Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Research Articles

The feasibility of an educational and monitoring smartphone application for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma undergoing combination immunotherapy.

413 Background: Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) is a global public health burden with over 400,000 new cases and over 175,000 deaths annually. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in combination with vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF-TKI) has become an integral part of the management of patients with advanced RCC which requires adaptation of healthcare systems to provide information and optimize the management of drug-related adverse events. This study aims to improve the education on therapy-related symptoms and the quality of life of patients with RCC treated with these drugs. Methods: We created a smartphone application (mHealth) that combines educational data, patient-reported outcomes, and peer-to-peer interactions. We aim to assess the feasibility of expansion of this pilot study. We prospectively enrolled stage IV RCC patients (n=20) undergoing treatment with combination ICI and VEGF-TKI. Therapy-related symptom education, knowledge PRO questionnaires, and peer-to-peer support were provided at baseline and at different time points throughout this study duration (Table 1). Time-course data of PROs were visualized using line plots and then compared with paired t-tests. The study's primary endpoint was to assess acceptability and feasibility of mHealth, defined as acceptable if 50% of patients offered participation agree to be enrolled and feasible if 50% of enrolled patients complete the intervention with 70% of these completing at least 50% of survey instruments. Results: Eighty percent of patients were male, 80% were white, 75% had at least some college education, 70% were married, and the mean age of the cohort was 66 years.A total of 22 patients were approached for the study with an acceptance rate of 90%. Sixty percent of patients completed every questionnaire and knowledge assessment at every timepoint of the intervention and 75% of those completed at least 50% of instruments. PROs data showed no significant difference compared to baseline in global health status, functional scales, and symptom scales across the 24 weeks. We noticed an improvement in the patients' knowledge assessment on symptom management after completion of the mHealth knowledge component. Conclusions: Our pilot study was considered acceptable and feasible, showing preliminary evidence of improvement in patient knowledge with mHealth. Our future direction will be to assess, in a larger randomized study, the efficacy of mHealth in improving the quality of life of patients with advanced RCC treated with ICI and VEGF-TKI. Clinical trial information: NCT05579847 . [Table: see text]

Infusion-related reactions with immune checkpoint inhibitors in genitourinary cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

604 Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are widely used to treat genitourinary cancers, particularly urothelial carcinoma (UC) and renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Infusion-related reactions (IRRs) have been reported in up to 20% of all patients treated with ICIs. However, the risk of IRRs varies with the type of ICI and the accurate incidence in genitourinary cancers remains unclear. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the incidence of IRRs in patients with genitourinary cancers treated with ICIs. Methods: We performed a systematic search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science to identify phase 3 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating ICIs (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 [CTLA-4], programmed cell death protein 1 [PD-1], and programmed death-ligand 1 [PD-L1] inhibitors) in patients with UC and RCC. The odds ratio [OR] of grade 1-5 and grade 3-5 IRRs was calculated and pooled by the random-effect model meta-analysis. Meta-analysis was performed based on study types as follows: 1) Studies with a design “ICI plus treatment A (including placebo/observation) vs. treatment A”, 2) Studies evaluating ICI monotherapy vs. chemotherapy in patients with UC, and 3) Studies assessing ICI plus vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF-TKIs) vs. sunitinib in patients with RCC. When IRRs were reported in studies evaluating oral VEGF-TKIs, IRRs were referred to as hypersensitivity or anaphylactic reactions, defined in each RCT. Results: We identified 12 RCTs with 10,001 participants for the meta-analysis, out of which one evaluated a CTLA-4 inhibitor while the others evaluated PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors. The addition of ICIs to other systemic therapies was associated with significantly higher rates of grade 1-5 IRRs (OR=2.90, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16-7.29, p = 0.02) but not of grade 3-5 IRRs (OR=2.98, 95% CI: 0.64-13.74, p = 0.16). When compared to chemotherapy, PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitor monotherapy was not associated with an increase in either grade 1-5 (OR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.25-2.95, p = 0.81) or grade 3-5 IRRs (OR=1.13, 95% CI: 0.07-18.19, p = 0.93) in patients with UC. When compared to sunitinib in patients with RCC, the combination of ICI plus VEGF-TKIs was not associated with an increase in either grade 1-5 (OR=5.43, 95% CI: 0.62-46.07, p = 0.13) or grade 3-5 IRRs (OR=3.49, 95% CI: 0.64-19.04, p = 0.15). Sensitivity analysis performed by removing studies evaluating avelumab did not alter the overall results (data will be presented). Conclusions: Compared to the previous standard of care without ICIs, therapies with ICIs were not associated with increased IRRs in genitourinary cancers. However, the addition of ICIs to other systemic therapies was associated with an increased incidence of IRRs. The latter merits further prospective evaluation and careful consideration while designing clinical trials.

Major adverse cardiovascular events of vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors among patients with different malignancy: A systemic review and network meta-analysis.

Vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF-TKIs) are a common cancer treatment. However, the pharmacologic characteristics of VEGF-TKIs may influence cardiovascular risks. The relative risks of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) associated with VEGF-TKIs are poorly understood. We searched PubMed, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception until August 31, 2021, for phase II/III randomized controlled trials of 11 VEGF-TKIs (axitinib, cabozantinib, lenvatinib, pazopanib, ponatinib, ripretinib, regorafenib, sorafenib, sunitinib, tivozanib, and vandetanib). The endpoints were heart failure, thromboembolism, and cardiovascular death. The Mantel-Haenszel method was used to calculate the risk of VEGF-TKI among users by comparing it to nonusers. Pairwise meta-analyses with a random-effects model were used to estimate the risks of the various VEGF-TKIs. We estimated ranked probability with a P-score and assessed credibility using the Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis framework. We identified 69 trials involving 30 180 patients with cancer. The highest risk of MACEs was associated with high-potency tivazonib (odds ratio [OR]: 3.34), lenvatinib (OR: 3.26), and axitinib (OR: 2.04), followed by low-potency pazopanib (OR: 1.79), sorafenib (OR: 1.77), and sunitinib (OR: 1.66). The risk of heart failure significantly increased in association with less-selective sorafenib (OR: 3.53), pazopanib (OR: 3.10), and sunitinib (OR: 2.65). The risk of thromboembolism significantly increased in association with nonselective lenvatinib (OR: 3.12), sorafenib (OR: 1.54), and sunitinib (OR: 1.53). Higher potency (tivozanib, axitinib) and lower selectivity (sorafenib, vandetanib, pazopanib, sunitinib) were associated with a higher probability of heart failure. Low selectivity (lenvatinib, cabozantinib, sorafenib, sunitinib) was associated with a higher probability of thromboembolism. Higher-potency and lower-selectivity VEGF-TKIs may influence the risks of MACEs, heart failure, and thromboembolism. These findings may facilitate evidence-based decision-making in clinical practice.

PERK Inhibition by HC-5404 Sensitizes Renal Cell Carcinoma Tumor Models to Antiangiogenic Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors.

Tumors activate protein kinase R (PKR)-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK, also called EIF2AK3) in response to hypoxia and nutrient deprivation as a stress-mitigation strategy. Here, we tested the hypothesis that inhibiting PERK with HC-5404 enhances the antitumor efficacy of standard-of-care VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGFR-TKI). HC-5404 was characterized as a potent and selective PERK inhibitor, with favorable in vivo properties. Multiple renal cell carcinoma (RCC) tumor models were then cotreated with both HC-5404 and VEGFR-TKI in vivo, measuring tumor volume across time and evaluating tumor response by protein analysis and IHC. VEGFR-TKI including axitinib, cabozantinib, lenvatinib, and sunitinib induce PERK activation in 786-O RCC xenografts. Cotreatment with HC-5404 inhibited PERK in tumors and significantly increased antitumor effects of VEGFR-TKI across multiple RCC models, resulting in tumor stasis or regression. Analysis of tumor sections revealed that HC-5404 enhanced the antiangiogenic effects of axitinib and lenvatinib by inhibiting both new vasculature and mature tumor blood vessels. Xenografts that progress on axitinib monotherapy remain sensitive to the combination treatment, resulting in ∼20% tumor regression in the combination group. When tested across a panel of 18 RCC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, the combination induced greater antitumor effects relative to monotherapies. In this single animal study, nine out of 18 models responded with ≥50% tumor regression from baseline in the combination group. By disrupting an adaptive stress response evoked by VEGFR-TKI, HC-5404 presents a clinical opportunity to improve the antitumor effects of well-established standard-of-care therapies in RCC.

Trends of Utilization of Systemic Therapies for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma in the Canadian Health Care System.

Standard-of-care therapies for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) have greatly evolved. However, the availability of emerging options in global health care systems can vary. We sought to describe the integration and usage of systemic therapies for mRCC in Canada since 2011. We included patients with mRCC enrolled in the Canadian Kidney Cancer Information System, a prospective cohort of patients from 14 Canadian academic centers, who received systemic therapy from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2021. Patients were stratified by treatment era (cohort 1: 2011-2015, cohort 2: 2016-2021). Stacked bar charts were used to present treatment proportions; Sankey diagrams were used to show the evolution of treatment sequencing between the two cohorts. Four thousand one hundred seven patients were diagnosed with mRCC, of whom 2,752 (67%) received systemic therapy. Among these patients, mean age was 64 years, 74% were male, 75% had clear cell histology, and International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium risk classification was favorable, intermediate, and poor in 16%, 56%, and 28%, respectively. Utilization of immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI)-based treatments has increased in Canada and reflects global and local patterns of approval and adoption. The use of therapies after doublet ICI has mostly shifted toward vascular endothelial growth factor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF-TKIs) that were previously used in first line with subsequent treatments reflecting approved and available agents after previous VEGF-TKI. Clinical trial participation among patients who received systemic therapy was 18% in first, 21% in second, and 24% in third line. In Canada's publicly funded health care system, availability of standard mRCC therapies broadly reflects access from government-funded clinical trials and compassionate access program sources. In an evolving therapeutic landscape, ongoing advocacy is required to continue to facilitate patient access to efficacious therapies.

Cardiovascular Toxicities Associated with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors.

To provide a detailed overview of cardiovascular adverse events associated with the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors across different tumor types. Despite an undeniable survival advantage of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in patients with hematologic or solid malignancies, the accompanying off-target cardiovascular adverse events can be life-threatening. In patients with B cell malignancies, the use of Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors has been associated with atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, as well as hypertension. Cardiovascular toxic profiles are heterogeneous among the several approved breakpoint cluster region (BCR)-ABL TKIS. Notably, imatinib might be cardioprotective. Vascular endothelial growth factor TKIs, constituting the central axis in the treatment of several solid tumors, including renal cell carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma, have strongly been associated with hypertension and arterial ischemic events. Epidermal growth factor TKIs as therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been reported to be infrequently associated with heart failure and QT prolongation. While tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been demonstrated to increase overall survival across different types of cancers, special consideration should be given to cardiovascular toxicities. High-risk patients can be identified by undergoing a comprehensive workup at baseline.

Optimizing targeted drug selection in combination therapy for patients with advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of safety.

For patients with advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the dose of targeted agents was recommended in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors. We performed a network meta-analysis to describe a categorized safety ranking profile and assess the adaptability of the combination options of targeted agents. The targeted agents refer to vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF-TKIs) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors. Randomized controlled trials comparing these drugs were enrolled in a Bayesian model network meta-analysis. Nineteen clinical trials with 11 treatments and 10,615 patients were included. For grade≥ 3 adverse events (AEs), compared with placebo, lenvatinib plus everolimus showed worse safety than all other treatments except for lenvatinib (placebo vs. OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.07-0.78). Everolimus was generally the safest agent (OR 1.23, 95% CI 0.50-3.14). Sorafenib arose the least renal AEs (placebo vs. OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.06-11.64), whereas lenvatinib plus everolimus had the highest risk of renal toxicity (placebo vs. 0.17 95% CI 0.01-1.02). For gastrointestinal symptoms, everolimus was related to much lower toxicity than other agents. In the respiratory safety analysis, tivozanib (placebo vs. OR 0.15, 95% CI 0.07-0.31) and axitinib (OR 5.43, 95% CI 3.26-9.22) were the riskiest agents. In terms of hepatobiliary (placebo vs. OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.09-2.10) and hemotoxicity (placebo vs. OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.14-7.68) related AEs, lenvatinib was found to be the safest treatment compared to placebo. Everolimus, with the best safety of grade≥ 3, gastrointestinal, and respiratory AEs, was more likely to be considered for combination therapies. Lenvatinib appears to be the safest for blood/lymphatic and hepatobiliary AEs. For patients with renal disorders, sorafenib arises the least renal toxicity AEs. This study will guide treatment options and optimize the trial design for advanced or metastatic RCC.

140P Lenvatinib + everolimus in mRCC that has progressed on immunotherapy: A real-world single center experience

The 1st line treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) is either immuno-oncology drug (IO) with IO or IO + vascular endothelial growth factor - tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF-TKIs). At progression, the 2nd line options are lenvatinib + everolimus (L+E) or cabozantinib which is based on older data from 1st line TKI era. The best treatment for patients who progress on 1st line IO combination is not clear. In this study, we report the efficacy and safety of (L+E) in patients with mRCC who progressed on IO + TKI combination.

Abstract P068: Dietary Sodium Restriction Prevents Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Inhibitor-Induced Hypertension

Vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGFIs) are effective anti-cancer agents which often induce hypertension. VEGFI-induced hypertension was demonstrated to be sodium-sensitive in preclinical studies, but the sodium sensitivity in humans and its potential as a preventive antihypertensive strategy in the clinical situation remains unknown. Therefore, the efficacy of dietary sodium restriction (DSR) to prevent VEGFI-induced hypertension was studied in patients with cancer. To this end, patients with cancer who developed VEGFI-induced hypertension (defined as daytime systolic blood pressure (SBP) > 135 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) > 85 mmHg or a rise in SBP/DBP of ≥ 20 mmHg) were treated with DSR under supervision of a specialized dietician (aiming at < 4 g salt/day). The primary endpoint was the difference in daytime mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) increase between the VEGFI treatment cycle with and without concomitant DSR. Of the forty-nine screened patients, twenty (41%) patients were eligible for the DSR intervention based on their VEGFI-induced blood pressure rise, of whom sixteen successfully completed the intervention. During the first VEGFI treatment cycle without DSR, mean daytime MAP increased from 95 mmHg to 110 mmHg. During the subsequent treatment cycle with concomitant DSR, mean daytime MAP increased from 94 mmHg to 102 mmHg. Therefore, DSR attenuated the increase in mean daytime MAP by 7 mmHg (95% CI 1.3 to 12.0, P = 0.009). DSR prevented the rise in the endothelin-1/renin ratio that normally accompanies VEGFI-induced hypertension ( P = 0.020) and slightly prevented the onset of proteinuria: 0.15 (0.10-0.25) g/24h with DSR versus 0.19 (0.11-0.32) g/24h without DSR; P = 0.005. For two patients, proteinuria decreased from common terminology criteria of adverse events (CTCAE) grade and 3 during the treatment cycle without DSR to grade 1 and grade 2 during DSR, respectively. In conclusion, DSR significantly attenuated the VEGFI-induced BP rise, the increase in the endothelin-1/renin ratio and the onset of proteinuria. Therefore, DSR is an effective and attractive non-pharmacological intervention for patients with VEGFI-induced hypertension and its sequelae.

Toxicities of anti-VEGF therapies used in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: A real-world experience.

e16533 Background: Tumor endothelial proliferation inhibition using vascular endothelial growth factor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF-TKIs) have revolutionized metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) therapy. We retrospectively analyzed data on various anti-VEGF adverse events (AEs) utilizing the FDA Adverse Events Reports System (FAERS). Methods: We examined the FAERS public dashboard data on VEGF inhibitors’ reported AEs for the years 2019-2021. Data analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 34,651 AEs were identified for anti-VEGF therapies, of which 29,328 (84.6%) were serious and 5,830 (16.82%) reported deaths (Table). Lenvatinib has most reported serious hemorrhagic events and thyroid impairment in 5.5% and 1.2%, respectively, and least (3.4%) reported dermatologic toxicity (including Hand-foot skin reaction, depigmentation, and rash. Cabozantinib has most (2.8%) reported gastrointestinal (GI) perforation and fistula. Pazopanib has most bone marrow suppression (BMS)—neutropenia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia (43.3%), dermatologic toxicity (25.8%), hepatotoxicity—jaundice, elevated transaminases, hyperbilirubinemia, hepatic encephalopathy, coagulopathy, ascites, and/or hepatorenal syndrome (23.9%), arterial thromboembolic events (ATE)—comprising cerebral infarction, ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, myocardial infarction, angina (19.8%), proteinuria and nephrotic syndrome (NS; 10.4%), pulmonary toxicity—interstitial lung disease, and pneumonitis (7.2%), posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES; 4.9%), cardiotoxicity—cardiac failure (3.1%), and tumor lysis syndrome (TLS; 0.9%). Sunitinib has most reported osteonecrosis of the jaw AEs (ONJ; 37.3%), QT Prolongation and various arrhythmias (11.9%), severe hypertension (SHTN—including accelerated, urgency, and emergency; 10.0%), and aortic complications—including aortic aneurysm, dissection, and rupture (3.1%). Conclusions: Pazopanib has most while axitinib has least reported BMS, ATE, and pulmonary AEs. Cabozantinib has most reported GI AEs and sunitinib has most reported ONJ, SHTN, QT prolongation, arrhythmias, and aortic complications. With expanding treatment landscape for mRCC, this study helps shed light on the different anti-VEGF toxicity profiles and would therefore support treatment decision making.

MP12-16 OPTIMIZING TARGETED DRUG SELECTION IN COMBINATION THERAPY FOR PATIENTS WITH ADVANCED OR METASTATIC RENAL CELL CARCINOMA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND NETWORK META-ANALYSIS OF SAFETY

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 May 2022MP12-16 OPTIMIZING TARGETED DRUG SELECTION IN COMBINATION THERAPY FOR PATIENTS WITH ADVANCED OR METASTATIC RENAL CELL CARCINOMA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND NETWORK META-ANALYSIS OF SAFETY Ruiyang Xie, Bingqing Shang, Weixing Jiang, Chuanzhen Cao, Hongzhe Shi, and Jianzhong Shou Ruiyang XieRuiyang Xie More articles by this author , Bingqing ShangBingqing Shang More articles by this author , Weixing JiangWeixing Jiang More articles by this author , Chuanzhen CaoChuanzhen Cao More articles by this author , Hongzhe ShiHongzhe Shi More articles by this author , and Jianzhong ShouJianzhong Shou More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000002534.16AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Targeted therapies were often applied in the combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors for patients with advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). A network meta-analysis was carried out to provide a categorized safety ranking profile and assess the adaptability for combination choice of targeted therapies. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials comparing vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF-TKIs) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors were included in a Bayesian network meta-analysis. RESULTS: 19 relevant trials with 10,615 patients and 11 treatments were included. For grade ≥3 adverse events, lenvatinib plus everolimus showed worse safety than other treatments except for lenvatinib when compared to placebo (placebo versus OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.07-0.78), whereas the OR of everolimus versus placebo was relatively low (OR 1.23, 95% CI 0.50-3.14). Temsirolimus was demonstrated to cause the most severe renal and urinary disorders compared to placebo (placebo versus OR 0.08, 95% CI 0.00-2.61) among the treatments, and lenvatinib plus everolimus was observed with a low OR of 0.17 95% CI 0.01-1.02 as well. In contrast, sorafenib showed an OR that was lower than 1 for renal and urinary disorders compared to other VEGF-TKIs. For gastrointestinal symptoms, lenvatinib was found to be correlated with much higher toxicity than other treatments. Tivozanib and axitinib were the worst two in terms of respiratory disorders, and all the OR values of other treatments were statistically significant except the comparison between these two. In terms of hepatobiliary disorders, cabozantinib was found to be the worst treatment compared to placebo (OR 9.33, 95% CI 3.78-28.56). CONCLUSIONS: Lenvatinib plus everolimus had the worst and the second worst in terms of adverse events related to renal disorders and grade ≥3 adverse events, respectively. Everolimus, with the best ranking of safety, was more likely to be selected for combination therapies. This study will guide treatment choice and optimize the future trial design for advanced or metastatic RCC. Source of Funding: None © 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 207Issue Supplement 5May 2022Page: e174 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Ruiyang Xie More articles by this author Bingqing Shang More articles by this author Weixing Jiang More articles by this author Chuanzhen Cao More articles by this author Hongzhe Shi More articles by this author Jianzhong Shou More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF DownloadLoading ...

Osteonecrosis of the jaw in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients treated with zolendronic acid and denosumab: An observational retrospective multicenter trial.

299 Background: Bone is one of the most common site of metastasis occurring in 30% of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients (pts)3,4. Skeletal metastases from mRCC are usually osteolytic and associated to high rate of morbidity and complication through skeletal related events (SRE). Bone-targeted therapies (BTT) such as zolendronic acid (ZOL AC) and denosumab (Dmab), shown to decrease the time-to-first and subsequent SREs12. Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is a rare but potentially serious adverse event associated with BTT. It occurs in 1-2% of pts treated with BTT and in 10-17% of mRCC pts treated with ZOL AC or Dmab. Vascular endothelial growth factor-Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF-TKI) represent the backbone treatment for mRCC. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether the association of DMAB and ZOL AC to VEGF-TKITTagents could be associated to higher incidence of ONJ. Methods: We retrospectively collected data, from 2 Italian referring centers for mRCC, about 74 pts with bone metastases from mRCC who received, concurrently or sequentially to VEGF-TKI or immune-oncology (IO), AC ZOL and DMAB from January 2013 to January 2020. All pts provided informed consent for inclusion in the study. Results: All pts received VEGF-TKI as first line treatment. 17 pts received AC ZOL whereas 57 received DMAB. All pts received odontological consultation and orthopantomography before start BTT. The median time of Dmab and AC ZOL exposure was 11.6 months. ONJ occurred in 10/74 pts (7.4%): 6/10 pts were on first line treatment and 4/10 on second line. Treatments administered at the time of ONJ diagnosis were nivolumab (1/10), cabozantinib (2/10), sorafenib (1/10), sorafenib (1/10), sunitinib (4/10) and one pts was off therapy. Conclusions: In this real-life Italian population, treatment with BTT in mRCC pts treated with VEGF-TKI inhibitors and IO is associated to higher incidence of ONJ compared to previous report of pts treated with BTT for bone metastasis and lower compared to previous reports in mRCC. Despite the retrospective collection, we provided one of the largest sample of pts treated concurrently with VEGF-TKI or IO and BTT. Physicians should be careful in the use of BTT combined with other treatments in mRCC pts.

Randomized trial assessing impact of probiotic supplementation on gut microbiome and clinical outcome from targeted therapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Studies suggest a link between the gut microbiome and metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) outcomes, including evidence that mRCC patients possess a lower abundance of Bifidobacterium spp. compared to healthy adults. We sought to assess if a Bifidobacterium‐containing yogurt product could modulate the gut microbiome and clinical outcome from vascular endothelial growth factor‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF‐TKIs). mRCC patients initiating VEGF‐TKIs, regardless of the line of therapy, were randomized to probiotic‐supplemented (two 4 oz. servings of the probiotic yogurt product daily) or probiotic‐restricted arms. Stool samples were collected prior to therapy and at weeks 2, 3, 4, and 12. Microbiome composition was assessed using whole‐metagenome sequencing. A total of 20 patients were randomized. Bifidobacterium animalis, the active ingredient of the probiotic supplement, reached detectable levels in all patients in the probiotic‐supplemented arm versus two patients in the probiotic‐restricted arm. Clinical benefit rate was similar in probiotic‐supplemented versus probiotic‐restricted arms (70% vs. 80%, p = 0.606). Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size analysis of MetaPhIAn2 abundance data predicted 25 enriched species demonstrating an LDA score >3 in either clinical benefit or no clinical benefit. In patients with clinical benefit (vs. no clinical benefit), Barnesiella intestinihominis and Akkermansia muciniphila were significantly more abundant (p = 7.4 × 10−6 and p = 5.6 × 10−3, respectively). This is the first prospective randomized study demonstrating modulation of the gut microbiome with a probiotic in mRCC. Probiotic supplementation successfully increased the Bifidobacterium spp. levels. Analysis of longitudinal stool specimens identified an association between B. intestinihominis, A. muciniphila, and clinical benefit with therapy. Trial Registration: NCT02944617

Abstract 1312: Identifying the genomic correlates of clinical benefit (CB) from immunotherapies (IO) and vascular endothelial growth factor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF-TKI) in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC)

Abstract Background: Along with the expanding treatment landscape of mRCC, a substantial need for ways to predict individual patients' (pts) benefit from different therapies has emerged. Recent studies highlight the clinical significance of tumor-specific genomic alterations, revealing a prognostic and/or predictive role of PBRM1 mutations with IO in mRCC (Miao et al Nature 2018). Employing a large institutional database, we aimed to identify genomic correlates of CB from IO and VEGF-TKIs in mRCC. Methods: Consecutive pts who underwent genomic profiling (GP) as part of routine clinical care at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center were retrospectively identified. GP included the GEM ExTra assay, a clinical tumor-normal whole exome sequencing and tumor whole transcriptome sequencing test performed at Ashion Analytics (Phoenix, AZ), a CAP-accredited, CLIA-certified laboratory. The clinical database included detailed information regarding demographics, treatment, response and survival outcomes. Pts who had complete response (CR), partial response (PR) or stable disease (SD) for >6 months were considered as having CB. Progressive disease (PD) as best response was considered no clinical benefit (NCB). Genomic findings were compared between pts with CB and NCB in the IO and VEGF-TKI cohorts. Results: Among the 58 (45:13 M:F) pts, 17 received sequencing treatment involving both a VEGF-TKI and IO, resulting in 32 pts in the IO cohort and 43 pts in the VEGF-TKI cohort. The most commonly used IO and VEGF-TKIs were nivolumab (59%) and sunitinib (40%). CB rate and median progression free survival were 59.4% (CR: 3.1%, PR: 18.8%, SD: 37.5%) and 15.6 months (95%CI NR-NR) in the IO cohort, and 86% and 14.2 months (95%CI 9.0 - 18.5) in the VEGF-TKI cohort. The most frequently detected alterations in the overall cohort were in VHL (64%), PBRM1 (38%), SETD2 (24%), KDM5C (17%) and TERT (12%). Interestingly, TERT promoter mutations and PBRM1 mutations were found to be mutually exclusive. In both IO and VEGF-TKI cohorts, tumor mutational burden did not differ between CB and NCB pts. No single genes were significantly associated with CB from VEGF-TKIs. While PBRM1 loss of function (LOF) was more common in IO pts with CB, and SETD2, KDM5C, TP53 alteration were more common in IO pts with NCB, there was no statistical significance observed (p values > 0.05). TERT promoter mutations were associated with NCB in the IO cohort (p=0.038). TERT promoter mutant tumors did not have CB with IO. Conclusion: Our analysis found that TERT promoter mutations are enriched in pts with NCB from IO and were mutually exclusive with PBRM1 LOF which had previously been shown to be an indicator of IO sensitivity. These results suggest that TERT promoter mutations may be a negative predictor of IO outcomes, which warrants future investigations with a larger sample size. Citation Format: Nazli Dizman, Sara Byron, Yung Lyou, Paulo Gustavo Bergerot, JoAnn Hsu, Andre-Philippe Sam, Denise Phan Trieu, Jeffrey Trent, Sumanta Kumar Pal. Identifying the genomic correlates of clinical benefit (CB) from immunotherapies (IO) and vascular endothelial growth factor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF-TKI) in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 1312.

Significance of tumor microenvironment in acquiring resistance to vascular endothelial growth factor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor and recent advance of systemic treatment of clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

The development of systemic therapies, including vascular endothelial growth factor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF-TKI) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors, represents a major breakthrough in the treatment of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, inherent resistance is observed in some patients and acquired resistance commonly develops in many patients within several months of the initiation of systemic therapies. Since these treatments rarely cure patients, their aim is to suppress tumor progression and prolong survival. Therefore, the establishment of dependable criteria that predict responses and resistance to systemic therapies is clinically important, and the underlying molecular mechanisms also need to be elucidated for the future development of more effective therapies. We herein review recent advances in research on the molecular mechanisms underlying resistance, with a focus on morphological characteristics, tumor angiogenesis, and the tumor immune microenvironment in RCC and their relationships with VEGF-TKI treatments. Recent therapies using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and newly developed VEGF-TKI also appear to be effective for advanced RCC, with stable and durable responses to ICI being observed in some RCC patients. These new drugs and their outcomes have been briefly described.

Correlates of clinical benefit from immunotherapy and targeted therapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: comprehensive genomic and transcriptomic analysis

BackgroundThe clinical significance of tumor-specific genomic alterations in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) is emerging, with several studies suggesting an association between PBRM1 mutations and response with immunotherapy (IO). We...

Randomized prospective trial assessing Bifidobacterium-containing probiotic supplementation in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients receiving vascular endothelial growth factor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF-TKIs).

5078 Background: Studies suggest a link between the gut microbiome and mRCC outcomes, including evidence that mRCC patients (pts) possess a lower abundance of Bifidobacterium spp compared to healthy adults (Pal et al Clin Cancer Res 2015). The aim of this study was to assess if Bifidobacterium-containing probiotics could modulate the gut microbiome and impact rates of clinical benefit (CB) from VEGF-TKIs. Methods: Pts initiating VEGF-TKI therapy for mRCC were randomized to probiotic supplemented (PSu) or probiotic restricted (PRe) treatment arms. Pts in the PSu arm consumed two 4 oz servings of Activia daily. Stool samples were collected prior to therapy and at wks 2, 3, 4 and 12. Gut microbiota composition was assessed using whole genome shotgun metagenomic sequencing (Zhu et al Microbiome 2018). The primary endpoint was change in Bifidobacterium spp with therapy. Microbiome composition was compared across pts with CB (complete/partial response or stable disease) versus no CB (NCB). Results: In total, 20 pts were enrolled. The most frequent VEGF-TKIs were cabozantinib (45%), sunitinib (25%) and lenvatinib (25%). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 6.5 months (95%CI 0.3-12.9) and CB rate was 75%. Bifidobacterium animalis, the active ingredient of Activia, reached detectable levels in all pts in the PSu arm, but was only detectable in one pt in the PRe arm. CB rate was not significantly different in PSu vs PRe arms (70% vs 80%, p > 0.05), and there was no difference in PFS. LDA effect size (LEfSe) analysis of MetaPhIAn2 data captured 25 enriched species demonstrating an LDA score > 3 in either CB or NCB. Of those with high LDA scores, Barnesiella intesitinihominis and Akkermansia municiphila were the most significant members (p = 7.4 x 10−6 and p = 5.6 10−3, respectively). While 92% of B. intestinihominis positive pts obtained a CB, only 50% of B. intestinihominis negative pts obtained CB (p = 0.036). Conclusions: This is the first prospective randomized study demonstrating modulation of the gut microbiome with probiotics in mRCC. While microbiome modulation by probiotics did not increase CB rates as intended, consecutive stool specimens allowed us to identify an association between B. intesitinihominis, A. municiphila and CB with VEGF-TKIs. In addition to the previously documented association between A. municiphila and immunotherapy outcome (Routy et al. Science 2018), this species may predict activity with VEGF-TKIs. Clinical trial information: NCT02944617 .

Second-line VEGF TKI after IO combination therapy: Results from the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC).

684 Background: Immuno-Oncology (IO) combinations are standard of care first-line treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Data on therapy with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) post-progression on IO-combination therapy are limited. Methods: Using the IMDC, a retrospective analysis was done on mRCC patients treated with second-line VEGF TKIs after receiving IO combination therapy. Patients received first-line ipilimumab+nivolumab (IOIO) or anti-PD(L)1+anti-VEGF (IOVE). Baseline variables and second-line IMDC risk factors were collected. Overall response rates (ORR), time to treatment failure (TTF) and overall survival (OS) were determined. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was performed. Results: 142 patients were included. 75 patients received IOIO and 67 received IOVE pretreatment. The ORR of 2nd line therapy was 17/46 (37%) and 7/57 (12%) in the IOIO and IOVE pretreated groups, respectively (p<0.01). 2nd-line TTF was 5.4 months (95% CI 4.1-8.3) for the IOIO- and 4.6 months (95% CI 3.7-5.8) for the IOVE-pretreated group (p=0.37). 2nd-line median OS was 17.2 months (95% CI 10.8-35.1) and 11.8 months (95% CI 9.9-21.3) for the prior IOIO and IOVE groups, respectively (p=0.13). The hazard ratio adjusted by IMDC for IOVE vs IOIO pretreatment was 1.22 (95% CI 0.73-2.07, p=0.45) for 2nd line TTF and 1.43 (95% CI 0.74-2.8, p=0.29) for 2nd line OS. Conclusions: VEGF TKIs show activity after combination IO therapy. Response rates are higher in patients treated with VEGF TKIs after first-line IOIO compared to after IOVE. In patients with VEGF TKI after IOIO or IOVE, no difference in OS and TTF was observed.[Table: see text]

Is there truly an increase in risk of cardiovascular and hematological adverse events with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors?

ABSTRACTObjectives: Recent studies have shown an increase risk of cardiovascular and hematological adverse events associated with vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF-TKIs). The authors hypothesize that the original studies may have produced exaggerated results because of the small baseline risks involved.Methods: A meta-analysis that included 71 trials, 8 different VEGFR-TKIs, and 11 adverse events were re-analyzed. The outcome of interest was re-defined as the complementary outcome (i.e. remaining free of an adverse event). The inverse variance heterogeneity model was used to pool the effect size.Results: VEGFR-TKIs decreased the risk of remaining free of hypertension by 7% (RR 0.93; 95%CI:0.88–0.97). Specific VEGFR-TKIs; pazopanib, regorafenib, and nintedanib were associated with a decrease risk of remaining free of an arterial thrombotic event (RR 0.96; 95%CI:0.93–0.99), thrombocytopenia (RR 0.91; 95%CI:0.89–0.93), and bleeding (RR 0.96; 95%CI:0.93–0.99) respectively. VEGFR-TKIs were not associated with the thrombotic event, myocardial infarction, stroke, venous thrombotic event, pulmonary embolism, left ventricular dysfunction, or QTc interval prolongation.Conclusion: VEGFR-TKIs are associated with a small increase in the risk of patients developing hypertension, arterial thrombotic events, thrombocytopenia, and bleeding. Previous studies overestimated the actual risk associated with VEGFR-TKIs by analyzing the outcome with the lower baseline risk.

The Emerging Role of Combination Angiogenesis Inhibitors and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in the Treatment of Metastatic Renal Cell Cancer

The advent of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) a decade ago revolutionized the treatment paradigm in advanced metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with improved survival rates compared to the pre-TKI era. Monotherapy with VEGF TKIs has remained first-line. However, sequencing of different TKIs, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors, or immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has been the subject of controversy in the treatment landscape of metastatic RCC. First-line treatment further evolved with the approval of nivolumab plus ipilimumab in intermediate-and poor-risk patients based on an overall survival (OS) benefit demonstrated in the CheckMate214 trial as well as a progression-free survival (PFS) benefit of cabozantinib in the CABOSUN trial. Optimal sequencing, patient selection, and understanding resistance pathways continue to be prominent concerns. Efforts to bypass resistance mechanisms have led to the study of combination therapies. Given enhancement of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) T-cell mediated effects by VEGF-mediated immunosuppression, the combination of VEGF inhibitors and ICIs in treatment-naïve locally advanced and metastatic RCC has shown promise. Available results of phase III trials utilizing these combinations are discussed herein.