Enhanced T cell immune activity mediated by Drp1 promotes the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors in treating lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1)-mediated mitochondrial fission plays important roles in the activation, proliferation, and migration of T cells. METHODS: We investigated the synergistic effect of Drp1-mediated T cell antitumor activities and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade for treating lung cancer through in vitro co-culture experiments and an in vivo nude mouse xenograft model. RESULTS: High expression levels of Drp1 positively regulated T cell activation, enhanced T cell-induced suppression of lung cancer cells, promoted CD8+ T cell infiltration in the tumor and spleen, and significantly enhanced the antitumor immune response of the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab. The mechanism of this synergistic antitumor effect involved the secretion of immune killing-related cytokines and the regulation of the PD-1-ERK/Drp1 pathway in T cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that modifying Drp1 expression in T cells could serve as a potential therapeutic target for enhancing the antitumor immune response in future immunotherapies.

Rational application of EGFR-TKI adjuvant therapy in patients with completely resected stage IB-IIIA EGFR-mutant NSCLC: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials.

PURPOSE: To determine the role and rational application of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) adjuvant therapy in patients with completely resected stage IB-IIIA EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHOD: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the survival outcomes between adjuvant EGFR-TKIs and adjuvant chemotherapy or a placebo, or between different EGFR-TKI treatment durations for resected NSCLC, were eligible for inclusion. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) with hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated as effective measures using random-effect or fixed-effect models. Subgroup analysis was also performed. RESULTS: Eleven RCTs involving 2102 EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients with or without EGFR-TKI adjuvant therapy were included. For all stage IB-IIIA NSCLC patients, EGFR-TKIs adjuvant therapy could not only significantly improve DFS (HR 0.43, 95% CI 0.30-0.63, P < 0.001) and 2- and 3-year DFS rates, but also improve OS (HR 0.72, 95% CI, 0.54-0.96, P = 0.024), compared with chemotherapy or the placebo. Further subgroup analyses indicated prolonged OS from first-generation EGFR-TKI adjuvant therapy in stage III patients, compared with chemotherapy or the placebo (HR for OS, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.18-0.63; P = 0.001). Of note, osimertinib adjuvant therapy led to the OS benefit expanding from stage III to stage II-III patients, with significantly improved DFS and a lower risk of brain recurrence, compared with the placebo. A 2-year treatment duration with EGFR-TKI adjuvant therapy showed a significantly lower recurrence risk than a ≤ 1-year duration. CONCLUSION: The DFS advantage from first-generation EGFR-TKI adjuvant therapy can translate into an OS benefit in stage III NSCLC patients. Osimertinib might be more suitable for adjuvant therapy than first-generation EGFR-TKIs, because of the lower recurrence rate and the potential OS benefit even in early-stage patients. The optimal treatment duration for EGFR-TKIs at different stages of disease needs to be validated.

Short-term outcomes and safety of radiotherapy for immediate breast reconstruction with autologous flap transfer following breast-conserving surgery.

BACKGROUND: The outcomes of immediate autologous breast reconstruction (IABR) after partial mastectomy followed by postoperative radiotherapy (RT) in terms of aesthetics, treatment-related complications, and local control are unclear. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of IABR after partial mastectomy with or without breast RT, and thus the impact of radiation on autologous flap transfer. METHOD: A retrospective cohort study involving consecutive breast cancer patients who underwent IABR after partial mastectomy between July 2011 and December 2017 at Shengjing Hospital was performed. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether or not they received RT after IABR. We compared aesthetic outcomes and changes in the flap size over the three-dimensional coordinates at various timepoints (pre-RT, 1, 6, and 12 months post-RT), as well as postoperative complications, survival, and recurrence rates between the two groups. RESULTS: In total, 84 breast cancer patients were enrolled, with 32 patients in the RT group and 52 in the non-RT group. At a median follow-up time of 33.3 months, no significant difference was found in the rate of regional recurrence between the two groups (3.13% vs. 3.85%, P = 1.00), and no local recurrences occurred in either group. At the timepoints pre-RT, 1, and 6 months post-RT (approximately 4, 7, and 12 months after IABR, respectively), 77 (91.7%), 70 (83.3%), and 83 (98.8%) patients, respectively, had achieved very good or good cosmetic outcomes, and only changes in breast skin color at 1 month after RT significantly differed between the RT and non-RT groups, with very good or good cosmetic result rates of 62.5% vs. 96.2%, respectively (P < 0.001). No significant difference in the reduction of flap size was observed at any timepoint between the two groups. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the rates of postoperative complications including necrosis of the flap, infection, hematoma, or seroma (all P > 0.05). Additionally, no grade 3 or greater RT-associated adverse events occurred during or after RT. CONCLUSION: RT following IABR provides aesthetically satisfactory results without intolerable adverse complications and may safely be performed in patients who underwent IABR after partial mastectomy.

Clinical option of pemetrexed-based versus paclitaxel-based first-line chemotherapeutic regimens in combination with bevacizumab for advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer and optimal maintenance therapy: evidence from a meta-analysis of randomized control trials.

BACKGROUND: In the era of immunotherapy, it is still unclear which is the best first-line therapy for patients with oncogenic driver negative advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NS-NSCLC) who cannot tolerate immunotherapy, or subsequent therapy for patients with oncogenic driver positive NS-NSCLC whose disease progressed on prior targeted therapy. To assess the optimal choice of first-line and maintenance treatment regimens, we performed a meta-analysis of prospective randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) of patients with NS-NSCLC on bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy. METHODS: All eligible RCTs comparing pemetrexed-platinum with or without bevacizumab (PP ± B) and paclitaxel-carboplatin with bevacizumab (PC + B) as a first-line therapy, or comparing bevacizumab plus pemetrexed (Pem + B) and bevacizumab alone (B) as a maintenance treatment for advanced NS-NSCLC, were included after systematically searching web databases and meeting abstracts. The main research endpoints were comparisons of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). The other endpoints were objective response rate (ORR), 1-year PFS rate (PFSR1y) and major grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events. RESULTS: Data of 3139 patients from six RCTs were incorporated into analyses. Three RCTs were included in an analysis that compared PP ± B and PC + B as a first-line therapy for advanced NS-NSCLC. Patients treated with first-line PP ± B showed similar OS and ORR, but significantly improved PFS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.88) and PFSR1y (risk ratio [RR], 0.83), as compared to patients treated with PC + B (all P < 0.05). PP ± B resulted in higher rates of grade 3/4 anemia and thrombocytopenia, but lower rates of neutropenia, febrile neutropenia, and sensory neuropathy than PC + B (all P < 0.001). The other three RCTs were included in an analysis that compared Pem + B and B as a maintenance treatment. Compared with B, Pem + B maintenance treatment resulted in significant improvements in OS (HR, 0.88), PFS (HR, 0.64), and PFSR1y (RR, 0.70), but higher rates of anemia, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia (all P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Although the first-line PP + B regimen had longer PFS and PFSR1y than the PC + B regimen, no OS difference was observed. Addition of pemetrexed to bevacizumab as maintenance therapy significantly improved OS compared with bevacizumab maintenance alone, but led to more toxicity.

Meta-analysis Exploring the Effectiveness of S-1-Based Chemotherapy for Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

S-1 is a new oral fluoropyrimidine formulation that comprises tegafur, 5-chloro-2,4-dihydroxypyridine, and potassium oxonate. S-1 is designed to enhance antitumor activity and to reduce gastrointestinal toxicity. Several studies have demonstrated that both S-1 monotherapy and S-1 combination regimens showed encouraging efficacies and mild toxicities in the treatment of lung squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. However, it is unclear whether S-1 can be used as standard care in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy and safety of S-1-based chemotherapy, compared with standard chemotherapy, in patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC. Thirteen randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 2,134 patients with a similar ratio of different pathological types were included. In first-line or second-line chemotherapy, compared with standard chemotherapy, S-1-based chemotherapy showed similar efficacy in terms of median overall survival (mOS), median progression free survival (mPFS), and objective response rate (ORR) (all P > 0.1), and significantly reduced the incidence of grade ≥ 3 hematological toxicities. In patients with locally advanced NSCLC receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy, compared with standard chemoradiotherapy, significantly improved survival in the S-1-based chemotherapy was noted in terms of mOS and mPFS (risk radio [RR] = 1.289, P = 0.009; RR = 1.289, P = 0.000, respectively) with lower incidence of grade ≥ 3 neutropenia (RR = 0.453, P = 0.000). The present meta-analysis demonstrates that S-1-based chemotherapy shows similar benefits in advanced NSCLC and improves survival in locally advanced NSCLC, compared with standard treatment.

Meta-analysis comparing higher and lower dose radiotherapy for palliation in locally advanced lung cancer.

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare higher dose (≥30 Gy) and lower dose (<30 Gy) radiotherapy (RT) on palliation of symptoms and survival in patients with locally advanced lung cancer. A search of PubMed and Google Scholar was conducted on 10 June 2013 using combinations of the search terms: radiotherapy, non-small-cell lung carcinoma, palliative, supportive, symptom relief. Inclusion criteria were: (i) palliative thoracic RT; (ii) randomized controlled trial; (iii) English language; and (iv) compared outcomes between higher dose (≥30 Gy) and lower dose (<30 Gy) RT. The primary outcome was palliation of symptoms (cough, chest pain, hemoptysis), and 1- and 2-year overall survival. Tests of heterogeneity, sensitivity, and publication bias were performed. Five randomized controlled trials with a total of 1730 patients with lung cancer were included in the meta-analysis. There were 925 patients treated with a higher RT dose (≥30 Gy) and 805 treated with a lower RT dose (<30 Gy). The combined odds ratios (ORs) indicated no significant difference in palliation of cough, chest pain, and hemoptysis between the higher dose and lower dose RT groups (combined ORs = 0.88, 1.83, 1.39, respectively). The 1- and 2-year OS rates were similar between the high and low dose RT groups (combined ORs = 1.09 and 1.38, respectively). This meta-analysis indicates that high dose (≥30 Gy) and lower dose (<30 Gy) RT provide similar symptom palliation and 1- and 2-year OS in patients with locally advanced lung cancer.

The influence of mtDNA deletion on lung cancer cells under the conditions of hypoxia and irradiation.

PURPOSE: This study was to evaluate the influence of mtDNA deletion on the lung cancer cells under the conditions of hypoxia or irradiation. METHOD: The treatment conditions of lung cancer cell lines with (A549) and without mtDNA (ρ0A549: obtained by inducing from A549) included 2 h of hypoxia and 4 Gy irradiation (group 1: without treatment; group 2: 2 h of hypoxia; group 3: 4 Gy irradiation; group 4: 2 h of hypoxia plus 4 Gy irradiation). The Human OneArray™ microarray was used to hybridize with the Cy5-labeled aRNA in microarray sample preparation. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the lung cancer cells with and without mtDNA were identified using NOISeq package in R. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were performed using the online tool of DAVID. RESULT: In the KEGG pathway analysis of down-regulated DEGs, nineteen pathways were simultaneously enriched in the four groups, which were mainly metabolism- and biosynthesis-related pathways. Nine lung cancer-related pathways were enriched in group 4, and more cancer-associated DEGs, such as MYC, MAX, and E2F1 were found in group 4 than in the other groups. CONCLUSION: The mtDNA deletion could inhibit the biosynthesis and metabolism of lung cancer cells and promote the effect of hypoxia and radiation on lung cancer cells. MYC might be the key gene of the cooperation of hypoxia and radiation and MYC, MAX, and E2F1 might play roles in hypoxia- and radiation-induced cell death in lung cancer cells without mtDNA.

Impact of Drp1-regulated changes in T cell activity on the combined antitumor effects of PARPi and PD-1 inhibitors.

This study aimed to investigate the influence of dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1)-regulated T cells on the antitumor effects of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) combined with programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors to identify potential targets for enhancing immunotherapy efficacy. We found that T cells with high expression of Drp1 promoted the inhibitory and killing effects of the PARPi and PD-1 inhibitor combination on lung cancer cells in vivo and in vitro. This synergistic mechanism involves Drp1-regulated promotion of activation, migration, and intratumor infiltration of effector T cells; inhibition of negative immunomodulatory cells in the tumor microenvironment; and suppression of PARPi-induced upregulation of PD-L1 expression in tumor cells. These findings suggest that Drp1 could serve as a new target for comprehensively improving the tumor microenvironment, enhancing immunotherapy efficacy, and reversing immunotherapy resistance.

Is neoadjuvant immunotherapy necessary in patients with programmed death ligand 1 expression-negative resectable non-small cell lung cancer? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical benefit and necessity of neoadjuvant programmed cell death (or ligand) (PD-(L)1) blockades in resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with negative PD-L1 expression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Randomized control trials (RCTs) that compared event-free survival (EFS), overall survival (OS), major pathological response (MPR), and/or pathological complete response (pCR) between neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy (nCIT) and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (nCT) for patients with resectable NSCLC stratified by PD-L1 expression were eligible for inclusion in the study. Data regarding the pathological response and EFS were evaluated by the odds ratio (OR) and hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) using random and fixed models. RESULTS: A total of six RCTs involving 3,194 patients with resectable NSCLC with or without neoadjuvant immunotherapy were included. Compared with nCT alone, nCIT significantly improved pCR (18.3 % vs. 3.0 %; OR, 5.64; 95 % CI, 3.22-9.89; P < 0.001), MPR (38.9 % vs. 15.5 %; OR, 3.57; 95 % CI, 2.10-6.05; P < 0.001), and EFS (HR, 0.75; 95 % CI, 0.62-0.90; P = 0.002) in PD-L1 <1 % NSCLC patients. In addition, PD-L1 ≥1 % was associated with higher rates of pCR (32.8 % vs. 18.3 %; OR, 2.28; 95 % CI, 1.40-3.73; P = 0.001) and MPR (53.9 % vs. 38.9 %; OR, 1.84; 95 % CI, 1.22-2.79; P = 004) and longer EFS (HR, 0.44 vs. 0.75) in the setting of nCIT compared with PD-L1 <1 %. nCIT improved only OS in NSCLC patients with PD-L1 ≥1 % but not in patients with PD-L1 <1 %. CONCLUSIONS: The use of nCIT should be recommended for resectable NSCLC patients with negative PD-L1 expression, as nCIT significantly improved the pathological response and EFS in these patients. The benefit to PD-L1-negative patients treated with nCIT on OS remains to be validated.

Rechallenge of immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) rechallenge in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a promising therapeutic strategy. The situation for ICI rechallenge can be divided into three categories: adverse events (AEs); resistance to ICIs, and rechallenge becomes compulsive because of tumor relapse while the patients had completed a 2 year course of immunotherapy. However, these categories are still controversial and should be explored further. Through voting at the 6th Straits Summit Forum on Lung Cancer, in this study we summarize the consensus of 147 experts in ICI rechallenges. A total of 97.74% experts agreed to rechallenge; 48.87% experts rechallenge with the original drug, and the others rechallenge with a different drug; 40.3% agreed to rechallenge directly after progression; 88.06% experts agreed to ICI rechallenge with a combination regimen; and factors such as previous performance status score, PD-1 expression, and age should also be considered. Understanding the the clinical studies in ICI rechallenge could bring us one step closer to understanding the consensus. In patients with advanced NSCLC who have suffered recurrent or distant metastasis after immunotherapy, the option of rechallenge with ICIs is a promising treatment option.

Dual antitumor immunomodulatory effects of PARP inhibitor on the tumor microenvironment: A counterbalance between anti-tumor and pro-tumor.

Poly (ADP-ribose)-polymerases (PARPs) play an essential role in the maintenance of genome integrity, DNA repair, and apoptosis. PARP inhibitors (PARPi) exert antitumor effects via synthetic lethality and PARP trapping. PARPi impact the antitumor immune response by modulating the tumor microenvironment, and their effect has dual properties of promoting and inhibiting the antitumor immune response. PARPi promote M1 macrophage polarization, antigen presentation by dendritic cells, infiltration of B and T cells and their killing capacity and inhibit tumor angiogenesis. PARPi can also inhibit the activation and function of immune cells by upregulating PD-L1. In this review, we summarize the dual immunomodulatory effects and possible underlying mechanisms of PARPi, providing a basis for the design of combination regimens for clinical treatment and the identification of populations who may benefit from these therapies.

Clinical definition of secondary resistance to immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 blockade) have revolutionized the treatment landscape in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Secondary resistance to immunotherapy (IO), which poses a substantial challenge in clinical settings, occurs in several initial responders. Currently, new treatment approaches have been extensively evaluated in investigational studies for these patients to tackle this difficult problem; however, the lack of consistency in clinical definition, uniform criteria for enrollment in clinical trials, and interpretation of results remain significant hurdles to progress. Thus, our expert panel comprehensively synthesized data from current studies to propose a practical clinical definition of secondary resistance to immunotherapy in NSCLC in metastatic and neoadjuvant settings. In addition to patients who received IO alone (including IO-IO combinations), we also generated a definition for patients treated with chemotherapy plus IO. This consensus aimed to provide guidance for clinical trial design and facilitate future discussions with investigators. It should be noted that additional updates in this consensus are required when new data is available.

Concordant KRAS mutations in primary and metastatic colorectal cancer tissue specimens: a meta-analysis and systematic review.

A meta-analysis was performed to compare KRAS gene mutations in colorectal cancer tissue samples with primary and metastatic colorectal cancers. A total of 19 publications with 986 paired primary and distant metastases and 171 paired primary and lymph node metastases showed that KRAS genotype was highly concordant in primary and distant metastatic tumors, indicating that either type of tumor tissue could be useful as a source to detect KRAS mutations for selection of anti-EGFR therapy. However, lymph-node-metastatic tumors might not be suitable for diagnostic analysis of KRAS mutations due to an obvious discordant rate between primary and lymph-node-metastatic tumors.

Impact of EGFR exon 19 deletion subtypes on clinical outcomes in EGFR-TKI-Treated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Exon 19 deletion (19del) is a sensitive mutation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) observed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and consists of a large number of variants. It remains unclear whether 19del subtype impacts clinical outcomes following EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy. METHODS: We systematically searched web databases and identified eligible studies comparing the clinical outcomes of various EGFR 19del subtypes with EGFR-TKIs. The hazard ratio (HR) for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS),as well as the risk ratio (RR) for objective response rate and the frequency of acquired T790M mutation were used as study endpoints. RESULTS: A total of eleven retrospective studies and one prospective study involving 1,630 NSCLC patients with EGFR 19del were included in this meta-analysis. Most of studies were from Asia, and the 19del subtypes in these studies were grouped differently. Patients harboring deletions starting from E746 had significantly longer OS than those with deletions starting from L747 (HR, 0.79; 95% CI: 0.65 to 0.96, P = 0.019), and relatively but not significantly longer PFS (HR, 0.86; 95% CI: 0.69 to 1.06, P = 0.160). Patients with E746_A750del, the most common 19del subtype, had a significantly higher frequency of acquired T790M mutation when treated with first- or second-generation EGFR-TKIs compared to those with other 19del subtypes (RR, 0.76; 95% CI: 0.64-0.89, P = 0.001). There were no differences in PFS between the E746_A750del group and the uncommon group, or between the 15-nucleotide deletion group and other patients. CONCLUSION: This is the first meta-analysis to present survival outcomes and acquired T790M mutation frequency in the context of EGFR 19del subtype with EGFR-TKI therapy. Patients with a deletion starting from E746 show better OS than those with other subtypes, and patients with E746_A750del subtype have a higher frequency of acquired T790M mutation.

Impact of Drp1-Mediated Mitochondrial Dynamics on T Cell Immune Modulation.

In recent years, various breakthroughs have been made in tumor immunotherapy that have contributed to prolonging the survival of tumor patients. However, only a subset of patients respond to immunotherapy, which limits its use. One reason for this is that the tumor microenvironment (TME) hinders the migration and infiltration of T cells and affects their continuous functioning, resulting in an exhausted phenotype. Therefore, clarifying the mechanism by which T cells become exhausted is of significance for improving the efficacy of immunotherapy. Several recent studies have shown that mitochondrial dynamics play an important role in the immune surveillance function of T cells. Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) is a key protein that mediates mitochondrial fission and maintains the mitochondrial dynamic network. Drp1 regulates various activities of T cells in vivo by mediating the activation of a series of pathways. In addition, abnormal mitochondrial dynamics were observed in exhausted T cells in the TME. As a potential target for immunotherapy, in this review, we describe in detail how Drp1 regulates various physiological functions of T cells and induces changes in mitochondrial dynamics in the TME, providing a theoretical basis for further research.

Efficacy of Osimertinib in EGFR-Mutated Advanced Non-small-Cell Lung Cancer With Different T790M Status Following Resistance to Prior EGFR-TKIs: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Purpose: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) T790M-negative/unknown advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients lack subsequent approved targeted therapies. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy of osimertinib in advanced NSCLC patients with different T790M status after resistance to prior first- or second-generation EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) and to predict the subgroups that may benefit beside T790M-positive disease. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant trials. Meeting abstracts were also reviewed to identify appropriate studies. Studies evaluating the efficacy and/or survival outcomes of osimertinib in patients with different T790M status (positive, negative, or unknown) after resistance to prior first- or second-generation EGFR-TKIs were enrolled, and data were pooled to assess hazard ratios (HRs) or relative risk ratios (RRs) in terms of overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and objective response rate (ORR). Results: A total of 1,313 EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients from 10 retrospective and one prospective studies treated with osimertinib after resistance to first- or second-generation EGFR-TKIs were included. In overall groups, T790M-positive patients showed an improved OS (HR=0.574, p=0.015), PFS (HR = 0.476, p = 0.017), and ORR (RR = 2.025, p = 0.000) compared with T790M-negative patients. In the brain metastases subgroup, no significant difference in OS was observed between T790M-positive and T790M-negative patients (HR = 0.75, p = 0.449) or between T790M-positive and T790M-unknown patients (HR = 0.90, p = 0.673). In the plasma genotyping subgroup, PFS was similar between T790M-positive and T790M-negative patients (HR = 1.033, p = 0.959). Conclusion: Patients with progressive brain metastases on first- or second-generation EGFR-TKIs can benefit from subsequent osimertinib therapy regardless of T790M status. Patients with plasma T790M-negative status and lack of tissue genotyping should be allowed to receive osimertinib treatment.

Efficacy and safety of combined immunotherapy and antiangiogenesis with or without chemotherapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: A systematic review and pooled analysis from 23 prospective studies.

Purpose: Immune checkpoint and antiangiogenic inhibitors have a potentially synergistic antitumor effect. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy in combination with antiangiogenesis therapy with or without chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane library, Google Scholar, Ovid, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for eligible trials. ClinicalTrials.gov and meeting abstracts were also searched for qualified clinical studies. The inclusion criteria were as follows: prospective studies (including single-arm studies) that evaluated efficacy and/or toxicity of immunotherapy combined with antiangiogenic agents (A + I) with or without chemotherapy (A + I + chemo) in patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC; and primary outcome of each study reported at least one of these endpoints: progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival, objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), or adverse events (AEs). Results: Twenty three prospective studies comprising 1,856 patients with advanced NSCLC were included. The pooled ORR, median PFS and estimated overall survival were 39%, 6.8 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 5.53-8.13], and 18.6 months in the overall group. Similar ORR and median PFS with A + I + chemo versus A + I were observed in patients treated in first-line setting [59% and 9.47 months (95% CI, 6.45-12.49) versus 52% and 10.9 months (95% CI, 1.81-19.98), respectively]. We also observed improved ORR and mPFS with A + I + chemo versus A + I in subsequent-line setting [56% and 8.1 months (95% CI, 5.00-11.26) versus 22% and 5.1 months (95% CI, 4.01-6.15), respectively]. Efficacy of A + I + chemo therapy was evident across different PD-L1 subgroups, especially in patients with EGFR mutations [ORR: 59%; mPFS: 8.13 months (95% CI: 5.00-11.26)] or baseline liver metastases. The incidence of AEs with a major grade of ≥3 in the overall, A + I, and A + I + chemo groups were 4.1% vs. 5.5% vs. 3.4% for proteinuria, 13.7% vs. 16.2% vs. 9.7% for hypertension, and 1.9% vs. 1.2% vs. 2.8% for rash, respectively. No new safety signals were identified in this pooled analysis. Conclusion: Immunotherapy combined with antiangiogenic agents with or without chemotherapy showed encouraging antitumor activity and an acceptable toxicity profile in treatment-naïve or pretreated patients with advanced NSCLC. Doublet treatment with immunotherapy and antiangiogenic agents might be a new option for patients with advanced NSCLC, especially those who are treatment-naive or cannot tolerate chemotherapy.

EGFR mutations, gene amplification, and protein expression and KRAS mutations in primary and metastatic tumors of nonsmall cell lung cancers and their clinical implications: a meta-analysis.

A meta-analysis was performed to determine EGFR mutations, gene amplification, and protein expression and KRAS mutations in primary and metastatic nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We found that KRAS gene mutation frequencies were higher in primary than in metastatic tumors. There was no significant difference in EGFR mutation frequency between the primary and metastatic tumors. These results suggest that KRAS mutations in primary NSCLC foci may be a more accurate biomarker than in metastases to reflect KRAS mutation status. Combined detection of EGFR and KRAS mutations in primary NSCLC foci appears to be an optimal approach for first-line EGFR-TKI therapy.

Sintilimab, stereotactic body radiotherapy and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor as second-line therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer: safety run-in results of a multicenter, single-arm, phase II trial.

OBJECTIVES: The SWORD trial is the first multicenter, single arm, phase II study assessing the safety and efficacy of a PD-1 inhibitor (Sintilimab), stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without sensitizing driver mutations. A safety run-in phase was conducted to determine the tolerability of the experimental treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty metastatic NSCLC patients who failed first-line chemotherapy were enrolled, and they received SBRT (8 Gy × 3) to one lesion, followed by Sintilimab (200 mg d1, every 3 weeks, until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or up to 35 cycles) and GM-CSF (125 µg/m2 d1-d14, cycle 1) within 2 weeks after SBRT. In addition, blood and tissue samples were serially collected for translational research. RESULTS: Median age of the patients was 61 and all of them had more than 5 lesions at baseline. The sites of SBRT included lung (n = 11), mediastinal lymph node (n = 5), liver (n = 1), abdominal lymph node (n = 1), pleural nodule (n = 1) and vertebra (n = 1). No patients had dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) and 18 patients experienced treatment-related adverse event (TRAE). The most common TRAEs were fatigue (50%), fever (30%), and ostealgia (20%), and they all were grade 1. Only 2 grade 3 TRAEs were observed, including elevation of liver enzymes in one and transient acute heart failure in another. No grade 4 or 5 AE was observed. CONCLUSION: Sintilimab, SBRT and GM-CSF for advanced NSCLC is safe with manageable TRAEs and the trial continues to recruit participants. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04106180. Registered 26 September 2019, SBRT in Combination With Sintilimab and GM-CSF for the Treatment of Advanced NSCLC-Tabular View-ClinicalTrials.gov.

Rational Application of First-Line EGFR-TKIs Combined with Antiangiogenic Inhibitors in Advanced EGFR-Mutant Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PURPOSE: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to compare the difference in efficacy and safety between epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) with antiangiogenic inhibitors (A + T) and EGFR-TKI monotherapy in patients with treatment-naïve advanced EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane electronic databases were searched for relevant RCTs. Meeting abstracts were also reviewed to identify appropriate studies. The endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), 1- and 2-year OS rates, objective response rate (ORR), and grade ≥ 3 adverse events. All pooled outcomes were expressed using hazard ratios (HRs) or relative risk ratios (RRs). RESULTS: Data were collected from six eligible RCTs, which included 1,244 participants (619 in the A + T group and 625 in the TKI alone group). PFS was significantly improved with A + T compared to TKI alone (HR = 0.60; P < 0.01) regardless of EGFR mutation types (exon 19 deletion or L858R) and brain metastasis status (with or without brain metastases). There was no significant difference in median OS between the A + T and TKI alone groups (HR = 0.933; P = 0.551) regardless of EGFR mutation type. The ORR for A + T combination therapy was significantly increased compared to TKI monotherapy in exon 19 deletion subgroups (RR = 0.774; P = 0.008). There was no difference in the positive rates of acquired T790M mutation between the two groups (RR = 0.967; P = 0.846). More patients in the TKI alone group received a variety of subsequent systemic treatments than those in the A + T group (RR = 0.881; P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Addition of antiangiogenic inhibitors to first-line EGFR-TKI therapy significantly reduced the risk of disease progression for patients with advanced EGFR-mutant NSCLC regardless of EGFR mutation type and brain metastasis status. The lack of OS benefit may be explained by differences in subsequent treatments rather than drug resistance mechanisms.