High prevalence of clonal hematopoiesis-type genomic abnormalities in cell-free DNA in invasive gliomas after treatment.

Plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is emerging as an important diagnostic tool in cancer. However, cfDNA alterations may differ from those in tissue and sometimes may reflect processes unrelated to the cancer, including clonal hematopoiesis (CH). We examined plasma cfDNA, tested by next-generation sequencing (NGS), for characterized alterations (excluding variants of unknown significance) in 135 patients with invasive glioma. Overall, 21% (28/135) had ≥1 alteration; 17% (23/135) had CH-type cfDNA mutations. Temozolomide (a mutagenic alkylating agent) with concurrent radiation therapy prior to blood draw was significantly associated with an increase in CH-type mutations, even after age, race/ethnicity, and WHO-grade were considered as confounders (odds ratio [95% confidence interval, CI] 8.98 [1.13-71.46]; P = .04; multivariable analysis). Further, of 18 patients with invasive glioma who had both cfDNA and tissue DNA NGS and had ≥1 cfDNA alteration, 16 (89%) had ≥1 cfDNA alteration not found in their tissue DNA, including CH-type alterations in genes such as TP53 (most common), ATM, GNAS, and JAK2. Altogether, 87% of cfDNA alterations (20/23) observed in the 18 patients were implicated in CH. Finally, examining all 135 patients, CH-type cfDNA mutations were an independent prognostic factor for shorter survival (hazard ratio [95% CI] 3.28 [1.28-8.40]; P = .01). These findings emphasize that not all characterized cfDNA alterations detected in patients with solid tumors are cancer-related. Importantly, in patients with invasive gliomas who have had prior temozolomide and radiation, CH-related alterations in cfDNA are frequent and correlate with poor outcomes.

Differentiation of progressive disease from pseudoprogression using 3D PCASL and DSC perfusion MRI in patients with glioblastoma.

PURPOSE: To use 3D pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (3D PCASL) and dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced (DSC) perfusion MRI to differentiate progressive disease from pseudoprogression in patients with glioblastoma (GBM). METHODS: Thirty-two patients with GBM who developed progressively enhancing lesions within the radiation field following resection and chemoradiation were included in this retrospective, single-institution study. The updated modified RANO criteria were used to establish progressive disease or pseudoprogression. Following 3D PCASL and DSC MR imaging, perfusion parameter estimates of cerebral blood flow (ASL-nCBF and DSC-nrCBF) and cerebral blood volume (DSC-nrCBV) were calculated. Additionally, contrast enhanced volumes were measured. Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare groups. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and area under receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) analyses were used to evaluate performance of each perfusion parameter and to determine optimal cut-off points. RESULTS: All perfusion parameter measurements were higher in patients with progressive disease (mean, 95% CI ASL-nCBF 2.48, [2.03, 2.93]; DSC-nrCBF = 2.27, [1.85, 2.69]; DSC-nrCBV = 3.51, [2.37, 4.66]) compared to pseudoprogression (mean, 95% CI ASL-nCBF 0.99, [0.47, 1.52]; DSC-nrCBF = 1.05, [0.36, 1.74]; DSC-nCBV = 1.19, [0.34, 2.05]), and findings were significant at the p < 0.0125 level (p = 0.001, 0.003, 0.002; effect size: Cohen's d = 1.48, 1.27, and 0.92). Contrast enhanced volumes were not significantly different between groups (p > 0.447). All perfusion parameters demonstrated high AUC (0.954 for ASL-nCBF, 0.867 for DSC-nrCBF, and 0.891 for DSC-nrCBV), however, ASL-nCBF demonstrated the highest AUC and misclassified the fewest cases (N = 6). Lesions correctly classified by ASL but misclassified by DSC were located along the skull base or adjacent to large resection cavities with residual blood products, at areas of increased susceptibility. CONCLUSION: Both 3D PCASL and DSC perfusion MRI techniques have nearly equivalent performance for the differentiation of progressive disease from pseudoprogression in patients with GBM. However, 3D PCASL is less sensitive to susceptibility artifact and may allow for improved classification in select cases.

Telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter alterations across cancer types as detected by next-generation sequencing: A clinical and molecular analysis of 423 patients.

BACKGROUND: Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutations that may affect telomerase activity have recently been described in human malignancies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical correlates of TERT promoter abnormalities in a large cohort of patients with diverse cancers. METHODS: This study analyzed TERT promoter alterations and clinical characteristics of 423 consecutive patients for whom molecular testing by next-generation sequencing was performed between August 2014 and July 2015. RESULTS: Of the 423 patients, 61 (14.4%) had TERT promoter mutations, and this placed TERT promoter alterations among the most prevalent aberrations after tumor protein 53 (TP53; 39%) and KRAS and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A/B (CDKN2A/B) alterations (15% each) in this population. TERT promoter alterations were more frequent in men (P = .031) and were associated with brain cancers (P = .001), skin cancers/melanoma (P = .001), and a higher number of aberrations (P = .0001). A co-alteration analysis found that TERT promoter alterations were significantly correlated with CDKN2A/B (P = .001) and BRAF abnormalities (P = .0003). Patients harboring TERT promoter alterations or TP53 or CDKN2A/B alterations and those with 4 or more alterations demonstrated shorter survival (hazard ratio for normal TERT promoters vs aberrant ones, 0.44; P = .017). However, only a higher number of alterations remained significant in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, TERT promoter alterations were among the most prevalent aberrations in this population, with very high rates in brain cancers (48% of patients) and melanomas (56% of patients). These aberrations frequently coexist with a high number of other aberrations, with the latter feature also significantly associated with poorer overall survival. Therapeutic options for targeting tumors with TERT promoter mutations are currently limited, although a variety of novel approaches are under development. Cancer 2018;124:1288-96. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Imaging correlates for the 2016 update on WHO classification of grade II/III gliomas: implications for IDH, 1p/19q and ATRX status.

The 2016 World Health Organization Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System incorporates the use of molecular information into the classification of brain tumors, including grade II and III gliomas, providing new prognostic information that cannot be delineated based on histopathology alone. We hypothesized that these genomic subgroups may also have distinct imaging features. A retrospective single institution study was performed on 40 patients with pathologically proven infiltrating WHO grade II/III gliomas with a pre-treatment MRI and molecular data on IDH, chromosomes 1p/19q and ATRX status. Two blinded Neuroradiologists qualitatively assessed MR features. The relationship between each parameter and molecular subgroup (IDH-wildtype; IDH-mutant-1p/19q codeleted-ATRX intact; IDH-mutant-1p/19q intact-ATRX loss) was evaluated with Fisher's exact test. Progression free survival (PFS) was also analyzed. A border that could not be defined on FLAIR was most characteristic of IDH-wildtype tumors, whereas IDH-mutant tumors demonstrated either well-defined or slightly ill-defined borders (p = 0.019). Degree of contrast enhancement and presence of restricted diffusion did not distinguish molecular subgroups. Frontal lobe predominance was associated with IDH-mutant tumors (p = 0.006). The IDH-wildtype subgroup had significantly shorter PFS than the IDH-mutant groups (p < 0.001). No differences in PFS were present when separating by tumor grade. FLAIR border patterns and tumor location were associated with distinct molecular subgroups of grade II/III gliomas. These imaging features may provide fundamental prognostic and predictive information at time of initial diagnostic imaging.

Erratum to: Imaging correlates for the 2016 update on WHO classification of grade II/III gliomas: implications for IDH, 1p/19q and ATRX status.

In the initial online publication, the values in the last two rows in Table 1 were in the wrong rows. The original article has been corrected.

Concurrent intrathecal methotrexate and liposomal cytarabine for leptomeningeal metastasis from solid tumors: a retrospective cohort study.

Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) from solid tumors is typically a late manifestation of systemic cancer with limited survival. Randomized trials comparing single agent intrathecal methotrexate to liposomal cytarabine have shown similar efficacy and tolerability. We hypothesized that combination intrathecal chemotherapy would be a safe and tolerable option in solid tumor LM. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of combination IT chemotherapy in solid tumor LM at a single institution between April 2010 and July 2012. In addition to therapies directed at active systemic disease, each subject received IT liposomal cytarabine plus IT methotrexate with dexamethasone premedication. Patient characteristics, survival outcomes and toxicities were determined by systematic chart review. Thirty subjects were treated during the study period. The most common cancer types were breast 15 (50 %), glioblastoma 6 (20 %), and lung 5 (17 %). Cytologic clearance was achieved in 6 (33 %). Median non-glioblastoma overall survival was 30.2 weeks (n = 18; range 3.9-73.4), and did not differ significantly by tumor type. Median time to neurologic progression was 7 weeks (n = 8; range 0.9-57), with 10 subjects (56 %) experiencing death from systemic disease without progression of LM. Age less than 60 was associated with longer overall survival (p = 0.01). Six (21 %) experienced grade III toxicities during treatment, most commonly meningitis 2 (7 %). Combination IT chemotherapy was feasible in this small retrospective cohort. Prospective evaluation is necessary to determine tolerability, the impact on quality of life and neurocognitive outcomes or any survival benefit when compared to single agent IT chemotherapy.

Arterial spin labeled perfusion MRI for the assessment of radiation-treated meningiomas.

Purpose: Conventional contrast-enhanced MRI is currently the primary imaging technique used to evaluate radiation treatment response in meningiomas. However, newer perfusion-weighted MRI techniques, such as 3D pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (3D pCASL) MRI, capture physiologic information beyond the structural information provided by conventional MRI and may provide additional complementary treatment response information. The purpose of this study is to assess 3D pCASL for the evaluation of radiation-treated meningiomas. Methods: Twenty patients with meningioma treated with surgical resection followed by radiation, or by radiation alone, were included in this retrospective single-institution study. Patients were evaluated with 3D pCASL and conventional contrast-enhanced MRI before and after radiation (median follow up 6.5 months). Maximum pre- and post-radiation ASL normalized cerebral blood flow (ASL-nCBF) was measured within each meningioma and radiation-treated meningioma (or residual resected and radiated meningioma), and the contrast-enhancing area was measured for each meningioma. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to compare pre- and post-radiation ASL-nCBF and pre- and post-radiation area. Results: All treated meningiomas demonstrated decreased ASL-nCBF following radiation (p < 0.001). Meningioma contrast-enhancing area also decreased after radiation (p = 0.008) but only for approximately half of the meningiomas (9), while half (10) remained stable. A larger effect size (Wilcoxon signed-rank effect size) was seen for ASL-nCBF measurements (r = 0.877) compared to contrast-enhanced area measurements (r = 0.597). Conclusions: ASL perfusion may provide complementary treatment response information in radiation-treated meningiomas. This complementary information could aid clinical decision-making and provide an additional endpoint for clinical trials.

Alliance A071401: Phase II Trial of Focal Adhesion Kinase Inhibition in Meningiomas With Somatic NF2 Mutations.

PURPOSE: Patients with progressive or recurrent meningiomas have limited systemic therapy options. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibition has a synthetic lethal relationship with NF2 loss. Given the predominance of NF2 mutations in meningiomas, we evaluated the efficacy of GSK2256098, a FAK inhibitor, as part of the first genomically driven phase II study in recurrent or progressive grade 1-3 meningiomas. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eligible patients whose tumors screened positively for NF2 mutations were treated with GSK2256098, 750 mg orally twice daily, until progressive disease. Efficacy was evaluated using two coprimary end points: progression-free survival at 6 months (PFS6) and response rate by Macdonald criteria, where PFS6 was evaluated separately within grade-based subgroups: grade 1 versus 2/3 meningiomas. Per study design, the FAK inhibitor would be considered promising in this patient population if either end point met the corresponding decision criteria for efficacy. RESULTS: Of 322 patients screened for all mutation cohorts of the study, 36 eligible and evaluable patients with NF2 mutations were enrolled and treated: 12 grade 1 and 24 grade 2/3 patients. Across all grades, one patient had a partial response and 24 had stable disease as their best response to treatment. In grade 1 patients, the observed PFS6 rate was 83% (10/12 patients; 95% CI, 52 to 98). In grade 2/3 patients, the observed PFS6 rate was 33% (8/24 patients; 95% CI, 16 to 55). The study met the PFS6 efficacy end point both for the grade 1 and the grade 2/3 cohorts. Treatment was well tolerated; seven patients had a maximum grade 3 adverse event that was at least possibly related to treatment with no grade 4 or 5 events. CONCLUSION: GSK2256098 was well tolerated and resulted in an improved PFS6 rate in patients with recurrent or progressive NF2-mutated meningiomas, compared with historical controls. The criteria for promising activity were met, and FAK inhibition warrants further evaluation for this patient population.

Phase 2 study of AV-GBM-1 (a tumor-initiating cell targeted dendritic cell vaccine) in newly diagnosed Glioblastoma patients: safety and efficacy assessment.

BACKGROUND: Vaccine immunotherapy may improve survival in Glioblastoma (GBM). A multicenter phase II trial was designed to determine: (1) the success rate of manufacturing the Aivita GBM vaccine (AV-GBM-1), (2) Adverse Events (AE) associated with AV-GBM-1 administration, and (3) survival. METHODS: Fresh suspected glioblastoma tissue was collected during surgery, and patients with pathology-confirmed GBM enrolled before starting concurrent Radiation Therapy and Temozolomide (RT/TMZ) with Intent to Treat (ITT) after recovery from RT/TMZ. AV-GBM-1 was made by incubating autologous dendritic cells with a lysate of irradiated autologous Tumor-Initiating Cells (TICs). Eligible patients were adults (18 to 70 years old) with a Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) of 70 or greater, a successful TIC culture, and sufficient monocytes collected. A cryopreserved AV-GBM-1 dose was thawed and admixed with 500 µg of Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) before every subcutaneous (s.c.) administration. RESULTS: Success rates were 97% for both TIC production and monocyte collection. AV-GBM-1 was manufactured for 63/63 patients; 60 enrolled per ITT; 57 started AV-GBM-1. The most common AEs attributed to AV-GBM-1 were local injection site reactions (16%) and flu-like symptoms (10%). Treatment-emergent AEs included seizures (33%), headache (37%), and focal neurologic symptoms (28%). One patient discontinued AV-GBM-1 because of seizures. Median Progression-Free Survival (mPFS) and median Overall Survival (mOS) from ITT enrollment were 10.4 and 16.0 months, respectively. 2-year Overall Survival (OS) is 27%. CONCLUSIONS: AV-GBM-1 was reliably manufactured. Treatment was well-tolerated, but there were numerous treatment-emergent central nervous system AEs. mPFS was longer than historical benchmarks, though no mOS improvement was noted. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT, NCT03400917 , Registered 10 January 2018.

A phase I study of the WT2725 dosing emulsion in patients with advanced malignancies.

WT2725 is a Wilms' tumor gene 1 (WT1)-derived-oligopeptide vaccine designed to induce WT1-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes against WT1+ tumors in human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A*0201+ and/or HLA-A*0206+ patients. Here, we report the results of a phase I study of WT2725. In this phase I, open-label, dose-escalation and expansion two-part study, the WT2725 dosing emulsion was administered as a monotherapy to patients with advanced malignancies known to overexpress WT1, including glioblastoma. In part 1, 44 patients were sequentially allocated to four doses: 0.3 mg (n = 5), 0.9 mg (n = 5), 3 mg (n = 6), and 9 mg (n = 28). In part 2, 18 patients were allocated to two doses: 18 mg (n = 9) and 27 mg (n = 9). No dose-limiting toxicities were observed, so the maximum tolerated dose was not reached. Median progression-free survival was 58 (95% confidence interval [CI] 56-81) days (~ 2 months) across all patients with solid tumors; median overall survival was 394 days (13.0 months) (95% CI 309-648). Overall immune-related response rate in solid tumor patients was 7.5% (95% CI 2.6-19.9); response was most prominent in the glioblastoma subgroup. Overall, 62.3% of patients were considered cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responders; the proportion increased with increasing WT2725 dosing emulsion dose. WT2725 dosing emulsion was well tolerated. Preliminary tumor response and biological marker data suggest that WT2725 dosing emulsion may exert antitumor activity in malignancies known to overexpress the WT1 protein, particularly glioblastoma, and provide a rationale for future clinical development.Trial registration: NCT01621542.

Clinical implications of plasma circulating tumor DNA in gynecologic cancer patients.

Molecular characterization of cancers is important in dictating prognostic factors and directing therapy. Next-generation sequencing of plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) offers less invasive, more convenient collection, and a more real-time representation of a tumor and its molecular heterogeneity than tissue. However, little is known about the clinical implications of ctDNA assessment in gynecologic cancer. We describe the molecular landscape identified on ctDNA, ctDNA concordance with tissue-based analysis, and factors associated with overall survival (OS) in gynecologic cancer patients with ctDNA analysis. We reviewed clinicopathologic and genomic information for 105 consecutive gynecologic cancer patients with ctDNA analysis, including 78 with tissue-based sequencing, enrolled in the Profile-Related Evidence Determining Individualized Cancer Therapy (NCT02478931) trial at the University of California San Diego Moores Cancer Center starting July 2014. Tumors included ovarian (47.6%), uterine (35.2%), cervical (12.4%), vulvovaginal (2.9%), and unknown gynecologic primary (1.9%). Most ovarian and uterine cancers (86%) were high grade. 34% (N = 17) of ovarian cancers had BRCA alterations, and 22% (N = 11) were platinum sensitive. Patients received median 2 (range 0-13) lines of therapy prior to ctDNA collection. Most (75.2%) had at least one characterized alteration on ctDNA analysis, and the majority had unique genomic profiles on ctDNA. Most common alterations were TP53 (N = 59, 56.2% of patients), PIK3CA (N = 26, 24.8%), KRAS (N = 14, 13.3%), BRAF (N = 10, 9.5%), ERBB2 (N = 8, 7.6%), and MYC (N = 8, 7.6%). Higher ctDNA maximum mutation allele frequency was associated with worse OS [hazard ratio (HR): 1.91, P = 0.03], while therapy matched to ctDNA alterations (N = 33 patients) was independently associated with improved OS (HR: 0.34, P = 0.007) compared to unmatched therapy (N = 28 patients) in multivariate analysis. Tissue and ctDNA genomic results showed high concordance unaffected by temporal or spatial factors. This study provides evidence for the utility of ctDNA in determining outcome and individualizing cancer therapy in patients with gynecologic cancer.

Restriction Spectrum Imaging Differentiates True Tumor Progression From Immune-Mediated Pseudoprogression: Case Report of a Patient With Glioblastoma.

Immunotherapy is increasingly used in the treatment of glioblastoma (GBM), with immune checkpoint therapy gaining in popularity given favorable outcomes achieved for other tumors. However, immune-mediated (IM)-pseudoprogression is common, remains poorly characterized, and renders conventional imaging of little utility when evaluating for treatment response. We present the case of a 64-year-old man with GBM who developed pathologically proven IM-pseudoprogression after initiation of a checkpoint inhibitor, and who subsequently developed true tumor progression at a distant location. Based on both qualitative and quantitative analysis, we demonstrate that an advanced diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) technique called restriction spectrum imaging (RSI) can differentiate IM-pseudoprogression from true progression even when conventional imaging, including standard DWI/apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), is not informative. These data complement existing literature supporting the ability of RSI to estimate tumor cellularity, which may help to resolve complex diagnostic challenges such as the identification of IM-pseudoprogression.

ANG1005, a Brain-Penetrating Peptide-Drug Conjugate, Shows Activity in Patients with Breast Cancer with Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis and Recurrent Brain Metastases.

PURPOSE: ANG1005, a novel taxane derivative, consists of three paclitaxel molecules covalently linked to Angiopep-2, designed to cross the blood-brain and blood-cerebrospinal barriers and to penetrate malignant cells via LRP1 transport system. Preclinical and clinical evidence of efficacy with ANG1005 has been previously shown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A multicenter, open-label phase II study in adult patients with measurable recurrent brain metastases from breast cancer (BCBM), with or without leptomeningeal carcinomatosis was conducted (n = 72 BCBM; n = 28 leptomeningeal carcinomatosis subset). ANG1005 was administered intravenously at 600 mg/m2 every 3 weeks. Tumor assessment was based on central nervous system (CNS) RECIST 1.1 for intracranial, and RECIST 1.1 for extracranial response. The primary endpoint was determination of intracranial objective response rate (iORR). RESULTS: Median age was 47.5 years. Safety profile was similar to that of paclitaxel with myelosuppression as the predominating toxicity. Average number of prior CNS-directed therapies was 2.8 and 94% of the patients had prior taxane treatment. Patient benefit (stable disease or better) was seen in 77% (intracranial) and 86% (extracranial) of the evaluable patients, with iORR of 15% (investigator) or 8% (independent radiology facility [IRF] review). In the leptomeningeal carcinomatosis subset, 79% of the patients had intracranial disease control and estimated median overall survival of 8.0 months (95% CI, 5.4-9.4). CONCLUSIONS: Even though the study preset rule for iORR per IRF was not met in this heavily pretreated population, a notable CNS and systemic treatment effect was seen in all patients including symptom improvement and prolonged overall survival compared to historical control for the subset of patients with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (n = 28).

Identifying early diffusion imaging biomarkers of regional white matter injury as indicators of executive function decline following brain radiotherapy: A prospective clinical trial in primary brain tumor patients.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Executive function (EF) decline is common after brain radiation therapy (RT), yet the etiology is unclear. We analyzed the association between longitudinal changes in frontal lobe white matter microstructure and decline in EF following RT in brain tumor patients on a prospective clinical trial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Diffusion tensor imaging was obtained on 22 patients with brain tumors prior to RT, as well as 3- and 6-months post-RT, in a prospective, observational trial. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD) were calculated within the superficial white matter (SWM) of the anterior cingulate (AC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Measures of cognitive flexibility, verbal fluency, and verbal set-shifting were obtained pre- and post-RT. Reliable change indices were calculated to determine significant baseline to 6-month EF changes. RESULTS: Decreases in FA and increases in MD were observed in the caudal AC (CAC) at 3-months post-RT. CAC changes were characterized by increased RD bilaterally. From baseline to 6-months post-RT, decreased FA and increased MD and RD of the CAC was associated with decline in verbal set-shifting ability, whereas increased MD in the CAC was associated with a decline in cognitive flexibility. CONCLUSION: White matter underlying the AC may be particularly vulnerable to radiation effects. Early microstructural loss within AC SWM represents an important biomarker for EF decline, and dose reduction in this region may represent a possibility for cognitive preservation for patients receiving radiotherapy.

Analysis of cell-free circulating tumor DNA in 419 patients with glioblastoma and other primary brain tumors.

Aim: Genomically matched trials in primary brain tumors (PBTs) require recent tumor sequencing. We evaluated whether circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) could facilitate genomic interrogation in these patients. Methods: Data from 419 PBT patients tested clinically with a ctDNA NGS panel at a CLIA-certified laboratory were analyzed. Results: A total of 211 patients (50%) had ≥1 somatic alteration detected. Detection was highest in meningioma (59%) and gliobastoma (55%). Single nucleotide variants were detected in 61 genes, with amplifications detected in ERBB2, MET, EGFR and others. Conclusion: Contrary to previous studies with very low yields, we found half of PBT patients had detectable ctDNA with genomically targetable off-label or clinical trial options for almost 50%. For those PBT patients with detectable ctDNA, plasma cfDNA genomic analysis is a clinically viable option for identifying genomically driven therapy options.

Molecular profiling of cancer patients enables personalized combination therapy: the I-PREDICT study.

Cancer treatments have evolved from indiscriminate cytotoxic agents to selective genome- and immune-targeted drugs that have transformed the outcomes of some malignancies1. Tumor complexity and heterogeneity suggest that the 'precision medicine' paradigm of cancer therapy requires treatment to be personalized to the individual patient2-6. To date, precision oncology trials have been based on molecular matching with predetermined monotherapies7-14. Several of these trials have been hindered by very low matching rates, often in the 5-10% range15, and low response rates. Low matching rates may be due to the use of limited gene panels, restrictive molecular matching algorithms, lack of drug availability, or the deterioration and death of end-stage patients before therapy can be implemented. We hypothesized that personalized treatment with combination therapies would improve outcomes in patients with refractory malignancies. As a first test of this concept, we implemented a cross-institutional prospective study (I-PREDICT, NCT02534675 ) that used tumor DNA sequencing and timely recommendations for individualized treatment with combination therapies. We found that administration of customized multidrug regimens was feasible, with 49% of consented patients receiving personalized treatment. Targeting of a larger fraction of identified molecular alterations, yielding a higher 'matching score', was correlated with significantly improved disease control rates, as well as longer progression-free and overall survival rates, compared to targeting of fewer somatic alterations. Our findings suggest that the current clinical trial paradigm for precision oncology, which pairs one driver mutation with one drug, may be optimized by treating molecularly complex and heterogeneous cancers with combinations of customized agents.

Infliximab for treatment-refractory transverse myelitis following immune therapy and radiation.

BACKGROUND: Neurologic toxicities with immune therapy are rare, but can cause devastating and often permanent injury when they occur. Although there is increasing interest in the potential synergism between immune therapy and radiation, it is possible that such combinations may lead to a greater number or increased severity of immune-related adverse events. We present here a case of extensive and progressive transverse myelitis following combined therapy, which did not improve until treatment with infliximab. This case highlights the unmet need for treatment of adverse events that are refractory to consensus recommendations, and may ultimately require further study and incorporation into future published guidelines. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 68-year-old with metastatic melanoma, who developed transverse myelitis in the setting of immune checkpoint blockade and spinal irradiation for vertebral metastases. Despite management according to published consensus guidelines: cessation of immune therapy, high-dose steroids, and plasmapheresis, he continued to deteriorate neurologically, and imaging revealed a progressive and ascending transverse myelitis. The patient was then treated with infliximab, and demonstrated dramatic imaging and modest clinical improvement following the first treatment cycle. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report describing the successful use of infliximab in immune therapy and radiation-related transverse myelitis that was not responding to recommended therapy. Evaluation of additional treatment options such as infliximab for high-grade immune-related neurologic toxicities is warranted, and may be needed earlier in the disease process to prevent significant morbidity. The adverse effects of immune therapy when used in combination with radiation also require further investigation.

PPX and Concurrent Radiation for Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma Without MGMT Methylation: A Randomized Phase II Study: BrUOG 244.

PURPOSE: Efficacy signals but substantial myelosuppression were demonstrated in a single arm phase II study of paclitaxel poliglumex (PPX) in combination with temozolomide (TMZ) and radiation therapy (RT) for first-line treatment of glioblastoma. The objective of this randomized phase II trial was to assess the efficacy and safety of single-agent PPX with RT (PPX/RT) versus TMZ with RT (TMZ/RT) for glioblastoma without O-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) methylation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with glioblastoma with unmethylated MGMT without prior chemotherapy or RT were eligible. Patients were randomly assigned 2:1 to PPX, 50 mg/m/wk for 6 weeks, or standard TMZ, with concurrent 60.0 Gy RT. One month after completion of chemoradiation all patients received standard maintenance TMZ. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: Of the 164 patients enrolled, 86 were MGMT unmethylated. Of these, 63 patients were randomized (42 to PPX/RT and 21 to TMZ/RT). Fifty-nine patients could be analyzed. The median PFS was 9 months in the PPX/RT group and 9.5 months in the TMZ/RT group (hazard ratio in the PPX/RT group, 1.10; 95% confidence interval, 0.79-2.08; P=0.75). Median overall survival was 16 versus 14.8 months for PPX/RT and TMZ/RT groups, respectively (hazard ratio, 1.44; 95% confidence interval, 0.75-2.77; P=0.27). In the PPX and TMZ groups 44% versus 22% of patients, respectively, experienced one or more grade 3 or higher toxicities during chemoradiation. CONCLUSIONS: PPX/RT did not improve PFS or overall survival. This study provides an effective trial design for screening RT sensitizers in glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma in the elderly: treatment patterns and survival.

AIM: The optimal treatment for elderly glioblastoma patients is unclear. We conducted a retrospective review of the California Cancer Registry to examine treatment patterns and survival by age. METHODS: We identified 2670 adult patients from the California Cancer Registry with glioblastoma. We compared the extent of resection, treatment type and modality. RESULTS: Elderly patients had the greatest overall survival (OS) with combined surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. However, they were more likely to undergo biopsy and less likely to receive combined radiation and chemotherapy than patients <70. CONCLUSION: OS was maximized in elderly patients who were able to get some surgical resection and undergo combined radiation and chemotherapy. OS survival in some elderly patients may be improved by more extensive therapy.

Next-Generation Sequencing in the Clinical Setting Clarifies Patient Characteristics and Potential Actionability.

Enhancements in clinical-grade next-generation sequencing (NGS) have fueled the advancement of precision medicine in the clinical oncology field. Here, we survey the molecular profiles of 1,113 patients with diverse malignancies who successfully underwent clinical-grade NGS (236-404 genes) in an academic tertiary cancer center. Among the individual tumors examined, the majority showed at least one detectable alteration (97.2%). Among 2,045 molecular aberrations was the involvement of 302 distinct genes. The most commonly altered genes were TP53 (47.0%), CDKN2A (18.0%), TERT (17.0%), and KRAS (16.0%), and the majority of patients had tumors that harbored multiple alterations. Tumors displayed a median of four alterations (range, 0-29). Most individuals had at least one potentially actionable alteration (94.7%), with the median number of potentially actionable alterations per patient being 2 (range, 0-13). A total of 1,048 (94.2%) patients exhibited a unique molecular profile, with either genes altered or loci within the gene(s) altered being distinct. Approximately 13% of patients displayed a genomic profile identical to at least one other patient; although genes altered were the same, the affected loci may have differed. Overall, our results underscore the complex heterogeneity of malignancies and argue that customized combination therapies will be essential to optimize cancer treatment regimens. Cancer Res; 77(22); 6313-20. ©2017 AACR.