Datopotamab Deruxtecan Versus Docetaxel for Previously Treated Advanced or Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: The Randomized, Open-Label Phase III TROPION-Lung01 Study.

PURPOSE: The randomized, open-label, global phase III TROPION-Lung01 study compared the efficacy and safety of datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) versus docetaxel in patients with pretreated advanced/metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Patients received Dato-DXd 6 mg/kg or docetaxel 75 mg/m2 once every 3 weeks. Dual primary end points were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Objective response rate, duration of response, and safety were secondary end points. RESULTS: In total, 299 and 305 patients were randomly assigned to receive Dato-DXd or docetaxel, respectively. The median PFS was 4.4 months (95% CI, 4.2 to 5.6) with Dato-DXd and 3.7 months (95% CI, 2.9 to 4.2) with docetaxel (hazard ratio [HR], 0.75 [95% CI, 0.62 to 0.91]; P = .004). The median OS was 12.9 months (95% CI, 11.0 to 13.9) and 11.8 months (95% CI, 10.1 to 12.8), respectively (HR, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.78 to 1.14]; P = .530). In the prespecified nonsquamous histology subgroup, the median PFS was 5.5 versus 3.6 months (HR, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.51 to 0.79]) and the median OS was 14.6 versus 12.3 months (HR, 0.84 [95% CI, 0.68 to 1.05]). In the squamous histology subgroup, the median PFS was 2.8 versus 3.9 months (HR, 1.41 [95% CI, 0.95 to 2.08]) and the median OS was 7.6 versus 9.4 months (HR, 1.32 [95% CI, 0.91 to 1.92]). Grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 25.6% and 42.1% of patients, and any-grade adjudicated drug-related interstitial lung disease/pneumonitis occurred in 8.8% and 4.1% of patients, in the Dato-DXd and docetaxel groups, respectively. CONCLUSION: Dato-DXd significantly improved PFS versus docetaxel in patients with advanced/metastatic NSCLC, driven by patients with nonsquamous histology. OS showed a numerical benefit but did not reach statistical significance. No unexpected safety signals were observed.

Datopotamab Deruxtecan in Advanced or Metastatic HR+/HER2- and Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Results From the Phase I TROPION-PanTumor01 Study.

PURPOSE: Datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) is an antibody-drug conjugate consisting of a humanized antitrophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2) monoclonal antibody linked to a potent, exatecan-derived topoisomerase I inhibitor payload via a plasma-stable, selectively cleavable linker. PATIENTS AND METHODS: TROPION-PanTumor01 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03401385) is a phase I, dose-escalation, and dose-expansion study evaluating Dato-DXd in patients with previously treated solid tumors. The primary study objective was to assess the safety and tolerability of Dato-DXd. Secondary objectives included evaluation of antitumor activity and pharmacokinetics. Results from patients with advanced/metastatic hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) breast cancer (BC) or triple-negative BC (TNBC) are reported. RESULTS: At data cutoff (July 22, 2022), 85 patients (HR+/HER2- BC = 41, and TNBC = 44) had received Dato-DXd. The objective response rate by blinded independent central review was 26.8% (95% CI, 14.2 to 42.9) and 31.8% (95% CI, 18.6 to 47.6) for patients with HR+/HER2- BC and TNBC, respectively. The median duration of response was not evaluable in the HR+/HER2- BC cohort and 16.8 months in the TNBC cohort. The median progression-free survival in patients with HR+/HER2- BC and TNBC was 8.3 and 4.4 months, respectively. All-cause treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs; any grade, grade ≥3) were observed in 100% and 41.5% of patients with HR+/HER2- BC and 100% and 52.3% of patients with TNBC. Stomatitis was the most common TEAE (any grade, grade ≥3) in both HR+/HER2- BC (82.9%, 9.8%) and TNBC (72.7%, 11.4%) cohorts. CONCLUSION: In patients with heavily pretreated advanced HR+/HER2- BC and TNBC, Dato-DXd demonstrated promising clinical activity and a manageable safety profile. Dato-DXd is currently being evaluated in phase III studies.

Clinical management, monitoring, and prophylaxis of adverse events of special interest associated with datopotamab deruxtecan.

Antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) are an emerging class of treatments designed to improve efficacy and decrease toxicity compared with other systemic therapies through the selective delivery of cytotoxic agents to tumor cells. Datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) is a novel ADC comprising a topoisomerase I inhibitor payload and a monoclonal antibody directed to trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2), a protein that is broadly expressed in several types of solid tumors. Dato-DXd is being investigated across multiple solid tumor indications. In the ongoing, first-in-human TROPION-PanTumor01 phase I study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03401385), encouraging and durable antitumor activity and a manageable safety profile was demonstrated in patients with advanced/metastatic hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor2-negative breast cancer (HR+/HER2- BC), triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Improved understanding of the adverse events (AEs) that are associated with Dato-DXd and their optimal management is essential to ensure safe and successful administration. Interstitial lung disease/pneumonitis, infusion-related reactions, oral mucositis/stomatitis, and ocular surface events have been identified as AEs of special interest (AESIs) for which appropriate prevention, monitoring, and management is essential. This article summarizes the incidence of AESIs among patients with HR+/HER2- BC, TNBC, and NSCLC reported in TROPION-PanTumor01. We report our recommendations for AESI prophylaxis, early detection, and management, using experience gained from treating AESIs that occur with Dato-DXd in clinical trials.

CCL21-DC in situ vaccination in murine NSCLC overcomes resistance to immunotherapy and generates systemic tumor-specific immunity.

BACKGROUND: Despite recent advances in immunotherapy, many patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) do not respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Resistance to ICI may be driven by suboptimal priming of antitumor T lymphocytes due to poor antigen presentation as well as their exclusion and impairment by the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). In a recent phase I trial in patients with NSCLC, in situ vaccination (ISV) with dendritic cells engineered to secrete CCL21 (CCL21-DC), a chemokine that facilitates the recruitment of T cells and DC, promoted T lymphocyte tumor infiltration and PD-L1 upregulation. METHODS: Murine models of NSCLC with distinct driver mutations (KrasG12D/P53+/-/Lkb1-/- (KPL); KrasG12D/P53+/- (KP); and KrasG12D (K)) and varying tumor mutational burden were used to evaluate the efficacy of combination therapy with CCL21-DC ISV plus ICI. Comprehensive analyses of longitudinal preclinical samples by flow cytometry, single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) and whole-exome sequencing were performed to assess mechanisms of combination therapy. RESULTS: ISV with CCL21-DC sensitized immune-resistant murine NSCLCs to ICI and led to the establishment of tumor-specific immune memory. Immunophenotyping revealed that CCL21-DC obliterated tumor-promoting neutrophils, promoted sustained infiltration of CD8 cytolytic and CD4 Th1 lymphocytes and enriched progenitor T cells in the TME. Addition of ICI to CCL21-DC further enhanced the expansion and effector function of T cells both locally and systemically. Longitudinal evaluation of tumor mutation profiles revealed that CCL21-DC plus ICI induced immunoediting of tumor subclones, consistent with the broadening of tumor-specific T cell responses. CONCLUSIONS: CCL21-DC ISV synergizes with anti-PD-1 to eradicate murine NSCLC. Our data support the clinical application of CCL21-DC ISV in combination with checkpoint inhibition for patients with NSCLC.

Consent document translation expense hinders inclusive clinical trial enrolment.

Patients from historically under-represented racial and ethnic groups are enrolled in cancer clinical trials at disproportionately low rates in the USA1-3. As these patients often have limited English proficiency4-7, we hypothesized that one barrier to their inclusion is the cost to investigators of translating consent documents. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated more than 12,000 consent events at a large cancer centre and assessed whether patients requiring translated consent documents would sign consent documents less frequently in studies lacking industry sponsorship (for which the principal investigator pays the translation costs) than for industry-sponsored studies (for which the translation costs are covered by the sponsor). Here we show that the proportion of consent events for patients with limited English proficiency in studies not sponsored by industry was approximately half of that seen in industry-sponsored studies. We also show that among those signing consent documents, the proportion of consent documents translated into the patient's primary language in studies without industry sponsorship was approximately half of that seen in industry-sponsored studies. The results suggest that the cost of consent document translation in trials not sponsored by industry could be a potentially modifiable barrier to the inclusion of patients with limited English proficiency.

Dysthyroidism during immune checkpoint inhibitors is associated with improved overall survival in adult cancers: data mining of 1385 electronic patient records.

BACKGROUND: Dysthyroidism (DT) is a common toxicity of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and prior work suggests that dysthyroidism (DT) might be associated with ICI efficacy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: ConSoRe, a new generation data mining solution, was used in this retrospective study, to extract data from electronic patient records of adult cancer patients treated with ICI at Institut Paoli-Calmettes (Marseille, France). Every DT was verified and only ICI-induced DT was retained. Survival analyses were performed by Kaplan-Meier method (log-rank test) and Cox model. To account for immortal time bias, a conditional landmark analysis was performed (2 months and 6 months), together with a time-varying Cox model. RESULTS: Data extraction identified 1385 patients treated with ICI between 2011 and 2021. DT was associated with improved overall survival (OS) (HR 0.46, (95% CI 0.33 to 0.65), p<0.001), with a median OS of 35.3 months in DT group vs 15.4 months in non-DT group (NDT). Survival impact of DT was consistent using a 6-month landmark analysis with a median OS of 36.7 months (95% CI 29.4 to not reported) in the DT group vs 25.5 months (95% CI 22.8 to 27.8) in the NDT group. In multivariate analysis, DT was independently associated with improved OS (HR 0.49, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.69, p=0.001). After adjustment in time-varying Cox model, this association remained significant (adjusted HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.90, p=0.010). Moreover, patients with DT and additional immune-related adverse event had increased OS compared with patients with isolated DT, with median OS of 38.8 months vs 21.4 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: Data mining identified a large number of patients with ICI-induced DT, which was associated with improved OS accounting for immortal time bias.

First-in-Human, Phase I Dose-Escalation and Dose-Expansion Study of Trophoblast Cell-Surface Antigen 2-Directed Antibody-Drug Conjugate Datopotamab Deruxtecan in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: TROPION-PanTumor01.

PURPOSE: This first-in-human, dose-escalation and dose-expansion study evaluated the safety, tolerability, and antitumor activity of datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd), a novel trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2)-directed antibody-drug conjugate in solid tumors, including advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Adults with locally advanced/metastatic NSCLC received 0.27-10 mg/kg Dato-DXd once every 3 weeks during escalation or 4, 6, or 8 mg/kg Dato-DXd once every 3 weeks during expansion. Primary end points were safety and tolerability. Secondary end points included objective response rate (ORR), survival, and pharmacokinetics. RESULTS: Two hundred ten patients received Dato-DXd, including 180 in the 4-8 mg/kg dose-expansion cohorts. This population had a median of three prior lines of therapy. The maximum tolerated dose was 8 mg/kg once every 3 weeks; the recommended dose for further development was 6 mg/kg once every 3 weeks. In patients receiving 6 mg/kg (n = 50), median duration on study, including follow-up, and median exposure were 13.3 and 3.5 months, respectively. The most frequent any-grade treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were nausea (64%), stomatitis (60%), and alopecia (42%). Grade ≥3 TEAEs and treatment-related AEs occurred in 54% and 26% of patients, respectively. Interstitial lung disease adjudicated as drug-related (two grade 2 and one grade 4) occurred in three of 50 patients (6%). The ORR was 26% (95% CI, 14.6 to 40.3), and median duration of response was 10.5 months; median progression-free survival and overall survival were 6.9 months (95% CI, 2.7 to 8.8 months) and 11.4 months (95% CI, 7.1 to 20.6 months), respectively. Responses occurred regardless of TROP2 expression. CONCLUSION: Promising antitumor activity and a manageable safety profile were seen with Dato-DXd in heavily pretreated patients with advanced NSCLC. Further investigation as first-line combination therapy in advanced NSCLC and as monotherapy in the second-line setting and beyond is ongoing.

Spatial mapping of mitochondrial networks and bioenergetics in lung cancer.

Mitochondria are critical to the governance of metabolism and bioenergetics in cancer cells1. The mitochondria form highly organized networks, in which their outer and inner membrane structures define their bioenergetic capacity2,3. However, in vivo studies delineating the relationship between the structural organization of mitochondrial networks and their bioenergetic activity have been limited. Here we present an in vivo structural and functional analysis of mitochondrial networks and bioenergetic phenotypes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using an integrated platform consisting of positron emission tomography imaging, respirometry and three-dimensional scanning block-face electron microscopy. The diverse bioenergetic phenotypes and metabolic dependencies we identified in NSCLC tumours align with distinct structural organization of mitochondrial networks present. Further, we discovered that mitochondrial networks are organized into distinct compartments within tumour cells. In tumours with high rates of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOSHI) and fatty acid oxidation, we identified peri-droplet mitochondrial networks wherein mitochondria contact and surround lipid droplets. By contrast, we discovered that in tumours with low rates of OXPHOS (OXPHOSLO), high glucose flux regulated perinuclear localization of mitochondria, structural remodelling of cristae and mitochondrial respiratory capacity. Our findings suggest that in NSCLC, mitochondrial networks are compartmentalized into distinct subpopulations that govern the bioenergetic capacity of tumours.

Brief Report: Severe Pneumonitis After Combined Thoracic Radiotherapy and Osimertinib.

Introduction: Osimertinib is an effective treatment for metastatic NSCLC. Occasionally, thoracic radiation therapy (TRT) is delivered to patients receiving osimertinib to treat residual or progressing pulmonary tumors. Anecdotal reports suggest that the delivery of TRT in combination with osimertinib may be associated with a high risk of severe pneumonitis. Methods: A retrospective study was performed at a single academic medical center in the United States to investigate the incidence of severe pneumonitis among patients treated with combined TRT and osimertinib between June 2016 and December 2021. Baseline patient characteristics, tumor size and location, and dosimetric parameters were evaluated. The highest grade of radiation pneumonitis that developed within 6 months of treatment was scored in accordance with the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0. Results: A total of 16 patients were identified who were treated with combined TRT and osimertinib. All had a diagnosis of metastatic NSCLC. Treatment-related grade greater than or equal to 2 pneumonitis developed in 56%, grade greater than or equal to 3 in 37.5%, and grade 4 in 6.3%; no patient developed grade 5 pneumonitis. Median time to any-grade pneumonitis was 29 days (1-84 d); all patients had symptom resolution with expectant management or oral steroid therapies. All patients discovered to have grade greater than or equal to 3 pneumonitis (n = 6) received TRT to tumors located within 2 cm of the proximal bronchial tree, including tumors abutting the proximal bronchial tree (n = 2) and within the mediastinum (n = 1). Conclusions: The combination of TRT with osimertinib was associated with a high rate of severe pneumonitis that required oral steroid medications. Larger studies are needed to validate these findings and to understand the clinical and treatment factors that influence this risk and how they can be mitigated.

Mass Cytometry Reveals Classical Monocytes, NK Cells, and ICOS+ CD4+ T Cells Associated with Pembrolizumab Efficacy in Patients with Lung Cancer.

PURPOSE: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have revolutionized the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but predictive biomarkers of their efficacy are imperfect. The primary objective is to evaluate circulating immune predictors of pembrolizumab efficacy in patients with advanced NSCLC. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We used high-dimensional mass cytometry (CyTOF) in baseline blood samples of patients with advanced NSCLC treated with pembrolizumab. CyTOF data were analyzed by machine-learning algorithms (Citrus, tSNE) and confirmed by manual gating followed by principal component analysis (between-group analysis). RESULTS: We analyzed 27 patients from the seminal KEYNOTE-001 study (median follow-up of 60.6 months). We demonstrate that blood baseline frequencies of classical monocytes, natural killer (NK) cells, and ICOS+ CD4+ T cells are significantly associated with improved objective response rates, progression-free survival, and overall survival (OS). In addition, we report that a baseline immune peripheral score combining these three populations strongly predicts pembrolizumab efficacy (OS: HR = 0.25; 95% confidence interval = 0.12-0.51; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: As this immune monitoring is easy in routine practice, we anticipate our findings may improve prediction of ICI benefit in patients with advanced NSCLC.

Technical Feasibility and Safety of Repeated Computed Tomography-Guided Transthoracic Intratumoral Injection of Gene-Modified Cellular Immunotherapy in Metastatic NSCLC.

INTRODUCTION: To assess the technical feasibility and safety of repeated percutaneous computed tomography (CT)-guided transthoracic biopsies and intratumoral injections of gene-modified dendritic cells in metastatic NSCLC. METHODS: A total of 15 patients with 15 NSCLC lesions measuring greater than 1.0 cm underwent two cycles of intratumoral biopsies and CCL21 dendritic cell injections separated by 7 days. All needle placements and injections were done under CT guidance. Clinical and imaging follow-up was done approximately 4 weeks after the first procedure. Safety and feasibility were determined as: (1) safety and feasibility similar to that of single-needle biopsy, and (2) an absence of serious adverse events defined as grade greater than or equal to three according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0. RESULTS: A total of 30 percutaneous, transthoracic intratumoral biopsies and injections into the lung cancer were performed, two cycles (at d 0 and 7) received by each patient (311 biopsies and 96 intratumoral injections). All percutaneous cases achieved technical success with respect to needle placement for both biopsy and injection of CCL21 dendritic cells. Only minor complications were observed (grade <3), including pneumothorax (n = 10, 33%) and small postbiopsy hemorrhage (n = 2, 7%). Pneumothorax was moderate (n = 1) or trace (n = 9), with resolution of the moderate pneumothorax after manual aspiration without chest tube placement. No patient required chest tube placement. No other complications or serious adverse effects related to the biopsy or dendritic cell injection were noted. All patients were in stable condition after up to 4 hours in the recovery unit and were discharged home on the same day. No procedure-related complications were observed on imaging or clinical follow-up at 4 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Repeated percutaneous, transthoracic CT-guided biopsies and intratumoral gene-modified cell-based immunotherapy injections into lung cancers are technically feasible, safe, and reproducible. There were no procedure-related serious (defined as grade ≥3) adverse events.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor induced thyroid dysfunction is a frequent event post-treatment in NSCLC.

INTRODUCTION: Thyroid dysfunction is the most frequent endocrine immune related adverse event (irAE) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), typically arising 3-6 months into immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy, but arising after ICI cessation, in some cases. Due to limited post-treatment adverse event reporting requirements on ICI trials, the incidence of ICI-induced thyroid dysfunction arising after therapy is unclear. We investigated ICI-induced thyroid dysfunction in a cohort of 294 NSCLC patients, with a specific focus on the post-treatment setting. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of ICI-induced thyroid dysfunction (clinically acted upon or laboratory only) was performed in 294 UCLA NSCLC patients treated 2012-2018. Clinically acted upon thyroid dysfunction was defined as thyroid diagnosis documentation and/or thyroid medication administration. Laboratory only dysfunction was defined as abnormal thyroid labs in the absence of clinical action. Timing of thyroid dysfunction relative to ICI treatment and thyroid monitoring patterns were also assessed. RESULTS: 82% (241/294) of ICI treated NSCLC patients had thyroid labs during treatment. Of these 241 patients, 13% (31/241) had clinically acted upon thyroid dysfunction prior to, 8% (18/241) during, and 4% (9/241) after ICI. Most patients, 66% (159/241), did not have thyroid labs after ICI, but in the 53 patients with labs and no prior clinical dysfunction, 17% (9/53) developed clinical dysfunction after ICI. In these 9 patients, median time from ICI initiation to dysfunction was 253 days. Two patients with post-treatment laboratory only dysfunction were observed. CONCLUSIONS: ICI-induced thyroid dysfunction arising post-treatment appears more common than previously appreciated, warranting additional evaluation.

Society of Interventional Radiology Multidisciplinary Position Statement on Percutaneous Ablation of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer and Metastatic Disease to the Lungs: Endorsed by the Canadian Association for Interventional Radiology, the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe, and the Society of Interventional Oncology.

PURPOSE: To state the Society of Interventional Radiology's position on the use of image-guided thermal ablation for the treatment of early stage non-small cell lung cancer, recurrent lung cancer, and metastatic disease to the lung. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multidisciplinary writing group, with expertise in treating lung cancer, conducted a comprehensive literature search to identify studies on the topic of interest. Recommendations were drafted and graded according to the updated SIR evidence grading system. A modified Delphi technique was used to achieve consensus agreement on the recommendation statements. RESULTS: A total of 63 studies, including existing systematic reviews and meta-analysis, retrospective cohort studies, and single-arm trials were identified. The expert writing group developed and agreed on 7 recommendations on the use of image-guided thermal ablation in the lung. CONCLUSION: SIR considers image-guided thermal ablation to be an acceptable treatment option for patients with inoperable Stage I NSCLC, those with recurrent NSCLC, as well as patients with metastatic lung disease.

Society of Interventional Radiology Quality Improvement Standards on Percutaneous Ablation of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Metastatic Disease to the Lungs.

PURPOSE: To provide guidance on quality improvement thresholds for outcomes and complications of image-guided thermal ablation for the treatment of early stage non-small cell lung cancer, recurrent lung cancer, and metastatic disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multidisciplinary writing group conducted a comprehensive literature search to identify studies on the topic of interest. Data were extracted from relevant studies and thresholds were derived from a calculation of 2 standard deviations from the weighted mean of each outcome. A modified Delphi technique was used to achieve consensus agreement on the thresholds. RESULTS: Data from 29 studies, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses, retrospective cohort studies, and single-arm trials were extracted for calculation of the thresholds. The expert writing group agreed on thresholds for local control, overall survival and adverse events associated with image-guided thermal ablation. CONCLUSION: SIR recommends utilizing the indicator thresholds to review and assess the efficacy of ongoing quality improvement programs. When performance falls above or below specific thresholds, consideration of a review of policies and procedures to assess for potential causes, and to implement changes in practices, may be warranted.