Patient survey on cancer genomic medicine in Japan under the national health insurance system.

In Japan, comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) tests have been reimbursed under the national health care system for solid cancer patients who have finished standard treatment. More than 50,000 patients have taken the test since June 2019. We performed a nation-wide questionnaire survey between March 2021 and July 2022. Questionnaires were sent to 80 designated Cancer Genomic Medicine Hospitals. Of the 933 responses received, 370 (39.7%) were web based and 563 (60.3%) were paper based. Most patients (784, 84%) first learned about CGP tests from healthcare professionals, and 775 (83.1%) gave informed consent to their treating physician. At the time of informed consent, they were most worried about test results not leading to novel treatment (536, 57.4%). On a scale of 0-10, 702 respondents (75.2%) felt that the explanations of the test result were easy to understand (7 or higher). Ninety-one patients (9.8%) started their recommended treatment. Many patients could not receive recommended treatment because no approved drugs or clinical trials were available (102/177, 57.6%). Ninety-eight patients (10.5%) did not wish their findings to be disclosed. Overall satisfaction with the CGP test process was high, with 602 respondents (64.5%) giving a score of 7-10. The major reason for choosing 0-6 was that the CGP test result did not lead to new treatment (217/277, 78.3%). In conclusion, satisfaction with the CGP test process was high. Patients and family members need better access to information. More patients need to be treated with genomically matched therapy.

Advances in biology and novel treatments of SCLC: The four-color problem in uncharted territory.

Treatment for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has not changed significantly compared to the overwhelming development of targeted therapies for non-small cell lung cancer. However, recent epigenetic and expressional analyses have revealed that SCLC can be divided into four distinct subtypes, which may lead to precision treatments. The situation appears slightly similar to the "four-color problem," a classic mathematical problem stating that no more than four colors are required to color the regions so that no two adjacent areas have the same color. This review introduces the framework for subtyping SCLC into four molecular subtypes and the promising targeted treatment for each subtype.

Nivolumab-induced radiation recall pneumonitis in non-small-cell lung cancer patients with thoracic radiation therapy.

The role of previous thoracic radiation therapy as a risk factor of immune-related pneumonitis is unclear. Furthermore, some patients develop radiation recall pneumonitis, which is characterized by a radiation pneumonitis-like imaging pattern with consolidation progressing within a previous radiation field. In this multicenter retrospective study, we analyzed the relationship of previous thoracic radiation therapy with immune-related pneumonitis and the characteristics of radiation recall pneumonitis. The medical records of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer who had received nivolumab between December 2015 and March 2017 at five institutions were retrospectively reviewed. Incidence, imaging patterns, clinical course, and risk factors of immune-related pneumonitis and radiation recall pneumonitis were evaluated. A total of 669 patients were evaluated, and the incidences of all-grade and grade 3 or higher immune-related pneumonitis were 8.8% and 2.6%, respectively. The incidences of immune-related pneumonitis were 13.2% (34/257) and 6.1% (25/412) in patients with and those without previous thoracic radiation therapy, respectively. A history of previous thoracic radiation therapy was associated with immune-related pneumonitis (odds ratio, 2.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-3.69 in multivariate analysis). Among the patients with previous thoracic radiation therapy, 6.2% (16/257) showed radiation recall pattern. This study found an increased risk of nivolumab-induced immune-related pneumonitis associated with a history of thoracic radiation therapy. Radiation recall pattern was one of the major patterns of immune-related pneumonitis among the patients with previous thoracic radiation therapy. Incidence, risk factors, and clinical outcome of radiation recall pneumonitis were elucidated.

Human resources for administrative work to carry out a comprehensive genomic profiling test in Japan.

Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) tests have been nationally reimbursed in Japan since June 2019 under strict restrictions, and over 46,000 patients have taken the test. Core Hospitals and Designated Hospitals host molecular tumor boards, which is more time-consuming than simply participating in them. We sent a questionnaire to government-designated Cancer Genomic Medicine Hospitals, including all 12 Core Hospitals, all 33 Designated Hospitals, and 117 of 188 Cooperative Hospitals. The questionnaire asked how much time physicians and nonphysicians spent on administrative work for cancer genomic medicine. For every CGP test, 7.6 h of administrative work was needed. Physicians spent 2.7 h/patient, while nonphysicians spent 4.9 h/patient. Time spent preparing for molecular tumor boards, called Expert Panels, was the longest, followed by time spent participating in Expert Panels. Assuming an hourly wage of ¥24,000/h for physicians and ¥2800/h for nonphysicians, mean labor cost was ¥78,071/patient. On a monthly basis, more time was spent on administrative work at Core Hospitals compared with Designated Hospitals and Cooperative Hospitals (385 vs. 166 vs. 51 h/month, respectively, p < 0.001). Consequently, labor cost per month was higher at Core Hospitals than at Designated Hospitals and Cooperative Hospitals (¥3,951,854 vs. ¥1,687,167 vs. ¥487,279/month, respectively, p < 0.001). Completing a CGP test for a cancer patient in Japan is associated with significant labor at each hospital, especially at Core Hospitals. Streamlining the exchange of information and simplifying Expert Panels will likely alleviate this burden.

High levels of AXL expression in untreated EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer negatively impacts the use of osimertinib.

For non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, the initial therapeutic interventions will have crucial impacts on their clinical outcomes. Drug tolerant factors reportedly have an impact on EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor sensitivity. This prospective study investigated the impacts of drug tolerant-related protein expression in tumors based on the efficacy of osimertinib in the first-setting of EGFR-mutated advanced NSCLC patients. A total of 92 patients with EGFR-mutated advanced or postoperative recurrent NSCLC were analyzed and treated with osimertinib at 14 institutions in Japan. AXL, p53, and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in patient tumors was determined using immunohistochemistry. The AXL signaling pathway was investigated using a cell line-based assay and AXL-related gene expression in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. High levels of AXL and positive-p53 expression were detected in 26.1% and 53.3% of the pretreatment EGFR-mutated NSCLC tumors, respectively. High AXL expression levels were significantly associated with a shorter progression-free survival compared with low AXL expression levels, irrespective of the EGFR activating mutation status (p = 0.026). Cell line-based assays indicated that the overexpression of AXL protein accelerated PD-L1 expression, which induced insensitivity to osimertinib. In the TCGA database, AXL RNA levels were positively correlated with PD-L1 expression in the lung adenocarcinoma cohort. The results show that high AXL expression levels in tumors impact clinical predictions when using osimertinib to treat EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients. Trial Registration: UMIN000043942.

Tumor microenvironment-mediated immune profiles and efficacy of anti-PD-L1 antibody plus chemotherapy stratified by DLL3 expression in small-cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3) is a therapeutic target in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). However, how DLL3 expression status affects the tumor microenvironment (TME) and clinical outcomes in SCLC remains unclear. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients with postoperative limited-stage (LS)-SCLC and extensive-stage (ES)-SCLC treated with platinum and etoposide (PE) plus anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibody. We investigated the relationship of DLL3 expression with TME, mutation status, tumor neoantigens, and immunochemotherapy. RESULTS: In the LS-SCLC cohort (n = 59), whole-exome sequencing revealed that DLL3High cases had significantly more neoantigens (P = 0.004) and a significantly higher rate of the signature SBS4 associated with smoking (P = 0.02) than DLL3Low cases. Transcriptome analysis in the LS-SCLC cohort revealed that DLL3High cases had significantly suppressed immune-related pathways and dendritic cell (DC) function. SCLC with DLL3High had significantly lower proportions of T cells, macrophages, and DCs than those with DLL3Low. In the ES-SCLC cohort (n = 30), the progression-free survival associated with PE plus anti-PD-L1 antibody was significantly worse in DLL3High cases than in DLL3Low cases (4.7 vs. 7.4 months, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Although SCLC with DLL3High had a higher neoantigen load, these tumors were resistant to immunochemotherapy due to suppressed tumor immunity by inhibiting antigen-presenting functions.

Incidence of serious adverse events caused by tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment following immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in advanced NSCLC patients with oncogenic driver alterations.

BACKGROUND: Sequential tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) following immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) increases the incidence of serious adverse events (SAEs). However, the factors and the types of TKIs that affect the incidence of SAEs remain unknown. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who received sequential TKIs following ICIs between November 2015 and April 2021. All AEs were evaluated using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) ver 5.0. RESULTS: Among 1,638 NSCLC patients who received ICIs, 63 patients received sequential TKIs following ICIs. The types of TKIs included EGFR-TKIs in 48 patients, ALK-TKIs in 10 patients, and others in 5 patients. The median dosing interval was 57 days (range: 7-698). Eighteen (28.6%) patients developed SAEs (Grade 3/4 or hospitalized). The incidence of SAEs and withdrawal of TKIs due to AEs were significantly higher in patients (n = 40) who initiated TKI treatment within 3 months after ICIs than in patients (n = 23) who initiated TKI treatment 3 months after ICIs (SAEs, 40.0% vs. 4.3%, p < 0.01; withdrawal rate: 57.5% vs. 21.7%, p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the incidence of SAEs and withdrawal rate due to AEs between EGFR-TKIs and other TKIs (SAE, 22.9% vs. 40.0%, p = 0.20; withdrawal rate: 41.7% vs. 53.3%, p = 0.55). CONCLUSION: The dosing interval from last ICI to the initiation of TKI treatment can affects the incidence of SAEs and the withdrawal rate due to AEs regardless of the types of TKIs.

Continuation of osimertinib in EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer patients bearing CNS metastasis (EPONA study).

The patients harboring EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer, treated with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor will lead to longer survival than those having non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient who do not harbor EGFR mutations. This ongoing clinical trial is to investigate the secondary chemoprevention effect of osimertinib from CNS with platinum doublets chemotherapy in patients who had progressive disease outside of CNS lesions. The aim of this randomized, phase II trial is to evaluate platinum and pemetrexed chemotherapy followed by pemetrexed maintenance with or without continuation of osimertinib for secondary CNS prevention in patients with brain metastatic NSCLC with EGFR mutation, with other than CNS lesions, but no progressive disease in the CNS lesion after osimertinib. The primary end point is to assess progression-free survival by investigator assessment. The key secondary end points are overall survival, response rate, time to CNS controlling, time to whole-brain irradiation and safety. Clinical trial registration: Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (jRCT), Japan (jRCTs071200029).

The authors are conducting a clinical trial aimed at improving treatment for individuals diagnosed with non-small-cell lung cancer, a specific type of lung cancer. In some cases, this cancer can spread to the brain. This study focuses on patients whose cancer is stable in the brain but progressing in other parts of the body. The study is comparing two different treatment approaches. One involves a combination of two drugs, platinum and pemetrexed, while the other combines these drugs with a third one called osimertinib. The main objective is to determine if continuing osimertinib treatment benefits these patients. The authors are evaluating the time it takes for the cancer to start growing again, known as progression-free survival, to identify the most effective treatment. Progression-free survival represents the duration that patients live without their disease worsening. This study, the EPONA study, will provide valuable insights into optimizing the treatment of this type of cancer.

Comprehensive screening for drugs that modify radiation-induced immune responses.

BACKGROUND: Combination therapy based on radiotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) was recently reported as effective for various cancers. The radiation-induced immune response (RIIR) is an essential feature in ICI-combined radiotherapy; however, the effects of drugs used concomitantly with RIIR remain unclear. We screened for drugs that can modify RIIR to understand the mutual relationship between radiotherapy and combined drugs in ICI-combined radiotherapy. METHODS: We established a high-throughput system with reporter gene assays for evaluating RIIR, focusing on factors acting downstream of the STING-IRF pathway, which can stimulate cancer cells, T cells, and dendritic cells. We further quantified the effects of 2595 drugs, including those approved by the Food and Drug Administration, on RIIR in vitro. RESULTS: The reporter assay results correlated well with the expression of immune response proteins such as programmed death-ligand 1. This high-throughput system enabled the identification of drugs including cytotoxic agents, molecular-targeted agents, and other agents that activate or suppress RIIR. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides an encyclopedic catalogue of clinically approved drugs based on their effect on RIIR. In ICIs combined radiotherapy, activation of STING-IFN may improve the therapeutic effect and our result could form a biological basis for further clinical trials combining radiotherapy with ICIs.

Comparison of time to failure of pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy versus pembrolizumab monotherapy: a consecutive analysis of patients having NSCLC with high PD-L1 expression.

INTRODUCTION: There are two treatment strategies for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) exhibiting a high expression level of programmed death-ligand 1 (tumor proportion score ≥ 50%): pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy and monotherapy. We retrospectively compared their efficacy and safety. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the efficacy and safety of first-line pembrolizumab-containing regimens administered between 2017 and 2020 to consecutive patients. The patients were divided into a pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy group (Combo group) or monotherapy group (Mono group). To compare the efficacy, we monitored the time to failure of strategy (TFS) defined as the time from the start of treatment to the occurrence of one of the following events: the addition of any drug not included in the primary strategy, progression of cancer after complete therapy, progression and no subsequent therapy, or death, whichever occurred first. We used the propensity score matching (PSM) to reduce the bias. RESULTS: A total of 126 patients were identified (89 in the Mono group and 37 in the Combo group). PSM matched 36 individuals from each of the two groups. The overall response rate and median progression-free survival of the Combo group were better than those of the Mono group. However, the median TFS was almost the same (11.3 months vs. 14.9 months; hazard ratio 1.40 [95% confidence interval 0.62-3.15]). The frequency of all serious adverse effects was higher in the Combo group than in the Mono group. DISCUSSION: Due to similar efficacy in TFS, both pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy and monotherapy are valid options for NSCLC.

Prognostic significance of cachexia in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with pembrolizumab.

BACKGROUND: Cancer cachexia is a multifactorial syndrome characterized by weight loss leading to immune dysfunction that is commonly observed in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We examined the impact of cachexia on the prognosis of patients with advanced NSCLC receiving pembrolizumab and evaluated whether the pathogenesis of cancer cachexia affects the clinical outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Consecutive patients with advanced NSCLC treated with pembrolizumab were retrospectively enrolled in the study. Serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and appetite-related hormones, which are related to the pathogenesis of cancer cachexia, were analyzed. Cancer cachexia was defined as (1) a body weight loss > 5% over the past 6 months, or (2) a body weight loss > 2% in patients with a body mass index < 20 kg/m2. RESULTS: A total of 133 patients were enrolled. Patients with cachexia accounted for 35.3%. No significant difference in the objective response rate was seen between the cachexia and non-cachexia group (29.8% vs. 34.9%, P = 0.550), but the median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) periods were significantly shorter in the cachexia group than in the non-cachexia group (PFS: 4.2 months vs. 7.1 months, P = 0.04, and OS: 10.0 months vs. 26.6 months, P = 0.03). The serum TNF-alpha, IL-1 alpha, IL-8, IL-10, and leptin levels were significantly associated with the presence of cachexia, but not with the PFS or OS. CONCLUSION: The presence of cachexia was significantly associated with poor prognosis in advanced NSCLC patients receiving pembrolizumab, not with the response to pembrolizumab.

Evaluation of hepatic CYP3A enzyme activity using endogenous markers in lung cancer patients treated with cisplatin, dexamethasone, and aprepitant.

PURPOSE: Aprepitant is used with dexamethasone and 5-HT3 receptor antagonists as an antiemetic treatment for chemotherapy, including cisplatin. Aprepitant is a substrate of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 and is known to cause its inhibition and induction. In addition, dexamethasone is a CYP3A4 substrate that induces CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 expression. In this study, we aimed to quantitatively evaluate the profile of CYP3A activity using its endogenous markers in non-small cell lung cancer patients receiving a standard cisplatin regimen with antiemetics, including aprepitant. METHODS: Urinary 11ß-hydroxytestosterone (11ß-OHT)/testosterone concentration ratio and plasma 4ß-hydroxycholesterol (4ß-OHC) concentrations were measured before and after cisplatin treatment (days 1, 4, and 8). CYP3A5 was genotyped, and plasma aprepitant concentrations were measured on day 4 to examine its influence on CYP3A endogenous markers. RESULTS: The urinary 11ß-OHT/testosterone concentration ratio in the 35 patients included in this study increased by 2.65-fold and 1.21-fold on days 4 and 8 compared with day 1, respectively. Their plasma 4ß-OHC concentration increased by 1.46-fold and 1.66-fold, respectively. The mean plasma aprepitant concentration on day 4 was 1,451 ng/mL, which is far lower than its inhibitory constant. The allele frequencies of CYP3A5*1 and CYP3A5*3 were 0.229 and 0.771, respectively. In patients with the CYP3A5*1 allele, the plasma 4ß-OHC concentration was significantly lower at baseline but more potently increased with chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: CYP3A activity was significantly induced from day 4 to day 8 in patients receiving cisplatin and three antiemetic drugs.

First-line osimertinib in EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer patients with poor performance status.

Background: The efficacy of osimertinib as a first-line treatment for patients with poor performance status (PS) remains unclear. Patients & methods: This multicenter retrospective study evaluated patients treated with osimertinib between 2018 and 2020, with PS 2-4. Results: Among 36 patients with PS 2, the median progression-free survival (PFS), 1-year PFS, median overall survival (OS) and 1-year OS were 14.5 months, 65.4%, 18.1 months and 72.7%, respectively. Among 20 patients with PS 3-4, the median PFS, 1-year PFS, median OS and 1-year OS were 3.0 months, 27.1%, 5.0 months and 46.1%, respectively. Conclusion: Osimertinib was not as efficacious as other EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Lay abstract Osimertinib is a first-line pharmacotherapy for patients with EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer. However, the efficacy of osimertinib as a first-line treatment for patients with poor performance status (PS) remains unclear. This study evaluated 56 patients classified as PS 2, 3 and 4 (36, 14 and 6 patients, respectively) treated with osimertinib between 2018 and 2020. Osimertinib efficacy was lower than that of other EGFR­tyrosine kinase inhibitors. This study is the first to report using osimertinib as a first-line treatment in patients with poor PS.

Uncommon EGFR mutations conducted with osimertinib in patients with NSCLC: a study protocol of phase 2 study (UNICORN/TCOG1901).

Patients with uncommon EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) demonstrated lower clinical efficacy of first-generation EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors compared with patients harboring common EGFR-mutated NSCLC. The US FDA has approved afatinib for uncommon EGFR mutation positive NSCLC based on the pooled analysis in the first- or second-line setting. Osimertinib has limited evidence in the small sample sizes of phase 2 studies in any-line settings. The aim of the present single-arm, multicenter, phase 2 study is to evaluate the efficacy of osimertinib for previously untreated NSCLC. The primary end point is to assess the overall response to osimertinib. The secondary end points include disease control rate, progression-free survival, duration of time-to-treatment failure, overall survival and safety. Clinical trial registration: jRCTs071200002.

Lay abstract Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) medications are targeting EGFR work on the first-line treatment for patients with common EGFR mutation positive non-small-cell lung cancer (EGFR+ NSCLC) that has spread to other parts of the body and has the EGFR+ NSCLC in tumor testing. Uncommon EGFR mutations and compound EGFR mutations have less activity for first-generation EGFR-TKIs; however, second- or third-generation EGFR-TKIs are broader spectrum than first-generation EGFR-TKIs have activities ideally. The authors describe the need for and design a study of osimertinib in patients with uncommon/compound EGFR+ NSCLC.

Performance of Japanese patients in registrational studies.

INTRODUCTION: The accelerated development of lung cancer treatments has resulted in a single global study that is sufficient for a new agent and indication to be approved. Not all new treatments predominate globally, and differences in standards of care may influence the efficacy of treatments in the real world. METHODS: The results from Japanese domestic trials and global trials that included a subset population of Japanese patients were evaluated for 18 genomic targeted agents and immune therapies approved after 2000. The results were collected from drug applications that were reviewed for treatment approval in Japan. RESULTS: Japan is one of the first countries to approve and fully reimburse new agents around the world. Alectinib and nivolumab, which were first developed by Japanese pharmaceutical companies, were evaluated in an independent domestic trial, which resulted in their early approval. For most other indications, 1.1-15.8% of the patients who participated in pivotal registration studies were Japanese, and their treatment results were comparable to those of the overall population. Overall survival was less likely to be improved by four agents for which the post-protocol therapy might have been different in Japan than in other countries. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, a positive result in a global trial was emulated in Japanese patients and led to the approval of a new standard treatment in Japan. Early approvals were attained by either participating in the global registrational study or conducting a domestic phase II study. The higher efficacy of new agents may be an issue in the future, as Japanese patients had early access to the new agent and may receive better treatment after the trial.

IMpower132: Atezolizumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy vs chemotherapy for advanced NSCLC in Japanese patients.

IMpower132 explored the safety and efficacy of atezolizumab plus pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy as first-line treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Key eligibility criteria for the phase 3, open-label, IMpower132 study included age ≥18 y, histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced non-squamous NSCLC per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0/1, and no prior systemic treatment for stage IV NSCLC. Patients received atezolizumab (1200 mg) plus pemetrexed (500 mg/m2 ) and cisplatin (75 mg/m2 ) or carboplatin (area under the concentration curve, 6 mg/mL/min) (APP arm) or chemotherapy alone (PP arm). The co-primary study endpoints were overall survival (OS) and investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) per RECIST 1.1 in the intention-to-treat population. A subgroup analysis was conducted in Japanese patients. In the Japanese subgroup (n = 101), median OS was 30.8 (95% CI, 24.3 to not estimable) mo in the APP arm (n = 48) and 22.2 (95% CI, 15.7-30.8) mo in the PP arm (n = 53; hazard ratio [HR], 0.63 [95% CI, 0.36-1.14]). PFS was 12.8 (95% CI, 8.6-16.6) mo in the APP arm vs 4.5 (95% CI, 4.1-6.7) mo in the PP arm (HR, 0.33 [95% CI, 0.21-0.58]). Grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 68.8% of APP arm patients and 44.2% of PP arm patients. Consistent with global study results, atezolizumab plus pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy improved efficacy and was well tolerated in Japanese patients with advanced NSCLC despite a higher incidence of grade 3/4 TRAEs.

Prognostic impact of peripheral blood neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in advanced-stage pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma and its association with the immune-related tumour microenvironment.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) with large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) patients remains unclear. Thus, we performed a retrospective study to examine the relationship between the pretreatment NLR and clinical outcome in advanced LCNEC patients and the impact of the immune-related tumour microenvironment (TME). METHODS: This retrospective study included 63 advanced LCNEC patients who had received chemotherapy. We collected clinical data and investigated the TME status (CD4, CD8, CD20 and FOXP3). RESULTS: The overall survival of the patients with a low NLR (<5) was significantly longer than those with a high NLR (≥5) (14.9 vs. 5.2 months; p < 0.001). A multivariate analysis identified a high NLR as a predictor of a poor prognosis (HR, 3.43; 95% CI, 1.73-6.79; p < 0.001). The NLR was inversely correlated with tumoural and stromal CD8-positive tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (tumoural: r = -0.648, p = 0.005, stromal: r = -0.490, p = 0.046). CONCLUSIONS: A high NLR was associated with a poor prognosis in advanced LCNEC patients. Our study revealed that the NLR can reflect the TME, at least in part, suggesting that the NLR plays an important role not only as a clinical outcome predictor but also as a tumour immune status indicator.

Feasibility of next-generation sequencing (Oncomine™ DX Target Test) for the screening of oncogenic mutations in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: The Oncomine™ Dx Target Test based on next-generation sequencing has been approved for the screening of oncogenic mutations in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients. METHODS: We assessed the tissue sample factors that affect the success rate of Oncomine™ Dx Target Test companion diagnostics and the feasibility of using biopsy specimens for Oncomine™ Dx Target Test companion diagnostics in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients. RESULTS: Ninety-nine biopsy samples were subjected to genetic testing using the Oncomine™ Dx Target Test companion diagnostics to detect v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homologue B1 mutations (Cohort 1), and 136 biopsy samples were examined using Oncomine™ Dx Target Test companion diagnostics for the detection of multiple oncogenic mutations (Cohort 2) between July 2018 and April 2020. We retrospectively collected clinical and pathological data, including tissue size and tumour cell content. The success rate was 77% (76/99) in Cohort 1 and 93% (127/136) in Cohort 2. In Cohort 1, the success rate was significantly associated with the tumour cell content: the success rate was 63% for samples with a tumour cell content of <20%, whereas it was 83% for samples with a tumour cell content of 20% or higher (P = 0.0446). The tissue size also affected the success rate: a success rate of 57% was obtained for tissue sizes <4 mm2, whereas a success rate of 95% was obtained for tissue sizes of 4 mm2 or larger (P < 0.0001). In Cohort 2, the success rate was 100% when tumour specimens with a tissue size of 4 mm2 or larger were used. CONCLUSIONS: Tissue size and tumour cell content were significantly associated with the success rate of Oncomine™ Dx Target Test companion diagnostics.

Lenvatinib in patients with advanced or metastatic thymic carcinoma (REMORA): a multicentre, phase 2 trial.

BACKGROUND: Thymic carcinoma is a rare malignant disease and standard treatment for advanced or metastatic thymic carcinoma previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy has not been established. Lenvatinib is a novel multi-targeted inhibitor of VEGFR, FGFR, RET, c-Kit, and other kinases. The aim of this trial was to assess the activity and safety of lenvatinib as a second-line treatment in thymic carcinoma. METHODS: This single-arm, phase 2 trial done in eight institutions in Japan (five cancer centres, two medical university hospitals, and one public hospital) enrolled patients with pathologically confirmed unresectable advanced or metastatic thymic carcinoma that progressed following at least one platinum-based chemotherapy. Key inclusion criteria were age 20 years or older, at least one measurable lesion as defined by the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1, and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1. Patients received 24 mg of lenvatinib orally once daily in 4-week cycles until disease progression or occurrence of unacceptable adverse events. The primary endpoint was objective response rate evaluated at the data cutoff date (Feb 22, 2019), by independent central review in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered on JMACCT, JMA-IIA00285, and on UMIN-CTR, UMIN000026777. FINDINGS: Between April 21, 2017, and Feb 22, 2018, 42 patients were enrolled and all patients were included in the activity and safety analysis. The median follow-up period was 15·5 months (IQR 13·1-17·5). The objective response rate was 38% (90% CI 25·6-52·0, p<0·0001). 16 (38%) of 42 patients had a partial response and 24 (57%) had stable disease. The most frequent grade 3 treatment-related adverse events were hypertension (27 [64%]) and palmar-plantar erythrodysaesthesia syndrome (three [7%]). No patient died from adverse events. INTERPRETATION: The activity and safety of lenvatinib in patients with advanced or metastatic thymic carcinoma was confirmed. These results suggest that lenvatinib could become a standard treatment option for patients with previously treated advanced or metastatic thymic carcinoma. FUNDING: Center for Clinical Trials, Japan Medical Association.

Clinical Outcomes of Second-Line Chemotherapy in Patients with Previously Treated Advanced Thymic Carcinoma: A Retrospective Analysis of 191 Patients from the NEJ023 Study.

BACKGROUND: Owing to the rarity of this tumor, there is limited information about second-line chemotherapy for patients with previously treated advanced thymic carcinoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a multi-institutional, retrospective study named NEJ023 for patients with advanced thymic carcinoma. Patients without indications for curative treatment were treated with chemotherapy from 1995 to 2014 at 40 institutions in the North East Japan Study Group. Demographic and clinicopathologic characteristics, data on treatment methods, and outcomes of second-line chemotherapy were obtained from medical records. RESULTS: In total, 191 patients were enrolled in this study. Second-line chemotherapy included platinum-based doublets in 57.6% of patients, other multidrug chemotherapy (e.g., cisplatin, doxorubicin, vincristine, and cyclophosphamide) in 13.6%, and monotherapy in 28.8%. The median follow-up time was 50.5 months, and the median overall survival (OS) from the start of second-line chemotherapy was 22.4 (95% confidence interval, 17.5-26.7) months. The average response rate (RR) was 20.0% overall; it was 21.6% for patients treated with platinum-based doublet chemotherapy, 13.6% for those treated with other multidrug chemotherapy, and 19.6% for those treated with single agent chemotherapy. There was no significant difference in OS between platinum-based doublet chemotherapy, other multidrug chemotherapy, and monotherapy (the median OS was 22.4, 25.7, and 21.4 months, respectively). CONCLUSION: The median OS was 22.4 months in patients with advanced thymic carcinoma treated with second-line chemotherapy. There were no significant differences in RR and OS between monotherapy and multidrug chemotherapy in this study. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Owing to the rarity of this tumor, there is limited information about second-line chemotherapy for patients with previously treated advanced thymic carcinoma. This is the largest data for those patients treated with second-line chemotherapy. This study suggests there is no significant difference in efficacy between monotherapy and multidrug chemotherapy for previously treated advanced thymic carcinoma. This result can support the adequacy to select monotherapy as treatment of those patients.