the 12-month PFS rate was 77.14% (95% CI: 48.89%-100%). The objective response rate was 93.3% (14/15), and disease control rate was 100% (15/15). Five of the included pts met the resection criteria during treatment and underwent subsequent R0 resection. The most common adverse events (≥20%) of all grades were hypoesthesia (62.5%), nausea and vomiting (50%), and white blood cell decrease (43.75%). Conclusions: The combination ofsurufatinib, toripalimab, nab-paclitaxel with radiotherapy or surgery has demonstrated promising efficacy and a well-tolerated safety profile as a potential first-line treatment for LA or R/M ESCC. This ongoing trial merits further investigation and holds significant implications for clinical practice.

Neoadjuvant sintilimab, albumin-bound paclitaxel, and carboplatin for locally advanced resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: A prospective phase 2 study.

e16097 Background: Whether combined immunotherapy on the basis of neoadjuvant chemotherapy is beneficial for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain to be inconclusive. This phase 2 study (ChineseClinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2000041081) evaluate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant sintilimab, albumin-bound paclitaxel, and carboplatin in locally advanced ESCC. Methods: Patients with locally advanced ESCC (T2N+M0, T3N0-2M0, T4aN0-2M0, or no distant metastases, or viable or potentially viable) were enrolled and received 3 cycles of neoadjuvant sintilimab, albumin-bound paclitaxel, and carboplatin. Surgery was scheduled within four to six weeks of completing the neoadjuvant treatment. Three additional cycles of adjuvant sintilimab monotherapy or sintilimab plus chemotherapy were scheduled after a multidisciplinary discussion. The primary endpoint was the MPR rate. Results: From November 2020 to November 2021, twenty-four patients (median age: 64.5 years, men: 21/24,lower segment tumor location12/24,stage IV disease 15/24) were included in this study. All patients completed three cycles of neoadjuvant treatment and surgery. The median dose intensities for sintilimab, carboplatin and albumin-bound paclitaxel were 100% (range, 66.7–105.0%), 98.4% (range, 64.1–104.0%), and 100% (range, 38.1–105.8%), respectively. The R0 resection rate was 100%. The pCR rate and MPR rate was 33.3% and 41.7%. Among the 10 patients with PD-L1 CPS of ≥1, the pCR and MPR rates were 40% and 50%. 20 (83.1%) had TNM downstaging. The median DFS and median OS had not been reached yet, 500 days DFS and OS rate was 85.3% (95%CI 85.4%-97.2%) and 94.1% (95%CI 94.8%-100.0%). PD-L1 protein expression showed a higher life expectancy trend in the post-neoadjuvant therapy esophageal tissue samples than in the pre-therapy samples. The most common grade 3-4 treatment-related adverse events were anemia (29.2%), increased gamma-glutamyl transferase level (4.2%) and hyponatremia (4.2%). Emergency reoperation and intensive care were not required, and there were no postoperative mortalities. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant sintilimab, albumin-bound paclitaxel, and carboplatin preliminarily demonstrate encouraging clinical benefits and acceptable safety. Preoperative immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy alters the immune microenvironment of locally advanced resectable ESCC. Clinical trial information: ChiCTR2000041081.

Neoadjuvant tislelizumab combined with lenvatinib plus transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in resectable hepatocellular carcinoma with high-risk of recurrence: A prospective, single-arm, phase II trial.

e16242 Background: Currently, more than 55% of liver cancer patients have recurrence within 1 years after radical surgery. However,there is no standard treatment of neoadjuvant therapy for resectable HCC patients. This study aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of the triple therapy [Tislelizumab combined with lenvatinib plus transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE)] as neoadjuvant therapy in patients with resectable HCC with high-risk of recurrence. Methods: This prospective, single-arm, phase II trial (ChiCTR2200059574) enrolled patients with primary resectable HCC who had not received prior anti-tumor therapy. The recurrence rate was predicted to be > 50% according to the risk predictor ( http://www.asapcalculate.top/Cal2_ch.html ) of early recurrence before surgery. TACE will be performed once on Day 1. Tislelizumab (an anti-PD-1 antibody, 200 mg) intravenously once every 3 weeks and lenvatinib (body weight ≥ 60 kg, 12 mg;< 60 kg, 8 mg) orally daily was initiated 3 days after TACE treatment. Surgery was performed after two cycles of neoadjuvant treatment. After 4-6 weeks of surgery, patients continued to receive tislelizumab and lenvatinib for 6 months to 1 year. Primary endpoint was adverse events (AE) and major pathological reactions. Secondary endpoints were objective response rate (ORR) by mRECIST, relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: From April 2022 to August 2023, 19 patients (median age, 55 years) were enrolled, all Child-Pugh A and ECOG PS 0, mostly males (89.5%) and HBV infection (94.7%). According to mRECIST, the ORR was 94.7% (18/19, CR 2, PR 16), and the DCR was 94.7% too (18/19, CR 2, PR 16, SD 0). In 19 patients, 14 patients had received surgical treatment (R0 resection rates were 100%), 12 patients (12/14, 85.7%) achieved major pathological reaction (necrosis≥90%), and 2 patients (2/14, 14.3%) achieved complete pathological response. For those patients who did not undergo surgery, 3 of them refused surgery, and 2 patients lost the chance of surgery because of disease progression and high ICG R-15, respectively. At the end of the last follow-up (January 20, 2024), tumor recurrence was detected in 2 patients after surgery. The 12-month RFS rate and OS rate were 80.2%(95% CI: 40.4%-94.8%)and 94.7%(95% CI: 68.1%-99.2%), respectively. Median RFS and OS were not reached. No grade 3 or above AE were observed. Conclusions: Tislelizumab, lenvatinib, and TACE were safe and showed promising efficacy as a neoadjuvant therapy for resectable HCC with high risk of recurrence. Clinical trial information: ChiCTR2200059574.

Efficacy and safety analysis of donafenib combined with transarterial chemoembolization in the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: A prospective, single-arm, single center, phase II clinical study.

e16134 Background: To observe and assess the efficacy of donafenib combined with TACE in the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: It was a prospective, single-arm, single center, and phase II clinical study. A total of 34 initial unresectable HCC patients who had not received any systemic treatment were enrolled. The patients received donafenib ( 100mg po bid), TACE and or not and camrelizumab (200mg iv Q3W). The primary endpoint was short-term efficacy based on mRECIST criteria, with secondary endpoints including PFS, TTR, DCR and adverse events (AEs).The diameter of tumor feeding artery was measured. Results: A total of 36 patients were included in the study, including 26 who received donafenib and TACE and 10 who received donafenib and TACE plus PD-1 inhibitors. A total of 34 subjects were eligible for efficacy evaluation, and among them, there were 4 cases of CR, 17 cases of PR, 10 cases of SD and 3 cases of PD; Four patients (11.8%) successfully underwent conversion therapy and all achieved R0 resection. Two patients achieved a complete pathological response. The ORR was 61.8% and the DCR was 91.2% based on mRECIST criteria. The mPFS was 10.7 months (95%CI: 8.37-NA months), median OS was not reached, median TTR was 1.4 months ( 95% CI: 0.8-6.9 months). The 6 moths and 12 moths progression-free survival rate were 73.4% and 47.9% respectively. Treatment related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in all 25 subjects, and grade 3 TRAE occurred in 4 subjects (11.3%), and no grade 4 or 5 TRAE occurred. The tumor feeding artery diameter was (4.5±1.4)mm pre-treatment, and reduced to (3.2±1.1)mm post-treatment (P = 0.036). The multivariable analysis indicated that the sum of baseline target lesion diameters、best tumor response and post-treatment tumor artery diameter were independent predictor for PFS. Conclusions: TACE combined with donafenib could reduce the tumor feeding artery diameter, which had a good safety profile and a high objective response rate in patients with unresectable HCC. Clinical trial information: ChiCTR2100054041.