Systemic Anticancer Treatment Research Articles

Official French SARS-CoV-2 guidelines for cancer patients, a triage solution with precision medicine.

Official French SARS-CoV-2 guidelines for cancer patients, a triage solution with precision medicine.

Adverse events in deceased hospitalised cancer patients as a measure of quality and safety in end-of-life cancer care

BackgroundAnticancer treatment exposes patients to negative consequences such as increased toxicity and decreased quality of life, and there are clear guidelines recommending limiting use of aggressive anticancer treatments for patients near end of life. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between anticancer treatment given during the last 30 days of life and adverse events contributing to death and elucidate how adverse events can be used as a measure of quality and safety in end-of-life cancer care.MethodsRetrospective cohort study of 247 deceased hospitalised cancer patients at three hospitals in Norway in 2012 and 2013. The Global Trigger Tool method were used to identify adverse events. We used Poisson regression and binary logistic regression to compare adverse events and association with use of anticancer treatment given during the last 30 days of life.Results30% of deceased hospitalised cancer patients received some kind of anticancer treatment during the last 30 days of life, mainly systemic anticancer treatment. These patients had 62% more adverse events compared to patients not being treated last 30 days, 39 vs. 24 adverse events per 1000 patient days (p < 0.001, OR 1.62 (1.23–2.15). They also had twice the odds of an adverse event contributing to death compared to patients without such treatment, 33 vs. 18% (p = 0.045, OR 1.85 (1.01–3.36)). Receiving follow up by specialist palliative care reduced the rate of AEs per 1000 patient days in both groups by 29% (p = 0.02, IRR 0.71, CI 95% 0.53–0.96).ConclusionsAnticancer treatment given during the last 30 days of life is associated with a significantly increased rate of adverse events and related mortality. Patients receiving specialist palliative care had significantly fewer adverse events, supporting recommendations of early integration of palliative care in a patient safety perspective.

Management of diet in gastrointestinal cancer.

Nutrition and gastrointestinal cancer are inextricably linked. The metabolic effects of cancer along with changes in dietary intake, the development of cancer cachexia and the presence of sarcopenia can influence changes in body composition. These have a negative impact on quality of life and tolerance to cancer treatment. Treatment for cancer presents some significant nutritional challenges as nutrition impact symptoms may develop, be exacerbated by treatment and may contribute to a worsening in nutritional status. Nutrition screening and assessment should be an integral part of holistic patient care. The provision of appropriate, evidence-based dietary advice should occur before, during and after cancer treatment. Appropriate and timely methods of nutritional support across the spectrum of gastrointestinal cancer are needed to ensure that people are adequately supported during courses of treatment that can span weeks and months. These can range from standard approaches of supplementing oral intake to complex interventions such as managing high output intestinal stomas. The gastrointestinal tract is particularly susceptible to impact from systemic anti-cancer treatments and radiotherapy. Gastrointestinal late effects of cancer treatment are now recognised to present particular challenges in terms of both medical and nutritional management. These late effects have a significant impact on the individual and their quality of life in addition to implications for the health service. Dietary intake following cancer treatment has an impact on quality of life and future research may demonstrate its influence on the risk of recurrence of gastrointestinal cancer.

COVID-19 mortality in patients with cancer on chemotherapy or other anticancer treatments: a prospective cohort study

BackgroundIndividuals with cancer, particularly those who are receiving systemic anticancer treatments, have been postulated to be at increased risk of mortality from COVID-19. This conjecture has considerable effect on the treatment of patients with cancer and data from large, multicentre studies to support this assumption are scarce because of the contingencies of the pandemic. We aimed to describe the clinical and demographic characteristics and COVID-19 outcomes in patients with cancer.MethodsIn this prospective observational study, all patients with active cancer and presenting to our network of cancer centres were eligible for enrolment into the UK Coronavirus Cancer Monitoring Project (UKCCMP). The UKCCMP is the first COVID-19 clinical registry that enables near real-time reports to frontline doctors about the effects of COVID-19 on patients with cancer. Eligible patients tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 on RT-PCR assay from a nose or throat swab. We excluded patients with a radiological or clinical diagnosis of COVID-19, without a positive RT-PCR test. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality, or discharge from hospital, as assessed by the reporting sites during the patient hospital admission.FindingsFrom March 18, to April 26, 2020, we analysed 800 patients with a diagnosis of cancer and symptomatic COVID-19. 412 (52%) patients had a mild COVID-19 disease course. 226 (28%) patients died and risk of death was significantly associated with advancing patient age (odds ratio 9·42 [95% CI 6·56–10·02]; p<0·0001), being male (1·67 [1·19–2·34]; p=0·003), and the presence of other comorbidities such as hypertension (1·95 [1·36–2·80]; p<0·001) and cardiovascular disease (2·32 [1·47–3·64]). 281 (35%) patients had received cytotoxic chemotherapy within 4 weeks before testing positive for COVID-19. After adjusting for age, gender, and comorbidities, chemotherapy in the past 4 weeks had no significant effect on mortality from COVID-19 disease, when compared with patients with cancer who had not received recent chemotherapy (1·18 [0·81–1·72]; p=0·380). We found no significant effect on mortality for patients with immunotherapy, hormonal therapy, targeted therapy, radiotherapy use within the past 4 weeks.InterpretationMortality from COVID-19 in cancer patients appears to be principally driven by age, gender, and comorbidities. We are not able to identify evidence that cancer patients on cytotoxic chemotherapy or other anticancer treatment are at an increased risk of mortality from COVID-19 disease compared with those not on active treatment.FundingUniversity of Birmingham, University of Oxford.

Systemic anti-cancer therapy delivery in the home: a service model.

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust is a leader in adapting patient care in response to treatment advances and new patient-centred care/efficiency initiatives. Due to extended waiting times in cancer clinics, The Christie developed an at-home treatment service to help reduce the pressure on clinics and improve patient experience. This article provides a detailed examination of the requirements necessary to successfully develop a home service for the delivery of systemic anticancer treatment. The authors discuss the criteria used to identify suitable at-home treatments, as well as necessary resources and equipment. The success of the Christie at Home service was examined using a patient survey to assess the standard of this care. Details are given regarding the challenges of implementing a homecare service and potential future challenges. As an example, systemic treatment with eribulin as a 'Christie at Home' therapy demonstrates the practicalities of introduction of new therapies in a homecare service.

Early switch from intravenous to oral antibiotic therapy in patients with cancer who have low-risk neutropenic sepsis (the EASI-SWITCH trial): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

BackgroundNeutropenic sepsis remains a common treatment complication for patients receiving systemic anti-cancer treatment. The UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence have not recommended switching from empirical intravenous antibiotics to oral antibiotics within 48 h for patients assessed as low risk for septic complications because of uncertainty about whether this would achieve comparable outcomes to using intravenous antibiotics for longer. The UK National Institute for Health Research funded the EASI-SWITCH trial to tackle this uncertainty.MethodsThe trial is a pragmatic, randomised, non-inferiority trial that aims to establish the clinical and cost-effectiveness of early switching from intravenous to oral antibiotics in cancer patients with low-risk neutropenic sepsis. Patients ≥ 16 years, receiving systemic anti-cancer treatment (acute leukaemics/stem cell transplants excluded), with a temperature of > 38 °C, neutrophil count ≤ 1.0 × 109/L, MASCC (Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer) score ≥ 21 and receiving IV piperacillin/tazobactam or meropenem for less than 24 h are eligible to participate. Patients are randomised 1:1 either (i) to switch to oral ciprofloxacin and co-amoxiclav within 12–24 h of commencing intravenous antibiotics, completing at least 5 days total antibiotics (intervention), or (ii) to continue intravenous antibiotics for at least 48 h, with ongoing antibiotics being continued at the physician’s discretion (control). Patients are discharged home when their physician deems it appropriate. The primary outcome measure is a composite of treatment failures as assessed at day 14. The criteria for treatment failure include fever persistence or recurrence 72 h after starting intravenous antibiotics, escalation from protocolised antibiotics, hospital readmission related to infection/antibiotics, critical care support or death. Based on a 15% treatment failure rate in the control group and a 15% non-inferiority margin, the recruitment target is 230 patients.DiscussionIf the trial demonstrates non-inferiority of early switching to oral antibiotics, with potential benefits for patient quality of life and resource savings, this finding will have significant implications for the routine clinical management of those with low-risk neutropenic sepsis.Trial registrationISRCTN: 84288963. Registered on the 1 July 2015. https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN84288963.EudraCT: 2015-002830-35.

A phase I, dose-escalation and expansion study of TQ-B3139, a novel ALK TKI, in Chinese ALK or ROS1 positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

9585 Background: TQ-B3139 is a novel ALK inhibitor with activity 3-7 folds higher than Crizotinib against a broad range of ALK mutations. This phase I study (NCT03099330) is to investigate the safety, and determine the recommended phase II dose (RP2D), and pharmacokinetic (PK), clinical efficacy of TQ-B3139 in Chinese NSCLC patients. Methods: Patients with advanced NSCLC and failed at least one systemic anti-cancer treatment were enrolled. TQ-B3139 was administered orally from 50mg~100mg qd and 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and 800mg bid, using a PK-guided modified Fibonacci 3+3 dose escalation design. The dose-escalation evaluated patients in 28-day cycles, dose limited toxicities (DLTs) was observed at first cycle. Dose-expansion phase started at dose level which objective response occurs. Treatment was continued until disease progression, death or unacceptable toxicity. Results: Between July 2017 and May 2019, totally 63 patients (59 ALK+, 4 ROS1+) were enrolled. Sixteen patients had prior ALK inhibitor therapy (11 Crizotinib, 5 Ensartinib), and 23 (36.5%) with baseline brain metastasis. Totally, 62 (98.4%) patients experienced treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs), grade 3-4 TRAEs were observed in 21 (33.3%) patients. One DLT occurred in the 800mg bid dose cohort (grade 3 nausea and vomiting). Top 3 common TRAEs were nausea (all grade 87.3%; grade 3-4 3.2%), diarrhea (84.1%, 6.4%), transaminase elevation (65.1%, 4.8%). AUC and Ctrough at steady state increased proportionally from 200mg to 600mg bid. Absorption saturation was observed in 800mg bid. Base on the safety and PK results, PR2D was decided at 600mg bid. Overall ORR was 73.0% (2 CR, 44 PR); DCR was 85.7% (8 SD). Objective response was observed from dose level 200mg bid cohort, ORR and DCR at ≥200mg bid was 78.0% and 89.8%. For ALK TKI-naïve and -resistant patients, the ORR was 78.7% (37/47) and 56.3% (9/16) respectively. For patients with measurable baseline brain metastasis, the ORR for brain lesions was 80.0% (8/10). At data cut-off (23 Jan 2020), 32 events (50.8%) occurred, the median PFS for all patients was 12.1 months (95%CI 8.5-15.6), for patients at ≥200mg bid dose was 12.2 months. The median PFS was not reached for -naive patients (6 months PFS rate 74.5%, 95%CI 68.1-80.9), and 5.6months (95%CI 1.6-9.5) for ALK TKI-resistant patients. Conclusions: TQ-B3139 was well tolerated in Chinese NSCLC patients with high antitumor activity. RP2D was established at 600mg bid. A randomized phase III trial of TQ-B3139 versus Crizotinib in advanced ALK-TKI naïve NSCLC patients is underway. Clinical trial information: NCT03099330 .

Phase II, open-label, randomized study of first-line zolbetuximab plus gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel (GN) in Claudin 18.2–positive metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPC).

TPS4667 Background: Combinations of folinic acid, fluorouracil (5-FU), irinotecan, and oxaliplatin (FOLFIRINOX) along with GN are standard first-line treatment options for mPC. Despite treatment advances, mPC has a poor prognosis with a 5-year survival rate of &lt; 5%, emphasizing an urgent need for new targeted therapeutics. Claudin 18.2 (CLDN18.2) is a tight junction protein restricted to normal gastric mucosa cells; however, in the context of malignant transformation, CLDN18.2 is frequently expressed in carcinomas derived from organs that do not normally express it, such as pancreatic adenocarcinoma (50-70% express CLDN18.2). Zolbetuximab is a chimeric IgG1 monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to CLDN18.2, designed to mediate cancer cell death through antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity. Methods: This phase 2 study (NCT03816163) with a safety lead-in phase will assess safety and antitumor activity of zolbetuximab plus GN in patients (pts) with histologically confirmed mPC with high CLDN18.2 expression (≥75% of tumor cells demonstrate moderate-to-strong IHC staining). The safety lead-in will assess safety/tolerability of zolbetuximab (n = 3 at 1,000 mg/m2 on Cycle 1 Day 1 then 600 mg/m2 Q2W then expand/de-escalate using a 3+3 design) plus GN and confirm the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D). Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), defined as a specified toxicity that occurs during the DLT assessment period and is related to zolbetuximab, will be assessed after Cycle 1 (28 days). After determining the RP2D, approximately 129 pts will be randomly assigned 2:1 to receive either zolbetuximab RP2D Q2W on Days 1 and 15 plus GN on Days 1, 8, and 15 of each cycle ( Arm 1), or GN alone on Days 1, 8, and 15 of each cycle ( Arm 2). Randomization will be stratified by ECOG performance status (0 or 1) and liver metastasis (yes or no). Imaging (CT/MRI) will be performed at baseline and every 8 weeks until investigator-assessed disease progression (per RECIST v1.1 criteria) or the start of other systemic anticancer treatment, whichever comes earlier. Primary objectives are to confirm RP2D (safety lead-in), to assess antitumor activity measured by overall survival (randomization phase), and to establish the safety/tolerability profile of zolbetuximab plus GN across the study. Key secondary endpoints in the randomization phase are progression-free survival and objective response rate. As of January 2020, this study is recruiting pts at 74 centers. Clinical trial information: NCT03816163 .

Safety and efficacy of TQ-B3525, a novel and selective oral PI3K α/δ inhibitor, in Chinese patients with advanced malignancies: A phase I dose-escalation and expansion trial.

8058 Background: TQ-B3525 is a novel and selective oral PI3K α/δ inhibitor with activity 41 and 138 folds higher than Buparlisib against PI3K α and PI3K δ in pre-clinical research. This Phase I study (NCT03510767) assessed the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and antitumor activity of TQ-B3525 in Chinese patients with advanced malignancies. Methods: Patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) lymphoma who have experienced at least two prior systemic anti-cancer treatments, and advanced solid tumor who have failed standard anti-cancer treatment, were enrolled. TQ-B3525 was administered orally from 2mg, 5mg, 10mg, 20mg once daily (qd) to 10mg, 20mg twice daily (bid). DLT was observed in the first cycle (28 days) of dose-escalation phase. Dose-expansion phase started at the dose level which objective response occurs. Results: Between June 2018 and December 2019, a total of 40 patients were enrolled, Including 27 patients with R/R lymphoma and 13 patients with advanced solid tumor. Three DLTs (both grade 3 hyperglycemia) were observed: two in the 20mg bid dose cohort and one in the 10mg bid. The common AEs of all grades were hyperglycemia (65.0%), glycosylated hemoglobin increased (35.0%) and diarrhea (32.5%). Grade 3 or 4 treatment-related AEs occurred in 11 patients (27.5%), with the most common one also being hyperglycemia (10.0%). TQ-B3525 was rapidly absorbed (Tmax: 1-2 h) and moderately eliminated (T1/2: 10-12 h). At steady state, the geometric mean AUC0-24 and Ctrough of TQ-B3525 at 20mg qd were 1060.7 ± 198.6 h*ng/mL and 23.4 ± 9.5 ng/mL, which was above IC50 (4.2 ng/ml). 23 lymphoma patients were evaluable for clinical response per 2014 Lugano Classification. The overall response rate (ORR) was 60.9% (95% CI, 38.5-80.2). The ORR at ≥10mg qd was 70.0% (14/20, [95% CI, 49.9-90.1]). For R/R FL, the ORR was 72.7% (8/11, [95% CI, 46.4-99.1]). At data cut-off (2nd February, 2020), the median PFS for lymphoma was not reached (events rate: 33.3%). The longest duration of response at data cutoff was 11.8 months in a patient with FL. Conclusions: TQ-B3525 is well-tolerated in Chinese patients with advanced malignancies, and demonstrated high promising antitumor activity in R/R lymphoma patients. Recommended phase II dose was established at 20mg qd. A single-arm phase 2 trial of TQ-B3525 in patients with R/R FL is currently underway. Clinical trial information: NCT03510767 .

A phase II study of vorolanib (CM082) in combination with toripalimab (JS001) in patients with advanced mucosal melanoma.

10040 Background: Vorolanib (CM082) is a multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor including VEGF, PDGF, c-kit, and Flt-3. Toripalimab (JS001) is a humanized IgG4 mAb against programmed death-1 (PD-1) with clinical activity in metastasis melanoma but not in its mucosal subtype. In this phase II study (NCT03602547), we investigated the safety and efficacy of CM082 in combination with JS001 in patients (pts) with advanced mucosal melanoma. Methods: The study enrolled pts from 18 to 75 years-old with histologically confirmed metastatic mucosal melanoma, ECOG PS 0-1, no prior systemic anti-cancer treatment. Eligible pts were treated with CM082 tablet (150 or 200 mg once daily) combined with JS001 (240mg every 2 weeks, IV, Q2W) until confirmed disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Clinical response was evaluated every 8 week. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR) using RECIST v1.1. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), disease control rate (DCR), duration of remission (DOR), and time to first remission (TTR) according to RECIST v1.1 and iRECIST. The safety was also assessed. Results: Between July 2018 and April 12, 2019, 40 pts (19 pts in 150mg group; 21 pts in 200mg group) were enrolled and 38 pts were evaluable for tumor response (150mg n = 18, 200mg n = 20), with 4 (22.2%) confirmed partial response (PR), 6 (33.3%) stable disease (SD) and 8 (44.4%) progression disease (PD) in the 150mg CM082 group; 3 (15%) PRs (including 2 unconfirmed), 10 (50%) SD, and 7 (35%) PD were reported in the 200mg CM082 group. Tumors shrank in 10 pts (56%) in the 150mg group and 10 pts (50%) in the 200mg group. At data cut-off (November 28, 2019), 29 pts had PFS events (150mg n = 12; 200mg n = 17). The median PFS was 5.7 (95% CI 2.0, NE) months and 5.6 (1.9, 7.7) months in the two groups, respectively. The most common treatment-related adverse events (AEs) were grade 1 or 2, including leukopenia, elevated LDH, increased ALT, neutropenia, increased AST, and elevated GGT. Common grade 3 or higher adverse events ( &gt; 10%) were increased ALT (12 pts, 30%), increased AST (11 pts, 27.5%), neutropenia (6 pts, 15%) and elevated GGT (6 pts, 15%). Eight pts had 9 serious AEs (SAEs). The study is still ongoing and more data will be presented in the future. Conclusions: PFS benefit was observed in both 150mg and 200mg subgroups. This study demonstrated potentially improved efficacy with predictable toxicities of CM082 in combination with JS001 therapy, which may be an effective treatment option for pts with advanced mucosal melanoma. Clinical trial information: NCT03602547.

An exploratory study of sorafenib plus toripalimab for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus.

TPS4658 Background: Portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) is common among advanced hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC), resulting in poor prognosis. As the standard first-line treatment, the efficacy of Sorafenib is not satisfactory in HCC with PVTT. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors have made a breakthrough in treatment of advanced HCC, objective response rate (ORR) of anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody monotherapy is only 17-20%. Recently, PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors combined with anti-angiogenesis therapy have shown good efficacy in the clinical studies. However, the data on immunotherapy for HCC with PVTT are still limited. Toripalimab is the first Chinese-produced anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody marketed. We designed the study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Sorafenib plus Toripalimab as the first-line treatment for unresectable HCC with PVTT. Methods: The study is a multicenter, single-arm, phase Ib/II trial. The primary objectives are 6-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate and safety. Secondary objectives include ORR, disease control rate, PFS, overall survival. The escalation stage includes two dose cohorts: Sorafenib 400 mg po qd or 400 mg bid combined with Toripalimab 240 mg iv d1 q3w. 6-12 patients are estimated to evaluate the dose-limiting toxicity within the first 42 days of administration. In the expansion stage, patients are treated with the recommended dose based on the escalation stage, until progressive disease or intolerable toxicity. Assuming Sorafenib plus Toripalimab can improve the 6-month PFS rate to 40% (Sorafenib:20%, β = 0.2, α = 0.05) and dropout is 10%, this stage need 39 patients. A total of 45-51 patients are enrolled. Major eligibility requirements include: unresectable HCC with diagnoses confirmed histologically or cytologically, or confirmed clinically in accordance with Chinese guideline for HCC diagnosis and treatment (v2017); radiographic evidence of PVTT; age ≥18 and &lt; 75 years; at least one measurable lesion according to RECIST 1.1; a predicted life expectancy ≥ 3 months; ECOG PS≤1, Child-Pugh class A or B (≤7); no any prior systemic anti-cancer treatment; adequate organ function. Patients with hepatitis B treated with antiviral therapy (viral load &lt; 100 IU/mL) or patients with chronic hepatitis C can be included. The study is open and actively enrolling at time of submission. Clinical trial information: NCT04069949 .

Home-based management of cancer patients (CPs) experiencing toxicities while on anticancer treatment: The impact of a nurse-led telephone triage (NTT).

2002 Background: Novel organization models are needed to ensure early management of new treatment-related toxicity of anticancer treatments. Aim of this prospective observational study was to evaluate the impact of the introduction of NTT in reducing hospitalization of CPs. Methods: CPs on active medical treatment at the Department of Oncology of San Bortolo Hospital (Vicenza, Italy) were given instructions to refer to NTT in case of treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). The service was opened Mon to Fri from 8am to 8pm. Assessment of TRAEs was performed by trained oncology nurses according to the CTCAE scale and subsequent actions were taken according to the severity of the events. The assessment was made under supervision of a medical oncologist in charge of the service while on duty. Primary endpoint of the study was to compare the rate of hospitalization of CPs on anticancer treatment after the introduction of NTT compared to 2017-2018 period. Results: From September 2018 to September 2019 1,075 patients received systemic anticancer treatment (versus 936 patients in the equivalent 2017 – 2018 period). Total consultations at NTT were 429; 581 TRAEs were reported. 117 patients reported more than one TRAE. CTCAE were graded as G1 237 (40.8%), G2 231 (39.8%) or G3-G4 113 (19.4%). The most common grade ≥ 3 TRAE was fever (38 events (33.6%) that resulted a febrile neutropenia in 7 cases) followed by cancer pain (15 (13.3%)) and fatigue (9 (8%)). In the observation period, 109 CPs on treatment were hospitalized versus 138 in the 2017-2018 period with a normalized hospitalization rate of 10.1% versus 14.7 % (p = 0.002, chi-square) with a reduction of normalized number of hospitalizations of 44 (estimated cost savings of 380.160 euros). Conclusions: Our results provided evidence of successful implementation of the NTT system in reducing rates of hospitalization through emergency room in cancer patients receiving modern medical treatments.

CodeBreak 100: Phase I study of AMG 510, a novel KRASG12C inhibitor, in patients (pts) with advanced solid tumors other than non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and colorectal cancer (CRC).

3511 Background: Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog ( KRAS) p.G12C mutation occurs in approximately 13% of NSCLC and 1%–3% of CRC and other solid tumors. AMG 510 is a first-in-class small molecule that specifically and irreversibly inhibits KRASG12C. Previously, AMG 510 showed preliminary antitumor activity and favorable tolerability in pts with KRAS p.G12C mutant NSCLC or CRC in the phase 1, first-in-human trial. Here, we report results in pts with other tumor types from the same trial. Methods: This study evaluates AMG 510 in pts with locally-advanced or metastatic KRAS p.G12C mutant solid tumors. Key inclusion criteria: KRAS p.G12C mutation via local testing and prior systemic anticancer treatment (tx). Oral daily doses of 180, 360, 720, and 960 mg were tested in the dose escalation, and 960 mg was selected for expansion. Primary endpoint is safety; key secondary endpoints include pharmacokinetics and objective response rate as assessed per RECIST 1.1. Response is assessed every 6 weeks (wks) for 24 wks then every 12 wks thereafter. Results: As of January 8, 2020, 25 pts (9 female, median age 60 years [range: 40–75]) with tumor types categorized by investigators as histology other than NSCLC and CRC were enrolled and dosed (10 pancreatic cancer, 4 appendiceal cancer, 2 endometrial cancer, 2 unknown primary cancer, 1 bile duct cancer, 1 sinonasal cancer, 1 ampullary cancer, 1 small bowel cancer, 1 melanoma, 1 small cell lung cancer, and 1 esophageal cancer). 23 pts received 960 mg dose. 20 pts (80.0%) had ≥2 prior lines of tx. At data cutoff, 13 pts (52.0%) remained on tx; 9 (36.0%) and 3 (12.0%) pts remained on tx for ≥3 and ≥6 months, respectively. Median follow up was 4.3 months (range: 0.1–12.6). Tx-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 9 pts (36.0%). 2 pts (8.0%) had grade 3 TRAEs, including diarrhea (1/25) and pneumonia (1/25, serious AE). No dose-limiting toxicities, grade ≥4, or fatal TRAEs were reported. No TRAEs led to tx discontinuation. 3 pts had not been followed up for ≥7 wks by the data cutoff. 22 pts were followed up for ≥7 wks, and their best overall responses were: 3 confirmed partial response (1 appendiceal, 1 melanoma, and 1 endometrial), 13 stable disease (6 pancreatic, 2 appendiceal, 1 ampullary, 1 bile duct, 1 endometrial, 1 sinonasal, and 1 unknown primary), and 6 progressive disease. Conclusions: AMG 510 was well tolerated and demonstrated clinical activity in pts with advanced KRAS p.G12C mutant solid tumors other than NSCLC and CRC. Clinical trial information: NCT03600883 .

Checkmate 77T: A phase III trial of neoadjuvant nivolumab (NIVO) plus chemotherapy (chemo) followed by adjuvant nivo in resectable early-stage NSCLC.

TPS9076 Background: Although surgery for early NSCLC is potentially curative, 5-year overall survival (OS) rates for patients with stage IIA–IIIB disease are historically &lt; 50%, representing a population of high unmet need. Conventional neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemo provides only a 5% absolute improvement in OS at 5 years. A rational approach to improve survival in these patients is to eradicate micrometastatic disease and potentially induce anti-tumor immunity to minimize the risk of relapse with peri-operative regimens including NIVO, a fully human anti–programmed death receptor-1 antibody. Early phase trials indicate that NIVO-based regimens have the potential to deepen pathological responses and extend survival in this setting (Reuss JE et al. Poster presentation at ASCO 2019. Abstract 8524; Cascone T et al. Oral presentation at ASCO 2019. Abstract 8504; Provencio M et al. Oral presentation at WCLC 2019. Abstract OA13.05). Data from the phase 2 single-arm NADIM trial (NCT03081689) demonstrated the highly encouraging major pathological response (MPR) rate of 83% with neoadjuvant NIVO plus chemo followed by adjuvant NIVO in patients with resectable stage IIIA NSCLC (Provencio M et al. Oral presentation at WCLC 2019. Abstract OA13.05). These results require validation in a large randomized controlled study. CheckMate 77T (NCT04025879) is a phase 3, randomized, double-blind trial evaluating neoadjuvant NIVO plus chemo followed by adjuvant NIVO in resectable early stage NSCLC. Methods: Approximately 452 patients aged ≥ 18 years with resectable stage IIA–IIIB (T3N2 only) NSCLC, ECOG performance status 0–1, and available lung tumor tissue will be enrolled at 113 sites in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Patients with EGFR/ALK mutations, brain metastasis, prior systemic anti-cancer treatment or radiotherapy, and autoimmune disease are excluded. Patients will be randomized to receive neoadjuvant NIVO plus carboplatin- or cisplatin-based doublet chemo followed by surgery and adjuvant NIVO, or neoadjuvant placebo plus carboplatin- or cisplatin-based doublet chemo followed by surgery and adjuvant placebo. The primary endpoint is event-free survival, assessed by blinded independent central review. Secondary endpoints include OS, pathological complete response and MPR assessed by blind independent pathological review, safety and tolerability. The start date was September 2019. The estimated primary completion date is May 2023. Clinical trial information: NCT04025879.

Practical Considerations for Treating Patients With Cancer in the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Cancer has become a prevalent disease, affecting millions of new patients globally each year. The COVID-19 pandemic is having far-reaching impacts around the world, causing substantial disruptions to health and health care systems that are likely to last for a prolonged period. Early data have suggested that having cancer is a significant risk factor for mortality from severe COVID-19. A diverse group of medical oncologists met to formulate detailed practical advice on systemic anticancer treatments during this crisis. In the context of broad principles, issues including risks of treatment, principles of prioritizing resources, treatment of elderly patients, and psychosocial impact are discussed. Detailed treatment advice and options are given at a tumor stream level. We must maintain care for patients with cancer as best we can and recognize that COVID-19 poses a significant competing risk for death that changes conventional treatment paradigms.

Vitamin and herbal supplements' use among patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancers included in eight clinical trials.

To evaluate the patterns of vitamin and herbal supplement use among patients with advanced gastrointestinal (GI) cancers and the association of such behavior with the efficacy and toxicity of systemic anticancer treatment. Project data sphere (PDS) was used to access de-identified datasets of eight clinical trials of advanced GI cancers. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors predicting the use of supplements. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were used to evaluate the association of supplement use with overall and progression-free survival. Results were stratified according to the site of the primary tumor [pancreatic, gastric, colorectal or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)] The association between supplement use and selected chemotherapy side effects was evaluated through Chi-squared testing and subsequent logistic regression. A total of 3441 patients were included in the analysis. Of these, 775 patients reported use of supplements and 2666 patients reported no use of supplements. Higher ECOG performance score (Odds ratio: OR for ECOG 1 versus 0: 1.629; 95% CI 1.363-1.947; P < 0.001) and pancreatic primary site (OR for gastric cancer versus pancreatic cancer: 0.538; 95% CI 0.408-0.709; P < 0.001) was associated with greater use of these supplements. Supplement use was associated with a better overall survival among patients with pancreatic cancer (P = 0.002) but not other GI malignancies. Supplement use was associated with a higher probability of anemia and diarrhea among patients with pancreatic cancer (P < 0.001 for both), gastric cancer (P = 0.016; P = 0.036, respectively) and colorectal cancer (P < 0.001 for both). There is an association between the use of vitamin and herbal supplements and a higher probability of hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicities. There is a need for more studies to confirm the association between such behavior and better overall survival among patients with pancreatic cancer.

High hepatitis B virus screening rate among patients receiving systemic anticancer treatment in Japan.

Patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection have a risk of reactivation after chemotherapy. All patients undergoing chemotherapy should be screened for HBV infection. No large-scale studies have been conducted to examine HBV screening practice in Japan. We analyzed health insurance claims equivalent data linked with a nationwide hospital-based cancer registry. Patients diagnosed with cancer in 2014, who were aged 20years and older and those who underwent systemic anticancer treatment in 2014-15 were included. We assessed the HBV screening rates by the HBsAg or anti-HBc tests, HBV-DNA tests, and entecavir prescriptions. Multiple logistic regression models were used to identify factors related to the receipt of screening. Of 177,597 patients (mean [SD] age, 65.6 [12.2] years), 82.6% and 12.9% patients had a solid tumor and hematologic malignancy, respectively. Among them, 88.1%, 6.3%, and 5.5% received cytotoxic chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and anti-CD20 antibodies, respectively. Overall, 70.6% of patients were screened. The positive predictor of HBV screening was receiving anti-CD20 antibodies [odds ratio (OR); 2.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.06-2.41, p < 0.001] and negative predictors were age ≥ 85 (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.71-0.81), age 75-84 (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.75-0.79) and targeted therapy (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.67-0.72). Among the screened patients, 13.2% were tested for HBV-DNA, and 1.49% were prescribed entecavir. The HBV screening rate in Japan is higher than in other countries. Further improvement of the HBV screening rate is needed to prevent reactivation and avoidable deaths of patients with HBV infection.

Abstract OT1-03-03: Investigating circulating lncRNAs in breast cancer patients on neoadjuvant systemic therapy

Abstract Background. In cells long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) control gene expression through various mechanisms, acting on different biological levels: chromatin remodeling, regulation of transcription, posttranscriptional modification. LncRNAs could also be transported via systemic circulation, encapsulated in extracellular vesicles called “exosomes” or in vesicle-free form, bounded to proteins or lipoproteins. Knowing the intracellular function of lncRNAs, it is reasonably speculated that in cancer patients their existence in bloodstream is more than just an extracellular release. It is thought to be a kind of an epigenetic mechanism, rendered by tumor cells, so the last could influence gene expression programs of normal cells in distance, creating tumor-friendly environment in other body compartments - a sine qua non for metastatic spread. Few studies have investigated in vivo circulating lncRNAs in breast cancer and even less have done it in the neoadjuvant setting. Goals and objectives. We decided to conduct a small exploratory study in patients with locally advanced breast cancer, focusing on changes in plasma lncRNAs during neoadjuvant therapy. The two main goals of the study are: 1. Assessing the effect of systemic anticancer treatment on epigenetic regulators such as circulating lncRNAs; 2. Testing the technical feasibility of using lncRNAs as plasma biomarkers. Our objectives include lncRNA profiling in circulation before onset as well as in the course of systemic therapy, followed by correlation analysis between distinct lncRNA signatures and clinicopathological features. Differential lncRNA expression will be assessed between patients and normal controls as well as among patient subgroups according to time of sampling, age, intrinsic breast cancer phenotype and response to therapy. LncRNAs of interest will be further examined in larger cohorts of patients and healthy controls. Design/materials/methods. This is a prospective, interventional, case-control clinical trial in two parts - exploration and validation. Patients eligibility criteria: age ≥ 18 years; females; histologically confirmed locally advanced breast cancer; multidisciplinary tumor board decision for neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemotherapy plus targeted therapy; radiologically excluded distant dissemination; no concomitant malignancy; signed informed consent form (ICF). Healthy controls eligibility criteria: age ≥ 18 years; females; no oncologic history; signed ICF. For part I ten patients and two controls have already been recruited. Blood samples were taken from each patient twice - before onset of neoadjuvant therapy and before 4th cycle (in one patient the second sample was taken before 6th cycle), from control subjects blood was taken once. Plasma was immediately separated and frozen until RNA extraction. Next-generation RNA sequencing was performed with subsequent bioinformatics analysis on lncRNAs. Clinical and pathology information was obtained from each patient’s hospital file. In part II plasma will be collected in the same manner as in part I. Preselected lncRNAs from part I will be measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Statistics. This is an exploratory study with no empirical data and no formal planning for sample size. The correlation between lncRNAs and clinicopathological characteristics and the significance of the differences among groups will be assessed by parametric tests (Pearson correlation, Student’s t-test) and/or multivariate such (ANCOVA). Present and target accrual. Part I accrual has completed and bioinformatics data are expected. Part II accrual is ongoing with 15 patients already recruited. Target accrual for part II is 50 patients and 20 controls. Citation Format: Boris Krastev, Constanta Timcheva, Spartak Valev, Georgi Zhbantov, Mila Petrova, Teodora Karanikolova, Radostina Gencheva, Anika Ivanova, Ivaylo Stoykov, Georgi Stamenov. Investigating circulating lncRNAs in breast cancer patients on neoadjuvant systemic therapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr OT1-03-03.

Abstract P3-08-43: Comprehensive analysis of lymphopenia in large-scaled early and metastatic breast cancer database cohort

Abstract Background: Lymphopenia is frequently observed in advanced cancer patients even before initiation of systemic anti-cancer treatment. The aim of this study is to investigate the pre-treatment lymphopenia as a prognostic factor for breast cancer specific survival (BCSS), distant recurrence free survival (DRFS) in patients with early breast cancer (EBC) and overall survival (OS), OS2 (from diagnosis with stage IV to death) with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in large-scaled early and metastatic breast cancer database cohort. Methods: We reviewed demographic, clinical, pathologic, and survival data from Yonsei Breast Cancer Center Registry. In large scaled database, 5252 patients who underwent surgery with stage I-III EBC at the Yonsei Cancer Center between 2006 and 2015 were included and 1481 patients who were newly diagnosed de novo or recurrent MBC were included. The pre-treatment lymphocyte count was obtained from complete blood count (CBC) assay before the initiation of any treatment. Lymphopenia was defined as an absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) &amp;lt; 1000/mm3. Clinicopathologic factors, such as human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) receptor, hormone receptor (HR) status and metastatic site, were reviewed. To evaluate the prognostic factors, Kaplan-Meier, log-rank, and Cox regression analysis were performed. Results: Of 5211 eligible EBC patients, 2690 (51.6%) stage I and 1857 (35.6%) stage II patients was included. De novo and recurrent MBC patients were 260 (31.0%) and 576 (69.0%). The incidences of pre-treatment lymphopenia were 3.0% (154/5211) in EBC and 14.5% (121/836) in MBC: 10 (3.9%) in de novo stage IV and 117 (19.3%) in recurrent stage IV. There was no difference in pre-treatment lymphopenia incidence among histologic subtypes in EBC cohort, but it was significantly higher in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) in MBC. EBC patients with HBsAg positive showed higher incidence of pre-treatment lymphopenia than HBV negative patients (7.3% vs. 2.9%, p=0.003). In MBC cohort, patients with early distant recurrent (less than 2 year) disease (35.8%, p&amp;lt;0.001), HER2-negative (39.7%, p&amp;lt;0.001), liver &amp; brain metastasis (25.7%, p=0.028 &amp; 30.5%, p=0.024) and without adjuvant endocrine therapy (25.8%, p&amp;lt;0.001) were higher incidence of pre-treatment lymphopenia. In EBC cohort, pre-treatment lymphopenia would not prognostic factor in DFRS, OS and BCSS. However, in MBC cohort, pre-treatment lymphopenia group showed a significant difference in overall survival compared to normal lymphocyte count group (mOS2 19.7 vs 40.1 months, p&amp;lt;0.0001). In de novo stage IV MBC, there is no survival difference in baseline lymphopenia as in EBC cohort. In contrast, in recurrent stage IV MBC, pre-treatment lymphopenia group showed poor survival regardless to previous exposure to neo/adjuvant chemotherapy (mOS2 in naïve chemotherapy group: lymphopenia vs no lymphopenia 19.7 vs 73.2months (p&amp;lt;0.001); mOS2 in previous chemotherapy group: 18.2 vs 35.7months, (p&amp;lt;0.001)). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, pre-treatment lymphopenia (HR 1.59; 95% CI 1.25-2.03; p&amp;lt;0.001), early recurrent (&amp;lt;2 years) (HR 1.61; 1.27-2.04; p&amp;lt;0.001), visceral metastases (HR 1.48; 1.12-1.95; p=0.005), and TNBC subtype (HR 1.85; 1.37-2.49; p&amp;lt;0.001) were independent prognostic factors for OS2 in recurrent stage IV MBC. Conclusions: In this large-scaled and retrospectively analyzed a dataset, we showed highest incidence of pre-treatment lymphopenia in recurrent MBC, not affected by previous chemotherapy exposure. Pre-treatment lymphopenia was a significant poor prognostic factor in recurrent stage IV MBC, but not in EBC or de novo stage IV MBC. Citation Format: Jee Hung Kim, Min Hwan Kim, Gun Min Kim, Byeong-Woo Park, Young Up Cho, Seung Il Kim, Seho Park, Hyung Seok Park, Ji Ye Kim, Hyun Cheol Chung, Soonmyung Paik, Joohyuk Sohn. Comprehensive analysis of lymphopenia in large-scaled early and metastatic breast cancer database cohort [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-08-43.

Improving door to needle time in neutropenic sepsis

Neutropenic sepsis is a potentially fatal complication for patients receiving systemic anti-cancer treatment (SACT). Mortality rates range between 2–21% among adults, and the use of aggressive intravenous antibiotics shows a significant reduction in both morbidity and mortality.1 The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance and local policy state that all patients who present …