Significant Difference In Progression-free Survival Research Articles

Genetic Landscape and Its Prognostic Impact in Children With Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare myeloid neoplasm that predominantly affects young children. To investigate genetic alterations and their correlation with clinical characteristics and prognosis in pediatric LCH. We performed targeted sequencing to detect mutations in LCH lesions from pediatric patients. A total of 30 genomic alterations in 5 genes of the MAPK pathway were identified in 187 of 223 patients (83.9%). BRAF V600E (B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase) was the most common mutation (51.6%), followed by MAP2K1 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1) alterations (17.0%) and other BRAF mutations (13.0%). ARAF (A-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase) and KRAS (KRAS proto-oncogene, GTPase) mutations were relatively rare (2.2% and 0.9%, respectively). Additionally, FNBP1 (formin-binding protein 1)::BRAF fusion and MAP3K10 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 10) mutations A17T and R823C were identified in 1 case each, with possible constitutive activation of ERK1/2 phosphorylation. BRAF V600E was more frequent in patients with risk organ involvement, while MAP2K1 mutation was more prevalent in patients with single-system LCH (P = .001). BRAF V600E was associated with craniofacial bone, skin, liver, spleen, and ear involvement (all P < .05). Patients with other BRAF mutations had a higher proportion of spinal column involvement (P = .006). Univariate analysis showed a significant difference in progression-free survival among the 4 molecular subgroups for patients treated with first-line therapy (P = .02). According to multivariate analysis, risk organ involvement was the strongest independent adverse prognostic factor (hazard ratio, 8.854; P < .001); BRAF or MAP2K1 mutation was not an independent prognostic factor. Most pediatric patients with LCH carry somatic mutations involving the MAPK pathway, correlating with clinical characteristics and outcomes for first-line chemotherapy.

A research center’s experience of T-cell–redirecting therapies in triple-class refractory multiple myeloma

AbstractThe efficacies of chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-Ts) and bispecific monoclonal antibodies (BiAbs) for triple-class refractory (TCR) myeloma have not previously been compared, and clinical data on how to rescue patients after relapse from these immunotherapies are limited. A retrospective study of 73 TCR patients included in trials was conducted: 36 received CAR-Ts and 37 received BiAbs. CAR-Ts produced a higher overall response rate (ORR) than BiAbs (97.1% vs 56.8%, P = .002). After a median of follow-up of 18.7 months, no significant difference in progression-free survival (PFS) was observed between the CAR-T and BiAbs groups (16.6 vs 10.8 months; P = .090), whereas overall survival (OS) was significantly longer in the CAR-T than in the BiAbs group (49.2 vs 22.6 months; P = .021). BiAbs after CAR-Ts yielded a higher ORR and longer PFS2 than did nonredirecting T-cell therapies after CAR-Ts (ORR: 87.5% vs 50.0%; PFS2: 22.9 vs 12.4 months). By contrast, BiAbs after BiAbs resulted in an ORR of 33% and PFS2 of 8.4 months, which was similar to that produced by the nonredirecting T-cell therapies (ORR: 28.6%; PFS2: 8.1 months). Although this is a pooled analysis of different trials with different products and the patient profile is different for CAR-Ts and BiAbs, both were effective therapies for TCR myeloma. However, in our experience, although the PFS was similar with the 2 approaches, CAR-T therapy resulted in better OS, mainly because of the efficacy of BiAbs as rescue therapy. Our results highlight the importance of treatment sequence in real-word experience.

Outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in real-world clinical practice who met or did not meet the inclusion criteria for the phase 3 IMbrave150 trial.

Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atezo/Bev) is frequently selected as the primary systemic therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To investigate the outcomes of patients with HCC treated with Atezo/Bev in a real-world setting based on whether they met the inclusion criteria for the phase 3 IMbrave150 trial. A total of 936 patients were enrolled. There were 404 patients who met the inclusion criteria of the phase 3 IMbrave150 trial (IMbrave150 group) and 532 who did not (non-IMbrave150 group). Median progression-free survival (PFS) in the IMbrave150 and non-IMbrave150 groups was 7.4 months and 5.6 months (p = 0.002). Multivariable analysis revealed that non-B, non-C HCC aetiology (hazard ratio [HR], 1.173), α-fetoprotein ≥100 ng/mL (HR, 1.472), Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage ≥ C (HR, 1.318), and modified albumin-bilirubin (mALBI) grade 2b or 3 (HR, 1.476) are independently associated with PFS. Median overall survival (OS) in the IMbrave150 and non-Imbrave150 groups was 26.5 and 18.8 months (p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis revealed that Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≥2 (HR, 1.986), α-fetoprotein ≥100 ng/mL (HR, 1.481), and mALBI grade 2b or 3 (HR, 2.037) are independently associated with OS. In subgroup analysis, there were no significant differences in PFS or OS between these groups among patients with mALBI grade 1 or 2a. Patients who are treated with Atezo/Bev and meet the inclusion criteria for the phase 3 IMbrave150 trial, as well as those who do not meet the inclusion criteria but have good liver function, have a good prognosis for survival.

Safety, efficacy, and survival of different transarterial chemoembolization techniques in the management of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: a comparative single-center analysis

PurposeTransarterial chemoembolization (TACE) has become the standard of care for the treatment of intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, current clinical practice guidelines lack consensus on the best selection of a specific TACE technique. This study aims to compare safety, tumor response, and progression-free survival (PFS) of conventional TACE (cTACE), drug-eluting bead TACE (DEB-TACE), and degradable starch microsphere TACE (DSM-TACE).MethodsThis retrospective study included n = 192 patients with HCC who underwent first TACE with unbiased follow-up at 4–6 weeks at our center between 2008 and 2021. Eligibility for TACE was BCLC intermediate stage B, bridging/down-staging (B/D) to liver transplantation (LT), or any other stage when patients were not suitable for resection, LT, local ablation, or systemic therapy. Patients were grouped into three cohorts (n = 45 cTACE, n = 84 DEB-TACE, n = 63 DSM-TACE), and further categorized by TACE indication (B/D or palliative). Liver function and adverse events, response assessed by the modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (mRECIST) 4–6 weeks post-TACE and PFS were analyzed.ResultsThere were no significant differences in age, gender distribution, BCLC stage, or etiology of liver disease among the three TACE groups, even in the B/D or palliative subgroups. DEB-TACE induced slight increases in bilirubin in the palliative subgroup and in lactate dehydrogenase in the entire cohort 4–6 weeks post-TACE, and more adverse events in the palliative subgroup. DEB-TACE and DSM-TACE showed significantly higher disease control rates (complete and partial response, stable disease) compared to cTACE, especially in the B/D setting (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in PFS between the groups [median PFS (months): cTACE, 10.0 vs. DEB, 7.0 vs. DSM, 10.0; p = 0.436].ConclusionOur study provides valuable perspectives in the decision-making for a specific TACE technique: DEB-TACE and DSM-TACE showed improved tumor response. DEB-TACE showed a prolonged impact on liver function and more side effects, so patients with impaired liver function should be more strictly selected, especially in the palliative subgroup.

Comparative outcomes of trans-arterial radioembolization in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis/non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-induced HCC: a retrospective analysis.

Tumorigenesis in NAFLD/NASH-induced HCC is unique and may affect the effectiveness of trans-arterial radioembolization in this population. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively compare the effectiveness of trans-arterial radioembolization for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) between patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)/non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-NASH/NAFLD liver disease. Consecutive patients with HCC who underwent TARE at a single academic institution were retrospectively reviewed. Outcome measures including overall survival (OS), local progression-free survival (PFS), and hepatic PFS as assessed by modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (mRECIST) were recorded. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard models were utilized to compare progression-free survival and overall survival. 138 separate HCCs in patients treated with TARE between July 2013 and July 2022 were retrospectively identified. Etiologies of HCC included NASH/NAFLD (30/122, 22%), HCV (52/122, 43%), alcoholic liver disease (25/122, 21%), and combined ALD/HCV (14/122, 11%). NASH/NAFLD patients demonstrated a significantly higher incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (p < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in overall survival (p = 0.928), local progression-free survival (p = 0.339), or hepatic progression-free survival between the cohorts (p = 0.946) by log-rank analysis. When NASH/NAFLD patients were compared to all combined non-NASH/NAFLD patients, there was no significant difference in OS (HR 1.1, 95% C.I. 0.32-3.79, p = 0.886), local PFS (HR 1.2, 95% C.I. 0.58-2.44, p = 0.639), or hepatic PFS (HR 1.3, 95% C.I. 0.52-3.16, p = 0.595) by log-rank analysis. TARE appears to be an equally effective treatment for NASH/NAFLD-induced HCC when compared to other causes of HCC. Further studies in a larger cohort with additional subgroup analyses are warranted.

Abstract PS12-06: A phase 2 study of abemaciclib monotherapy for patients with retinoblastoma-positive (Rb+), triple-negative metastatic breast cancer

Abstract Background: Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitors can significantly extend survival when given in combination with endocrine therapy as treatment for hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer. Preclinical studies suggest CDK4/6 inhibitor monotherapy might also be effective in a subset of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs), including those that express a functional retinoblastoma (RB) protein and/or those of the Luminal Androgen Receptor (LAR) subtype. Currently, the clinical activity of CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy in TNBC has not been reported. Methods: We conducted a single-arm phase II study of abemaciclib monotherapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic TNBC. Key eligibility criteria included: (i) Measurable disease by RECIST 1.1; (ii) Between 1-3 prior lines of systemic therapy for advanced TNBC; (iii) RB-positive tumor (defined as ≥ 50% of tumor cells staining positive for RB by immunohistochemistry [archival or fresh sample] on central testing); (iv) ECOG PS 0/1. Patients were treated with abemaciclib 200 mg orally (28-day cycles) twice daily until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, withdrawal of consent, or death. Tumor biopsies were mandatory at baseline and C2D1 if tumor tissue was safely accessible. The primary outcome was objective response rate (ORR). Key secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), clinical benefit rate (CBR: CR + PR + SD ≥ 24 weeks), and safety and tolerability. The study had a two-stage design. Thirteen patients were enrolled in the first stage, with the plan to enrol a further 25 patients if at least one objective response was observed. Results: One unconfirmed partial response was observed in stage 1, and a total of 27 patients were enrolled before the trial was closed early due to slow accrual. The median age was 61 years and patients had received a median of 2 prior lines of systemic therapy for metastatic disease. Twelve patients had received prior immunotherapy. After a median follow-up of 28.5 months, the confirmed ORR was 0% and the CBR was 15%, with 4 of 27 patients experiencing stable disease for ≥ 24 weeks. The median PFS was 1.94 months (95% CI: 1.8 – 11.5 months), and the median OS was 8.44 months (95% CI: 4.6 – 15.6 months). There was no significant difference in PFS or OS between patients with PD-L1-positive versus PD-L1-negative disease, or Androgen Receptor (AR) positive versus negative tumors by immunohistochemistry. The most common adverse events of grade 2 or higher were diarrhea (41%), neutropenia (41%), anemia (30%), and nausea (30%). RNA-sequencing of baseline biopsies has been performed to identify biomarkers associated with clinical benefit, and results will be presented at the meeting. Conclusions: Abemaciclib monotherapy did not show clinical activity in patients with Rb+ metastatic TNBC. This finding suggests that future trials of CDK4/6 inhibition as monotherapy in TNBC are not warranted. Citation Format: Shom Goel, Bojana Jovanović, Xiangying Chu, Melissa Hughes, Ayesha Mohammed-Abreu, Julie Kasparian, Timothy Erick, Molly DiLullo, Eileen Wrabel, Rinath Jeselsohn, Nabihah Tayob, Stuart Schnitt, Nancy Lin, Sara Tolaney. A phase 2 study of abemaciclib monotherapy for patients with retinoblastoma-positive (Rb+), triple-negative metastatic breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PS12-06.

Abstract PO3-19-01: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Metastasis-directed Therapy for Oligometastases in Breast Cancer (OLIGAMI trial; JCOG2110)

Abstract Background: Oligometastases were initially described as a concept bridging localized disease with widespread distant metastases, but a consensus on its definition has yet to be reached. Recently, the term "metastasis-directed therapy" (MDT) was coined to encompass local therapy for distant metastases, including surgery and radiation therapy (RT), especially stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Though OLIGO-BC1 and SABR-COMET have indicated the potential benefits of MDT for oligometastases, NRG-BR002 revealed no significant difference in progression-free survival (PFS). As a definitive conclusion to this clinical question has not been reached, there is an increasing demand for phase III trials focusing on breast cancer (BC). We planned the JCOG2110, also called as OLIGAMI trial . Design: OLIGAMI trial is a multi-institutional, two-arm, open-label, randomized controlled phase III trial being conducted with the participation of 50 hospitals belonging to Japan Clinical Oncology Group. After the first registration, all patients will be performed in a 12-week, subtype-specific, systemic therapy consisting of CDK4/6 inhibitors with hormonal therapy for luminal BC, docetaxel with trastuzumab and pertuzumab for HER2-positive BC, chemotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors for triple-negative BC expressing PD-L1, and olaparib for cases harboring BRCA mutations. For other triple-negative BC, chemotherapy will be administered. If this 12-week systemic therapy dose not cause any progression or complete response, patients proceed to second registration for randomization; arm A continues same systemic therapy alone, and arm B performs MDT followed by same systemic therapy. The MDT will involve either RT or surgery, and RT will involve mainly SBRT and partly conventional RT. Eligibility criteria: OLIGAMI trial will encompass all subtypes of advanced BC. The key criteria of the first registration are as follows: 1) Histologically diagnosed as invasive BC. Biopsy from oligometastases is desirable but not required. 2) Diagnosed with advanced BC with oligometastases by neck to pelvis enhanced CT, FDG-PET, and brain enhanced MRI. 3) Oligometastases defined as: (i) Maximum diameter of each tumor is 3 cm or less. (ii) Total number of 3 or less. (iii) In case of brain metastasis, maximum diameter is 2 cm or less and asymptomatic. 4) The patient with local recurrence is included. 5) De novo stage IV BC is included. The criteria of secondary registration are as follows: 1) The planned number of courses of systemic therapy has been performed. 2) No progression or new distant metastasis by response evaluation. 3) At least one oligometastaseis remains. Specific Aims: OLIGAMI trial aims to confirm the superiority of MDT to systemic therapy for oligometastases of BC. The primary endpoint is overall survival (OS) after randomization, while the secondary endpoints include OS after first registration, PFS, progression site (oligometastases vs. non-oligometastases), PFS specifically related to MDT (restricted arm B), proportion of adverse events and serious adverse events, and the non-progression proportion of health-related quality of life. Statistical methods: The sample size was calculated as 268 to detect 12% of 5-year OS difference with one-sided alpha of 0.05, power of 70%, 3 years of accrual, and 5 years of follow up. Therefore, we assumed the planned sample size for second registration for randomization as 270. We set the number of first registration as 340, assuming that there may be some patients with progression or complete response after the systemic therapy for 12 weeks. Present accrual and target accrual: The patient accrual will start in August 2023. Enrolment of 340 patients for first registration is planned over a 3-year accrual period. Contact information: Principal investigator, Toshiyuki Ishiba, MD. Ph.D. ishiba0313@gmail.com Citation Format: Toshiyuki Ishiba, Ikuno Nishibuchi, Fumitaka Hara, Keita Sasaki, Ryo Sadate, Yuta Sekino, Ryunosuke Machida, Haruhiko Fukuda, Takahiro Kogawa, Tomomi Fujisawa, Yasuaki Sagara, Yoichi Naito, Kaori Terata, Yukinori Ozaki, Akihiko Shimomura, Takehiko Sakai, Chizuko Kanbayashi, Tsuguo Iwatani, Hideo Shigematsu, Kenji Tamura, Takashi Mizowaki, Michio Yoshimura, Naoto Shikama, Tadahiko Shien, Hiroji Iwata. A Randomized Controlled Trial of Metastasis-directed Therapy for Oligometastases in Breast Cancer (OLIGAMI trial; JCOG2110) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO3-19-01.

Abstract PO1-05-10: Clinical effectiveness of CDK4/6 inhibitors in HER2-low metastatic breast cancer

Abstract Introduction: There is growing evidence indicating that human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2)-low is a unique subtype of breast cancer that comprises a substantial share of patients historically classified as HER2 negative. Cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6is) are important in the treatment of hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Whether HER2-low status or the level of HER2 gene amplification have prognostic significance for HR+/HER2-negative MBC patients treated with ET and CDK4/6i remains an area of active investigation. Methods: Patients diagnosed with HR+/HER2-negative MBC and who were treated with palbociclib, ribociclib, or abemaciclib from 6/10/2015 to 12/28/2022 were selected from the Montefiore Health system database and followed until 3/24/2023. HER2-0 was defined as immunohistochemistry (IHC) 0, and HER2-low was defined as IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/in situ hybridization negative by 2018 ASCO/CAP guidelines. Median values were used to establish cutoffs for HER2/CEP17 ratio and HER2 gene copy number (GCN). Characteristics of the patients and tumors in the subgroups were compared using chi-squared/Fisher’s exact test for categorical data and Kruskal-Wallis/Wilcox signed rank tests for continuous data. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards analysis were used to compare overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS). Results: 239 patients received CDK4/6i, with 46 HER2-0 and 193 HER2-low patients. There was no statistically significant difference in clinicopathological characteristics between both cohorts. No significant differences were observed in median OS (36 vs 34 months, P &amp;gt; 0.9) and median PFS (44 vs 35 months, P = 0.4) between HER2-0 and HER2-low patients. Adjusting for HER2 status, multivariable analysis showed no statistically significant association between HER2-low status and worse OS (HR: 1.03, P = 0.9) or worse PFS (HR: 1.37, P = 0.4). The median HER2/CEP17 ratio was 1.25 (Interquartile range (IQR): 1.18-1.39), and the median HER2 GCN was 2.58 (IQR: 2.10-3.18). Median OS (25 vs 37, P = 0.15) and median PFS (35 vs 37, P = 0.15) showed no significant differences between ratio-below vs above-median patients. However, patients with GCN-below-median had significantly worse OS (25 vs 37 months, P = 0.026), with no significant difference in median PFS (38 vs 35 months, P = 0.3). Multivariate analysis revealed a significant effect of GCN-below-median on OS (HR: 0.50, P = 0.022) but not on PFS. Conclusion: The clinical effectiveness of CDK4/6i is not influenced by HER2-low status; however, the extent of HER2 gene amplification may have a substantial impact on therapy responsiveness in MBC patients undergoing CDK4/6i treatment. Table 1. Baseline characteristics of patients with MBC comparing HER2-0 vs HER2-low, above/below median HER2/CEP17 ratio, and above/below median HER2 GCN. Table 2. Median OS and PFS in patients with MBC comparing HER2-0 vs HER2-low, above/below median HER2/CEP17 ratio, and above/below median HER2 GCN. Table 3. Multivariable analysis of OS and PFS for patients with MBC comparing HER2-0 vs HER2-low, above/below median HER2/CEP17 ratio, and above/below median HER2 GCN. Citation Format: Frank Zhang, Jesus Anampa Mesias. Clinical effectiveness of CDK4/6 inhibitors in HER2-low metastatic breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-05-10.

Analysis of hepatitis B virus infection in 1424 patients with different pathological types of lymphoma (2018-2022): A real-world, retrospective study.

Recent studies have found a high prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), especially B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL). However, most studies did not classify it and analyze the correlation between HBV and its various subtypes. The authors retrospectively analyzed 1424 patients with lymphoma. Differences in the prevalence of HBV infection in patients with different pathological types of lymphoma were analyzed. The clinical characteristics, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) of HBV-positive and negative B-NHL subtypes were compared according to HBV infection. The HBV infection rate in NHL patients was 7.65%, which was higher than that in HL patients (2.59%, p < 0.05). The HBV infection rate in the B-NHL was higher than that in the T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (T-NHL) (8.14% vs. 4.95%). The HBV infection rate in the aggressive B-NHL was similar to that of the indolent B-NHL (8.30% vs. 7.88%), and the highest HBV infection rates were found in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma, but no significant differences in clinical characteristics, PFS, and OS were seen between HBV-positive and negative patients in the two subtypes. There was an association between HBV infection and the development of NHL and HBV infection may play a role in the pathogenesis of B-NHL, but not T-NHL.

Surgical treatment improves overall survival of hepatocellular carcinoma with extrahepatic metastases after conversion therapy: a multicenter retrospective study

Systemic therapy is typically the primary treatment choice for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with extrahepatic metastases. Some patients may achieve partial response (PR) or complete response (CR) with systemic treatment, leading to the possibility of their primary tumor becoming resectable. This study aimed to investigate whether these patients could achieve longer survival through surgical resection of their primary tumor. We retrospectively collected data from 150 HCC patients with extrahepatic metastases treated at 15 different centers from January 1st, 2015, to November 30th, 2022. We evaluated their overall survival (OS) and progress-free survival (PFS) and analyzed risk factors impacting both OS and PFS were analyzed. Patients who received surgical treatment had longer OS compared to those who did not (median OS 16.5 months vs. 11.3 months). However, there was no significant difference in progression-free survival between the two groups. Portal vein invasion (P = 0.025) was identified as a risk factor for poor prognosis in patients, while effective first-line treatment (P = 0.039) and surgical treatment (P = 0.005) were protective factors. No factors showed statistical significance in the analysis of PFS. Effective first-line treatment (P = 0.027) and surgical treatment (P = 0.006) were both independent protective factors for prolonging patient prognosis, while portal vein invasion was an independent risk factor (P = 0.044). HCC patients with extrahepatic metastases who achieve PR/CR with conversion therapy may experience longer OS through surgical treatment. This study is the first to analyze the clinical outcomes of patients receiving surgical treatment for HCC with extrahepatic metastases.

Deciphering the Prognostic Significance of MYD88 and CD79B Mutations in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Insights into Treatment Outcomes.

The clinical and genetic characteristics, as well as treatment outcomes, of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients with different MYD88 and CD79B mutation status merit further investigation. This study aims to investigate the distinctions in clinical manifestations, genetic characteristics, and treatment outcomes among MYD88-CD79Bco-mut, MYD88/CD79Bsingle-mut, and MYD88-CD79Bco-wt DLBCL patients. Clinical and genetic characteristics, along with treatment outcomes among 2696 DLBCL patients bearing MYD88-CD79Bco-mut, MYD88/CD79Bsingle-mut, and MYD88-CD79Bco-wt treated with R-CHOP/R-CHOP-like regimens from the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College and six external cohorts were analyzed. Potential molecular mechanisms were investigated through Gene Set Enrichment Analysis and xCell methodology. In the MCD subtype, patients with MYD88-CD79Bco-mut showed comparable progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared to MYD88/CD79Bsingle-mut or MYD88-CD79Bco-wt. However, in the non-MCD subtype, patients with MYD88-CD79Bco-mut exhibited significantly inferior OS than MYD88/CD79Bsingle-mut or MYD88-CD79Bco-wt, while there was no significant OS difference between MYD88/CD79Bsingle-mut and MYD88-CD79Bco-wt (median OS: 68.8 [95% CI 22-NA] vs NA [95% CI 112-NA] vs 177.7 [95% CI 159-NA]months; MYD88-CD79Bco-mut vs MYD88/CD79Bsingle-mut: p=0.02; MYD88-CD79Bco-mut vs MYD88-CD79Bco-wt: p=0.03; MYD88/CD79Bsingle-mut vs MYD88-CD79Bco-wt: p=0.33). Regarding patients with MYD88-CD79Bco-mut, there was no significant difference in PFS and OS between the MCD and non-MCD subtypes. Within the MYD88-CD79Bco-mut group, patients with PIM1mut had better PFS than PIM1wt (median PFS: 8.34 [95% CI 5.56-NA] vs 43.8 [95% CI 26.4-NA] months; p=0.02). Possible mechanisms contributing to the superior PFS of PIM1mut patients may include activated lymphocyte-mediated immunity and interferon response, a higher proportion of natural killer T cells and plasmacytoid dendritic cells, as well as suppressed angiogenesis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, along with lower fibroblast and stromal score. In the MCD subtype, patients with MYD88-CD79Bco-mut showed comparable PFS and OS compared to MYD88/CD79Bsingle-mut or MYD88-CD79Bco-wt, while in the non-MCD subtype, they exhibited significantly inferior OS. There was no significant disparity in PFS and OS of MYD88-CD79Bco-mut between the MCD and non-MCD subtypes. The presence of PIM1mut within the MYD88-CD79Bco-mut group correlated with better PFS, which may result from an intricate interplay of immune processes and tumor microenvironment alterations.

The Efficacy of Carfilzomib Treatment in Bortezomib-Refractory Patients-Real Life Experience in a Tertiary Romanian Hospital.

Background: Proteasome inhibitors (PIs) represent one of the most effective classes of therapy for patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and are incorporated in many of the current treatment regimens. The first-generation PI, bortezomib, has shown impressive results in patients with either newly diagnosed or relapsed/refractory MM, but once patients become resistant, treatment is increasingly challenging. Although the existing data show that the second-generation PI, carfilzomib, is highly efficient, there is still limited knowledge regarding the response to carfilzomib-based therapy in bortezomib-resistant patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate carfilzomib treatment performance in bortezomib-sensitive versus -refractory patients, in a real-life eastern European country setting. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 127 adult patients exposed to bortezomib with relapsed or refractory MM, that subsequently received a carfilzomib-based therapy. We investigated the differences in the overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) after carfilzomib-based therapy between the two patient groups. Results: The ORR in the bortezomib-sensitive group was significantly higher than that in the refractory group, leading to a superior PFS in this category of patients. For patients presenting with a high cytogenetic risk, we observed a significant difference in PFS between the bortezomib-sensitive and -refractory group, while standard cytogenetic risk patients presented a similar PFS regardless of the bortezomib sensitivity status. In addition, in patients with ISS (International Staging System) stage I or II, the previous sensitivity to bortezomib correlated with an improved PFS, while for patients with ISS stage III, both groups had a comparable PFS. No significant differences in OS were observed between the two groups. Conclusions: In countries where novel or experimental therapies are not readily available, carfilzomib-based therapy can still be a viable therapy option for patients presenting with bortezomib-refractory status, an ISS stage III, and standard cytogenetic risk.

Evaluation of prognostic biomarkers in meningiomas and their clinical implications in settings with limited resources

Abstract Background The 5th edition of the World Health Organization (WHO) Central Nervous System (CNS) tumor classification for meningiomas acknowledges the clinical relevance of genomic profiling studies and emphasizes the importance of incorporating molecular information alongside histopathological features, leading to more accurate diagnoses and improved patient care. Methods We analyzed 206 meningioma samples (108 histological grade 1, 89 grade 2, and 9 grade 3) to study pTERT mutations, CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion, loss of H3K27me3, and p16 expression. The association of these molecular markers with survival outcomes was also assessed. Results pTERT mutation was found in 4.85% of cases, predominantly occurring in histological grade 2 (11.24%), while none of the histological grade 1 or 3 meningiomas exhibited this mutation. CDKN2A/B gene deletion was absent in grade 1 and detected in 2.24% of grade2, and 33.3% of histological grade 3 cases. There was a significant increase in loss of H3K27me3 with higher tumor grades, while p16 loss was observed in over 50% of cases across all histological grades. The presence of pTERT mutation and CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion resulted in the reclassification of 5.33% (11/206) of meningiomas as integrated grade 3. pTERT mutation and CDKN2A/B deletion, emerged as prognostically relevant markers, showing significant differences in progression-free survival (PFS) between integrated grade 3 and histological grade 2 meningiomas (P = .0002). Conclusions pTERT mutations are the most clinically relevant genetic alterations in meningiomas. Routine testing for pTERT mutations can identify high-risk cases of histologically grade 2 meningiomas, providing crucial prognostic information for treatment planning. CDKN2A/B alteration is rare and not cost-effective in assessing meningiomas. Immunohistochemical assessment of p16 and H3K27me3 expression lacks significant prognostic value. Assessment of pTERT mutations offers a cost-effective and valuable diagnostic tool for meningiomas.

Efficacy of programmed cell death 1 inhibitor maintenance after chimeric antigen receptor T cells in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin-lymphoma.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells obtained long-term durability in about 30% to 40% of relapsed/refractory (r/r) B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). Maintenance therapy after CAR-T is necessary, and PD1 inhibitor is one of the important maintenance therapy options. A total of 173 r/r B-NHL patients treated with PD1 inhibitor maintenance following CD19/22 CAR-T therapy alone or combined with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) from March 2019 to July 2022 were assessed for eligibility for two trials. There were 81 patients on PD1 inhibitor maintenance therapy. In the CD19/22 CAR-T therapy trial, the PD1 inhibitor maintenance group indicated superior objective response rate (ORR) (82.9% vs 60%; P = 0.04) and 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) (59.8% vs 21.3%; P = 0.001) than the non-maintenance group. The estimated 2-year overall survival (OS) was comparable in the two groups (60.1% vs 45.1%; P = 0.112). No difference was observed in the peak expansion levels of CD19 CAR-T and CD22 CAR-T between the two groups. The persistence time of CD19 and CD22 CAR-T in the PD1 inhibitor maintenance group was longer than that in the non-maintenance group. In the CD19/22 CAR-T therapy combined with ASCT trial, no significant differences in ORR (81.4% vs 84.8%; P = 0.67), 2-year PFS (72.3% vs 74.9%; P = 0.73), and 2-year OS (84.1% vs 80.7%; P = 0.79) were observed between non-maintenance and PD1 inhibitor maintenance therapy groups. The peak expansion levels and duration of CD19 and CD22 CAR-T were not statistically different between the two groups. During maintenance treatment with PD1 inhibitor, all adverse events were manageable. In the multivariable analyses, type and R3m were independent predictive factors influencing the OS of r/r B-NHL with PD1 inhibitor maintenance after CAR-T therapy. PD1 inhibitor maintenance following CD19/22 CAR-T therapy obtained superior response and survival in r/r B-NHL, but not in the trial of CD19/22 CAR-T cell therapy combined with ASCT.

Effectiveness and Safety of Pyrotinib-Based Therapy in the Treatment of HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Patients with Brain Metastases: A Multicenter Real-World Study

BackgroundApproximately 30% to 50% of patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive metastatic breast cancer develop brain metastasis (BMs). Pyrotinib has shown promising efficacy in these patients. However, real-world evidence supporting its use is scarce. Therefore, we evaluate the efficacy and safety of pyrotinib-based regimens in the real world. Materials and MethodsWe enrolled patients with BMs from various healthcare facilities in China's Shandong region and used an updated breast-graded prognostic assessment (breast-GPA) to predict survival outcomes. ResultsEfficacy and toxicity were assessed in 101 patients. Overall, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 11.0 months (95% CI, 7.6-14.4 months). PFS was shorter in patients with a breast-GPA of 0 to 2.0 (P< .001). Previous treatment with pertuzumab plus trastuzumab (P = .039) and varying numbers of BMs (P = .028) had a significant positive correlation with PFS. Additionally, radiotherapy (P = .033) for BMs, especially pyrotinib concurrent with radiotherapy (P = .013), significantly prolonged the PFS. In patients with a breast-GPA of 0 to 2.0, a significant difference in PFS was observed depending on whether the brain was the first metastatic site (P< .001). Furthermore, a breast-GPA (0-2.0 vs. 2.5-4.0), and radiotherapy for BMs were found to be independent predictors of PFS. Overall, the objective response rate was 42.6%, while the disease control rate was 88.1%. Diarrhea emerged as the most common adverse event. ConclusionPyrotinib-based therapy is effective and tolerable in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive metastatic breast cancer with BMs. Patients who underwent radiotherapy for BMs, particularly those who received pyrotinib concurrently with radiotherapy, exhibited a more favorable prognosis.

Analysis of the efficacy and safety of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy for unresectable hepatitis B-related intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Objective: To explore the efficacy and safety of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy(HAIC) for unresectable hepatitis B-related intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ICC). Methods: This is a retrospective controlled study. Data from 140 unresectable ICC patients who received HAIC treatment at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from March 2015 to June 2023 were retrospectively collected, including 72 patients in the hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg)negative group (43 males and 29 females, aged (59.6±9.5)years(range: 34 to 81 years)), 68 cases in the HBsAg-positive group (48 males, 20 females, aged (53.4±11.4)years(range: 29 to 82 years)). HAIC treatment used the FOLFOX regimen combined with oxaliplatin, leucovorin,and fluorouracil. The differences in effects, prognosis,and adverse reactions between the two groups of patients after HAIC treatment were analyzed. All variables were expressed as categorical data. The χ2 test or Fisher's exact probability method was used to compare between groups. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw survival curves. The difference of survival curve between groups were compared through the Log-rank test. Results: According to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors(RECIST) version 1.1,the objective response rate(ORR) of the HBsAg-negative group was 23.2%(16/69),and the ORR of the HBsAg-positive group was 40.3%(25/62). The difference in ORR between the two groups was statistically significant(χ2=4.459,P=0.035). According to the modified RECIST(mRECIST) criteria,the ORR of the HBsAg-negative group was 27.5%(19/69), and the ORR of the HBsAg-positive group was 45.2%(28/62). The difference in ORR between the two groups was statistically significant(χ2=4.410,P=0.036). The median progression-free survival(PFS) of the HBsAg-negative group and the positive group were 7.1 months(95%CI: 5.8 to 13.2 months) and 7.3 months (95%CI: 5.7 to 10.3 months), respectively, and the median overall survival(OS) were 16.3 months (95%CI: 12.5 to 33.9 months) and 15.9 months (95%CI: 9.2 to 20.7 months) respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in PFS and OS between the two groups (both P>0.05). The main serious adverse reactions of the two groups of patients included increased AST, increased ALT, thrombocytopenia,and neutropenia. There were no statistically significant differences in various adverse reactions between the two groups after HAIC treatment (all P>0.05). Conclusion: Patients with HBsAg-positive unresectable ICC are more likely to benefit from HAIC treatment.

Comparison of Efficacy and Safety of Different Second-line Therapies for Patients With Advanced Thymic Carcinoma

AimsThymic carcinoma (TC) is a rare form of highly invasive tumors. Currently, the standard first-line therapy involves paclitaxel plus carboplatin treatment, while the recommended regimen for second-line therapy remains uncertain. The purpose of this study is to explore the second-line mode of TC patients. Materials and methodsWe evaluated the outcome of subjects with advanced TC between 2009 and 2023 in three medical centers, retrospectively. Tumor response was evaluated according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, version 1.1 (RECIST v1.1). Kaplan-Meier was used for calculating Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The factors affecting survival in the real world were evaluated by Cox analysis. ResultsTotally 136 patients were included in this study, the median PFS (mPFS) for all subjects was 5.97 months, and the median OS (mOS) was 25.03 months. According to patient's treatment modes, they are divided into monotherapy (n = 95) and combination therapy (n = 41), PFS manifested the difference between two groups (5.17 vs. 9.00 months, P = 0.043). OS also indicated a significant distinction (22.50 vs. 38.00 months, P = 0.017). Furthermore, there was a significant difference in PFS between patients using immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy and those with antivascular therapy (8.57 vs. 13.10 months, P = 0.047). ConclusionIn the second-line therapy for advanced TC, the efficacy of combination therapy was better than monotherapy, especially for immunotherapy combined with antivascular therapy.

Change in the Neutrophil-to-Eosinophil Ratio After Avelumab Maintenance for Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma: The UROKYU Study.

The association between clinical outcomes and posttreatment changes in the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and neutrophil-to-eosinophil ratio (NER) in patients receiving avelumab maintenance therapy for advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC) is unclear. We retrospectively analyzed data from advanced UC patients who received avelumab and had not progressed with first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. The association between the changes in NLR and NER from pretreatment to week 6 of avelumab treatment and therapeutic efficacy was evaluated. Thirty-two patients were enrolled in this study (male, n=25; female, n=7; median age, 71 years). At six weeks, 19 patients (59.4%) had a decreased NLR and 18 patients (56.3%) had a decreased NER. When the change in NER from pretreatment to six weeks was compared, there was a significant decrease in responders (without progressive disease) (p=0.008); however, there was no significant decrease in non-responders (progressive disease) (p=0.855). The NLR showed no significant change in either group (p=0.099, 0.358). When patients were compared according to the change in the NLR at six weeks, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) did not differ between the decreased NLR and increased NLR groups (p=0.116, 0.256). When patients were compared according to the change in the NER, the decreased and increased groups showed significant differences in PFS and OS (p<0.001, 0.030). In the present real-world study, the responders showed a significantly decreased NER at six weeks. This was associated with improved PFS and OS in patients with advanced UC.

Abstract 379: Landscape of HIF-1α expression across 24,186 solid tumors using comprehensive immune profiling

Abstract Background: Transcription factor Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1α (HIF-1α) is a key regulator of various cellular and systemic responses to hypoxia, with HIF-1α mediated pathways playing an important role in tumor progression and metastasis. Recent studies have highlighted the correlation between HIF-1α expression with tumor cell survival, angiogenesis, and invasion. In this study, we explore the landscape of HIF-1α expression across 35 solid tumor histologies, its co-expression with immune checkpoint and angiogenesis-related genes, as well as its association with outcomes from a retrospective cohort of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with pembrolizumab. Methods: A discovery cohort of 24,186 solid tumors across 35 types were evaluated by comprehensive immune profiling assay. HIF-1α gene expression was normalized and ranked against a reference population of 735 samples yielding a percentile rank values [0-100], with rank classified as high (≥75), moderate (≥25 and &amp;lt;75) and low (&amp;lt;25). We investigated the distribution of HIF-1α expression, cellular proliferation signature, and co-expression with other immunotherapy targets using Spearman correlations (rs). Additionally, Kaplan-Meier analysis and Chi-squared tests were utilized for overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS) and objective response rate (ORR) differences in a retrospective cohort of 72 patients with NSCLC, treated with pembrolizumab. Results: Pan-cancer analysis confirmed a broad distribution of HIF-1α expression, with highest median expression levels observed in brain and central nervous system (CNS) (median=64), thyroid (median=49) and uterine (median=42) cancers. Significant associations (p&amp;lt;0.001) were observed between PD-L1 positivity (TPS≥1%, CPS≥1) and HIF-1α expression, with 60% of HIF-1α high cases (n=1,314/2,193) being PD-L1 positive, whereas 53% of HIF-1α low cases (n=4,834/9,135) were PD-L1 negative. Significant correlations (p&amp;lt;0.05) of ranked expression of HIF-1α with immune checkpoint blockage targets like PD-1 and CTLA-4, as well as angiogenesis-related genes like VEGFA and PTEN were observed. Within our pembrolizumab-treated retrospective cohort, there were no significant differences in OS and PFS between HIF-1α high and HIF-1α low tumors. However, the response to pembrolizumab was significantly higher in HIF-1α low tumors (ORR=58.82%, p&amp;lt;0.01) compared to HIF-1α high tumors. Conclusion: In clinically tested solid tumors, HIF-1α showed a dynamic expression range, with highest levels observed in brain, thyroid and uterine cancers. Significant co-expression of HIF-1α with various downstream genes, especially angiogenesis-related genes, enabled identification of gene signatures that characterize the hypoxic tumor microenvironment and may aid in the development of novel combination therapy strategies. Citation Format: Hardik I. Parikh, Sarabjot Pabla, Maria-Fernanda Senosain, Robert Seager, Erik Vanroey, Shuang Gao, Yamuna Pulivendula, Paul DePietro, Mary Nesline, Durgapras Dash, Jeffrey Conroy, Stephanie Hastings, Heidi Ko, Kyle Strickland, Rebecca Previs, Eric Severson, Taylor Jensen, Shakti Ramkissoon, Marcia Eisenberg, Brian Caveney. Landscape of HIF-1α expression across 24,186 solid tumors using comprehensive immune profiling [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 379.

Abstract 2394: Significance of regional lymph node dissection in patients with clear cell sarcoma and epithelioid sarcoma

Abstract Objective Clear cell sarcoma (CCS) and epithelioid sarcoma (ES) are common as soft-tissue sarcoma subtypes causing lymph node metastasis (LNM), but the role of regional lymph node dissection is still unclear especially in these patients without imaging evidence of LNM. Here we retrospectively investigated the significance of lymph node dissection for patients with CCS and ES. Methods Forty-one patients (CCS: 13, ES: 28) with no distant metastasis other than in the regional lymph nodes were enrolled in this study. Of these 41 patients, those without LNM on imaging findings were categorized into two groups: "with dissection (WD)" group and "no dissection (ND)" group, respectively. Overall survival (OS), lymph node metastatic-free survival (LNMFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and post-operative LNM rate were compared between two groups. Results There were 26 patients who had undergone regional lymph node dissection and 15 patients who had not undergone regional lymph node dissection (ND group). Histopathological examination revealed metastasis to the lymph nodes in 9 of the 26 patients (38.5%). 9 patients were suspected of having LNM based on preoperative imaging findings such as CT or FDG PET/CT. Among the remaining 17 patients (WD group) in whom LNM was not suspected based on preoperative imaging findings, 6 patients (35.3%) had LNM. OS (p=0.03), LNMFS (p&amp;lt;0.01), and PFS (p&amp;lt;0.01) were all significantly better in the WD group. The postoperative LNM rate was significantly lower in the WD group than in the ND group (p=0.03), and there were no significant differences in OS, LNMFS, or PFS between the CCS and ES groups in terms of histological type. Discussion Even in cases where LNM was not suspected on preoperative imaging, LNM was present in more than 30% of cases. The possibility of regional LNM should be borne in mind in soft-tissue sarcomas, which frequently present with LNM, regardless of imaging findings. We also suggested that simultaneous dissection of the regional lymph nodes at the time of resection of the primary tumor improves the prognosis. Although ES and CCS are ultra-rare sarcomas, further validation with the accumulation of case series is desirable. Citation Format: Toshiyuki Takemori, Eisuke Kobayashi, Shintaro Iwata, Koichi Ogura, Shuhei Osaki, Suguru Fukushima, Akira Kawai. Significance of regional lymph node dissection in patients with clear cell sarcoma and epithelioid sarcoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 2394.