Inherited predisposition to malignant mesothelioma and overall survival following platinum chemotherapy.

Survival from malignant mesothelioma, particularly pleural mesothelioma, is very poor. For patients with breast, ovarian, or prostate cancers, overall survival is associated with increased sensitivity to platinum chemotherapy due to loss-of-function mutations in DNA repair genes. The goal of this project was to evaluate, in patients with malignant mesothelioma, the relationship between inherited loss-of-function mutations in DNA repair and other tumor suppressor genes and overall survival following platinum chemotherapy. Patients with histologically confirmed malignant mesothelioma were evaluated for inherited mutations in tumor suppressor genes. Survival was evaluated with respect to genotype and site of mesothelioma. Among 385 patients treated with platinum chemotherapy, median overall survival was significantly longer for patients with loss-of-function mutations in any of the targeted genes compared with patients with no such mutation (P = 0.0006). The effect of genotype was highly significant for patients with pleural mesothelioma (median survival 7.9 y versus 2.4 y, P = 0.0012), but not for patients with peritoneal mesothelioma (median survival 8.2 y versus 5.4 y, P = 0.47). Effect of patient genotype on overall survival, measured at 3 y, remained independently significant after adjusting for gender and age at diagnosis, two other known prognostic factors. Patients with pleural mesothelioma with inherited mutations in DNA repair and other tumor suppressor genes appear to particularly benefit from platinum chemotherapy compared with patients without inherited mutations. These patients may also benefit from other DNA repair targeted therapies such as poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors.

Phase 1 study of the immunotoxin LMB-100 in patients with mesothelioma and other solid tumors expressing mesothelin.

BACKGROUND: LMB-100 is an antibody-toxin conjugate with an antimesothelin Fab linked to a 24-kilodalton portion of Pseudomonas exotoxin A with mutations that decrease immunogenicity. The objective of the current first-in-human phase 1 study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and safety in patients with advanced solid tumors expressing mesothelin. METHODS: Cohorts of 1 to 7 patients received intravenous LMB-100 at 7 dose levels from 40 µg/kg to 250 µg/kg intravenously on days 1, 3, and 5 of a 21-day cycle. RESULTS: Of the 25 patients accrued, 17 had mesothelioma, 3 each had ovarian or pancreatic cancer, and 2 patients had gastric cancer. Dose-limiting toxicities occurred in 2 of 4 patients treated at a dose of 250 µg/kg (capillary leak syndrome) and in 3 of 7 patients treated at a dose of 170 µg/kg (creatinine increase). The MTD of LMB-100 was 140 µg/kg. Of the 10 patients with mesothelioma who were treated at doses of 170 µg/kg or 140 µg/kg, 8 had stable disease and 2 developed progressive disease. Peak LMB-100 plasma concentrations were dose-dependent during cycle 1. The development of antidrug antibodies decreased LMB-100 blood levels in 8 of 21 patients (38%) who received cycle 2 and 9 of 11 patients (81.8%) who received cycle 3. CONCLUSIONS: The MTD for single-agent LMB-100 was found to be 140 µg/kg given on a schedule of every other day for 3 doses every 3 weeks. Although less immunogenic than the first-generation antimesothelin immunotoxin SS1P, the majority of patients developed antidrug antibodies after 2 cycles, indicating that LMB-100 has limited antitumor efficacy as a single agent. Phase 2 studies of LMB-100 plus pembrolizumab currently are ongoing for patients with mesothelioma and lung cancer. LAY SUMMARY: Mesothelin, a cell surface antigen, is an attractive target for cancer therapy given its limited expression in normal human tissues and high expression in many human cancers. LMB-100 is a recombinant antimesothelin immunotoxin consisting of a humanized antimesothelin antibody fragment fused to a truncated Pseudomonas exotoxin A. In the current study, the authors determined the safety, maximum tolerated dose, and pharmacokinetics of LMB-100, as well as the generation of antidrug antibodies. Ongoing phase 2 clinical trials are evaluating the combination of LMB-100 plus pembrolizumab in patients with treatment-refractory mesothelioma and non-small cell lung cancer.

Review of hepatocellular carcinoma: Epidemiology, etiology, and carcinogenesis.

Since the 1970s, the epidemic of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has spread beyond the Eastern Asian predominance and has been increasing in Northern hemisphere, especially in the United States (US) and Western Europe. It occurs more commonly in males in the fourth and fifth decades of life. Among all cancers, HCC is one of the fastest growing causes of death in the US and poses a significant economic burden on healthcare. Chronic liver disease due to hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus and alcohol accounts for the majority of HCC cases. Incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease has been on the risem and it has also been associated with the development of HCC. Its pathogenesis varies based on the underlying etiological factor although majority of cases develop in the setting of background cirrhosis. Carcinogenesis of HCC includes angiogenesis, chronic inflammation, and tumor macroenvironment and microenvironment. There is a significant role of both intrinsic genetic risk factors and extrinsic influences such as alcohol or viral infections that lead to the development of HCC. Understanding its etiopathogenesis helps select appropriate diagnostic tests and treatments.

Prolonged survival with a longer duration of maintenance lenalidomide after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma.

BACKGROUND: Although lenalidomide maintenance therapy has demonstrated improved outcomes after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HCT) for patients with multiple myeloma (MM), the impact of the duration of this therapy is not clearly known. METHODS: This study retrospectively analyzed all MM patients who were placed on maintenance lenalidomide after auto-HCT between January 2007 and December 2013. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed in multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models that included the duration of maintenance as a time-dependent covariate. RESULTS: Of the 464 patients identified, 46% initiated therapy early (<4 months after auto-HCT). The median PFS and OS were 38 and 78 months, respectively. Improvements in PFS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04-0.38; P < .001) and OS (HR, 0.09; 95% CI, 0.03-0.26; P < .001) were seen for those on maintenance for >2 years versus those on maintenance for ≤2 years. For those on maintenance for >3 versus those on maintenance for ≤3 years, this trend continued with improvements seen in PFS (HR, 0.02; 95% CI, 0.00-0.44; P = .012) and OS (HR, 0.05; 95% CI, 0.00-0.83; P = .037). The incidence of second primary malignancies (SPMs) in the entire cohort was 3%. No differences were seen in survival between early and late initiators of maintenance lenalidomide. CONCLUSIONS: A longer duration of maintenance therapy was associated with longer survival. The incidence of SPMs was low, and they were not associated with the duration of maintenance. The timing of the initiation of maintenance had no effect on survival. Cancer 2016;122:3831-3837. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

Cancer review: Cholangiocarcinoma.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the most common biliary tract malignancy. CCA is classified as intrahepatic, perihilar or distal extrahepatic; the individual subtypes differ in their biologic behavior, clinical presentation, and management. Throughout the last decades, CCA incidence rates had significantly increased. In addition to known established risk factors, novel possible risk factors (i.e. obesity, hepatitis C virus) have been identified that are of high importance in developed countries where CCA prevalence rates have been low. CCA tends to develop on the background of inflammation and cholestasis. In recent years, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of cholangiocarcinogenesis has increased, thereby, providing the basis for molecularly targeted therapies. In its diagnostic evaluation, imaging techniques have improved, and the role of complementary techniques has been defined. There is a need for improved CCA biomarkers as currently used ones are suboptimal. Multiple staging systems have been developed, but none of these is optimal. The prognosis of CCA is considered dismal. However, treatment options have improved throughout the last two decades for carefully selected subgroups of CCA patients. Perihilar CCA can now be treated with orthotopic liver transplantation with neoadjuvant chemoradiation achieving 5-year survival rates of 68%. Classically considered chemotherapy-resistant, the ABC-02 trial has shown the therapeutic benefit of combination therapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin. The benefits of adjuvant treatments for resectable CCA, local ablative therapies and molecularly targeted therapies still need to be defined. In this article, we will provide the reader with an overview over CCA, and discuss the latest developments and controversies.

Genomic and transcriptomic analyses identify a prognostic gene signature and predict response to therapy in pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. A better understanding of mesothelioma genomics and transcriptomics could advance therapies. Here, we present a mesothelioma cohort of 122 patients along with their germline and tumor whole-exome and tumor RNA sequencing data as well as phenotypic and drug response information. We identify a 48-gene prognostic signature that is highly predictive of mesothelioma patient survival, including CCNB1, the expression of which is highly predictive of patient survival on its own. In addition, we analyze the transcriptomics data to study the tumor immune microenvironment and identify synthetic-lethality-based signatures predictive of response to therapy. This germline and somatic whole-exome sequencing as well as transcriptomics data from the same patient are a valuable resource to address important biological questions, including prognostic biomarkers and determinants of treatment response in mesothelioma.

Phase 2 Study of Olaparib in Malignant Mesothelioma and Correlation of Efficacy With Germline or Somatic Mutations in BAP1 Gene.

INTRODUCTION: PARP inhibition may enhance antitumor responses in BAP1-associated mesothelioma by inducing synthetic lethality. METHODS: A single-center, nonrandomized, phase 2 trial was conducted, in which patients with refractory mesothelioma were given olaparib 300 mg twice daily in a 21-day cycle until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. The primary objective was to determine the objective response rate on the basis of somatic or germline mutation status of DNA repair genes. The secondary objectives were to assess safety and tolerability and to determine progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Whole-exome sequencing was performed on blood and tumor. RESULTS: A total of 23 previously treated patients with pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma were enrolled and treated (germline BAP1, n = 4; germline MRE11A, n = 1; somatic BAP1, n = 8 mutations). There was one (4%) partial response, 18 (78%) with stable disease at 6 weeks, and four (17%) with progressive disease. The median overall PFS and OS were 3.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.7-4.2 mo) and 8.7 months (95% CI: 4.7 mo-not estimable), respectively. The median PFS of germline BAP1 mutants (n = 4) was 2.3 months (95% CI: 1.3-3.6 mo) versus 4.1 months (95% CI: 2.7-5.5 mo) for wild-type (n = 19; p = 0.019). The median OS was 4.6 months (95% CI: 3.1-4.9 mo) for germline BAP1 mutation versus 9.6 months (95% CI: 5.5 mo-not estimable) in no germline mutation (p = 0.0040). Olaparib was safe with no new safety concerns. CONCLUSIONS: Olaparib has limited activity in previously treated mesothelioma including patients with BAP1 mutations. Germline BAP1 mutations were associated with decreased PFS and OS.

Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase Gene Rearrangement in Children and Young Adults With Mesothelioma.

INTRODUCTION: Children and young adults diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma may have unique genetic characteristics. In this study, we evaluated for the presence of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) translocations in these patients. METHODS: In a prospective study of mesothelioma natural history (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT01950572), we assessed for the presence of the ALK translocation in patients younger than 40 years, irrespective of the site of disease. The presence of this translocation was assessed by means of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). If the patients tested positive for the ALK translocation, both immunohistochemistry and RNA sequencing were performed on the tumor specimen. RESULTS: Between September 2013 and December 2018, 373 patients were enrolled in the mesothelioma natural history study, of which 32 patients were 40 years old or younger at the time of their mesothelioma diagnosis. There were 25 patients with peritoneal mesothelioma, five with pleural mesothelioma, one with pericardial mesothelioma, and one with bicompartmental mesothelioma. Presence of an ALK translocation by FISH was seen in two of the 32 patients (6%) with mesothelioma. Both patients, a 14-year-old female and a 27-year-old male, had peritoneal mesothelioma and had no history of asbestos exposure, prior radiation therapy, or predisposing germline mutations. Neither had detectable ALK expression by immunohistochemistry. RNA sequencing revealed the presence of an STRN fusion partner in the female patient but failed to identify any fusion protein in the male patient. CONCLUSIONS: Young patients with peritoneal mesothelioma should be evaluated for the presence of ALK translocations. Presence of this translocation should be assessed by FISH and these patients could potentially benefit from tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting ALK.

Enhanced efficacy of mesothelin-targeted immunotoxin LMB-100 and anti-PD-1 antibody in patients with mesothelioma and mouse tumor models.

LMB-100 is an immunotoxin targeting the cell surface protein mesothelin, which is highly expressed in many cancers including mesothelioma. Having observed that patients receiving pembrolizumab off protocol after LMB-100 treatment had increased tumor responses; we characterized these responses and developed animal models to study whether LMB-100 made tumors more responsive to antibodies blocking programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1). The overall objective tumor response in the 10 patients who received PD-1 inhibitor (pembrolizumab, 9; nivolumab, 1) after progression on LMB-100 was 40%, and the median overall survival was 11.9 months. Of the seven evaluable patients, four had objective tumor responses, including one complete response and three partial responses, and the overall survival for these patients was 39.0+, 27.7, 32.6+, and 13.8 months. When stratified with regard to programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, four of five patients with tumor PD-L1 expression had objective tumor response. Patients with positive tumor PD-L1 expression also had increased progression-free survival (11.3 versus 2.1 months, P = 0.0018) compared with those lacking PD-L1 expression. There was no statistically significant difference in overall survival (27.7 versus 6.8 months, P = 0.1). LMB-100 caused a systemic inflammatory response and recruitment of CD8+ T cells in patients' tumors. The enhanced antitumor effects with LMB-100 plus anti-PD-1 antibody were also observed in a human peripheral blood mononuclear cell-engrafted mesothelioma mouse model and a human mesothelin-expressing syngeneic lung adenocarcinoma mouse model. LMB-100 plus pembrolizumab is now being evaluated in a prospective clinical trial for patients with mesothelioma.

Clinical and Genomic Characteristics of Small Cell Lung Cancer in Never Smokers: Results From a Retrospective Multicenter Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has the strongest association with smoking among lung cancers. The characteristics of never smokers with SCLC is not known. RESEARCH QUESTION: Are the clinical characteristics, prognostic factors, survival, genomic alterations, and tumor mutational burdens of SCLC in patients who have never smoked different from those who have smoked? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A retrospective multicenter cohort study of patients with clinician-confirmed SCLC was performed with the use of a longitudinal and nationally representative electronic medical records database. Smoking history was assessed through technology-enabled abstraction and confirmed for never smokers via chart review. Genomic characteristics of never smoker patients with SCLC were examined with the use of a next-generation sequencing-based gene panel and whole exome sequencing. RESULTS: One hundred of 5,632 patients (1.8%) with SCLC were never smokers. Relative to smokers, never smokers were more likely to be female (66.0% vs 52.4%; P = .009) and present with extensive stage (70.0% vs 62.2%; P = .028). Never smokers had a higher proportion of patients in age groups 35 to 49 years (7.0% vs 3.0%; P = .006) and ≥80 years (17.0% vs 8.2%; P = .006). Known risk factors for lung cancer were found in <20% of never smokers. There were no overall survival differences between never smokers and smokers. Among patients with available genomic data (n = 9), never smoker SCLC were characterized by lower tumor mutational burden, a lower frequency of TP53 mutations, and an absence of mutational signatures related to tobacco exposure. INTERPRETATION: The sex- and age-specific distribution of SCLC among never smokers, along with differences that were identified by genomic analyses, suggests a distinct biology of SCLC in never smokers compared with smokers.