Future indications and clinical management for fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in immuno-oncology.

The gut microbiota has rapidly emerged as one of the "hallmarks of cancers" and a key contributor to cancer immunotherapy. Metagenomics profiling has established the link between microbiota compositions and immune checkpoint inhibitors response and toxicity, while murine experiments demonstrating the synergistic benefits of microbiota modification with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) pave a clear path for translation. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is one of the most effective treatments for patients with Clostridioides difficile, but its utility in other disease contexts has been limited. Nonetheless, promising data from the first trials combining FMT with ICIs have provided strong clinical rationale to pursue this strategy as a novel therapeutic avenue. In addition to the safety considerations surrounding new and emerging pathogens potentially transmissible by FMT, several other challenges must be overcome in order to validate the use of FMT as a therapeutic option in oncology. In this review, we will explore how the lessons learned from FMT in other specialties will help shape the design and development of FMT in the immuno-oncology arena.

Adjuvant pembrolizumab versus placebo in resected stage III melanoma (EORTC 1325-MG/KEYNOTE-054): long-term, health-related quality-of-life results from a double-blind, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: In the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) 1325-MG/KEYNOTE-054 study, adjuvant pembrolizumab improved recurrence-free survival and distant-metastasis-free survival in patients with resected stage III melanoma. Earlier results showed no effect of pembrolizumab on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Little is known about HRQOL after completion of treatment with pembrolizumab, an important research area concerning patients who are likely to become long-term survivors. This study reports long-term HRQOL results. METHODS: This double-blind, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial compared adjuvant pembrolizumab with placebo in patients aged 18 years or older with previously untreated stage IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC resected cutaneous melanoma and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score of 1 or 0, recruited from 123 academic centres and community hospitals in 23 countries. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) with a minimisation technique stratified for stage and geographical region to receive 200 mg of intravenous pembrolizumab or placebo every 3 weeks for up to 18 doses. Investigators, patients, and those collecting or analysing data were masked to group assignment. The primary endpoint of the trial was recurrence-free survival (reported elsewhere). HRQOL was a prespecified exploratory endpoint, measured with the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30. All patients with a baseline HRQOL evaluation available who were alive 108 weeks from randomisation were included in this analysis of long-term HRQOL. Long-term HRQOL included assessments measured every 6 months between 108 weeks and 48 months after randomisation. The threshold of clinical relevance for all HRQOL scales used was an average change of 5 points. The trial is ongoing, recruitment is completed, and HRQOL data collection is finalised. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02362594, and EudraCT, 2014-004944-37. FINDINGS: Between Aug 26, 2015, and Nov 14, 2016, 1019 patients were randomly assigned to pembrolizumab (n=514) or placebo (n=505). Completion of the HRQOL evaluation at baseline exceeded 90% (481 [94%] patients in the pembrolizumab group and 467 [92%] in the placebo group), and ranged between 60% and 90% for post-baseline timepoints. Among patients with a baseline HRQOL evaluation, 365 (39%) were female and 583 (61%) were male. The mean change from baseline to long-term HRQOL was -0·56 (95% CI -2·33 to 1·22) in the pembrolizumab group and 1·63 (-0·12 to 3·38) in the placebo group. The difference between the two groups was -2·19 (-4·65 to 0·27, p=0·081). Differences for all other scales were smaller than 5 and not statistically significant. INTERPRETATION: Adjuvant pembrolizumab did not have a significant impact on long-term HRQOL compared with placebo in patients with resected stage III melanoma. These findings, together with earlier results on efficacy and HRQOL, support the use of pembrolizumab in this setting. FUNDING: Merck Sharp & Dohme.

A first-in-human phase I trial of daily oral zelenirstat, a N-myristoyltransferase inhibitor, in patients with advanced solid tumors and relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphomas.

Myristoylation, the N-terminal addition of the fatty acid myristate to proteins, regulates membrane-bound signal transduction pathways important in cancer cell biology. This modification is catalyzed by two N-myristoyltransferases, NMT1 and NMT2. Zelenirstat is a first-in-class potent oral small molecule inhibitor of both NMT1 and NMT2 proteins. Patients with advanced solid tumors and relapsed/refractory (R/R) B-cell lymphomas were enrolled in an open label, phase I dose escalation trial of oral daily zelenirstat, administered in 28-day cycles until progression or unacceptable toxicity. The endpoints were to evaluate dose-limiting toxicities (DLT) to establish a maximum tolerated dose (MTD), pharmacokinetic parameters, and anticancer activity. Twenty-nine patients were enrolled (25 advanced solid tumor; 4 R/R B-cell lymphoma) and 24 were DLT-evaluable. Dosing ranged from 20 mg once daily (OD) to 210 mg OD without DLT, but gastrointestinal DLTS were seen in the 280 mg cohort. MTD and recommended phase 2 dose were 210 mg OD. Common adverse events were predominantly Gr ≤ 2 nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue. Plasma concentrations peaked at 2 h with terminal half-lives averaging 10 h. Steady state was achieved by day 15, and higher doses achieved trough concentrations predicted to be therapeutic. Stable disease as best response was seen in eight (28%) patients. Progression-free survival and overall survival were significantly better in patients receiving 210 mg OD compared to those receiving lower doses. Zelenirstat is well-tolerated, achieves plasma exposures expected for efficacy, and shows early signs of anticancer activity. Further clinical development of zelenirstat is warranted.

Adjuvant pembrolizumab versus placebo in resected stage III melanoma (EORTC 1325-MG/KEYNOTE-054): distant metastasis-free survival results from a double-blind, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) 1325/KEYNOTE-054 trial assessed pembrolizumab versus placebo in patients with resected high-risk stage III melanoma. At 15-month median follow-up, pembrolizumab improved recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio [HR] 0·57 [98·4% CI 0·43-0·74], p<0·0001) compared with placebo, leading to its approval in the USA and Europe. This report provides the final results for the secondary efficacy endpoint, distant metastasis-free survival and an update of the recurrence-free survival results. METHODS: This double-blind, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial was done at 123 academic centres and community hospitals across 23 countries. Patients aged 18 years or older with complete resection of cutaneous melanoma metastatic to lymph node, classified as American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system, seventh edition (AJCC-7) stage IIIA (at least one lymph node metastasis >1 mm), IIIB, or IIIC (without in-transit metastasis), and with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1 were eligible. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) via a central interactive voice response system to receive intravenous pembrolizumab 200 mg or placebo every 3 weeks for up to 18 doses or until disease recurrence or unacceptable toxicity. Randomisation was stratified according to disease stage and region, using a minimisation technique, and clinical investigators, patients, and those collecting or analysing the data were masked to treatment assignment. The two coprimary endpoints were recurrence-free survival in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population and in patients with PD-L1-positive tumours. The secondary endpoint reported here was distant metastasis-free survival in the ITT and PD-L1-positive populations. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02362594, and EudraCT, 2014-004944-37. FINDINGS: Between Aug 26, 2015, and Nov 14, 2016, 1019 patients were assigned to receive either pembrolizumab (n=514) or placebo (n=505). At an overall median follow-up of 42·3 months (IQR 40·5-45·9), 3·5-year distant metastasis-free survival was higher in the pembrolizumab group than in the placebo group in the ITT population (65·3% [95% CI 60·9-69·5] in the pembrolizumab group vs 49·4% [44·8-53·8] in the placebo group; HR 0·60 [95% CI 0·49-0·73]; p<0·0001). In the 853 patients with PD-L1-positive tumours, 3·5-year distant metastasis-free survival was 66·7% (95% CI 61·8-71·2) in the pembrolizumab group and 51·6% (46·6-56·4) in the placebo group (HR 0·61 [95% CI 0·49-0·76]; p<0·0001). Recurrence-free survival remained longer in the pembrolizumab group 59·8% (95% CI 55·3-64·1) than the placebo group 41·4% (37·0-45·8) at this 3·5-year follow-up in the ITT population (HR 0·59 [95% CI 0·49-0·70]) and in those with PD-L1-positive tumours 61·4% (56·3-66·1) in the pembrolizumab group and 44·1% (39·2-48·8) in the placebo group (HR 0·59 [95% CI 0·49-0·73]). INTERPRETATION: Pembrolizumab adjuvant therapy provided a significant and clinically meaningful improvement in distant metastasis-free survival at a 3·5-year median follow-up, which was consistent with the improvement in recurrence-free survival. Therefore, the results of this trial support the indication to use adjuvant pembrolizumab therapy in patients with resected high risk stage III cutaneous melanoma. FUNDING: Merck Sharp & Dohme.

Adjuvant pembrolizumab versus placebo in resected stage III melanoma (EORTC 1325-MG/KEYNOTE-054): health-related quality-of-life results from a double-blind, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) 1325-MG/KEYNOTE-054 trial in patients with resected, high-risk stage III melanoma demonstrated improved recurrence-free survival with adjuvant pembrolizumab compared with placebo (hazard ratio 0·57 [98·4% CI 0·43-0·74]; p<0·0001). This study reports the results from the health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) exploratory endpoint. METHODS: This double-blind, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial was done at 123 academic centres and community hospitals across 23 countries. Patients aged 18 years or older with previously untreated histologically confirmed stage IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC resected cutaneous melanoma, and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score of 1 or 0 were eligible. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) using a central interactive voice-response system on the basis of a minimisation technique stratified for stage and geographic region to receive intravenously 200 mg pembrolizumab or placebo. Treatment was administered every 3 weeks for 1 year, or until disease recurrence, unacceptable toxicity, or death. The primary endpoint of the trial was recurrence-free survival (reported elsewhere). HRQOL was a prespecified exploratory endpoint, with global health/quality of life (GHQ) over 2 years measured by the EORTC QLQ-C30 as the primary analysis. Analyses were done in the intention-to-treat population. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02362594, and EudraCT, 2014-004944-37, and long-term follow-up is ongoing. FINDINGS: Between Aug 26, 2015, and Nov 14, 2016, 1019 patients were assigned to pembrolizumab (n=514) or placebo (n=505). Median follow-up was 15·1 months (IQR 12·8-16·9) at the time of this analysis. HRQOL compliance was greater than 90% at baseline, greater than 70% during the first year, and greater than 60% thereafter for both groups. Because of low absolute compliance numbers at later follow-up, the analysis was truncated to week 84. Baseline GHQ scores were similar between groups (77·55 [SD 18·20] in the pembrolizumab group and 76·54 [17·81] in the placebo group) and remained stable over time. The difference in average GHQ score between the two groups over the 2 years was -2·2 points (95% CI -4·3 to -0·2). The difference in average score during treatment was -1·1 points (95% CI -3·2 to 0·9) and the difference in average score after treatment was -2·2 points (-4·8 to 0·4). These differences are within the 5-point clinical relevance threshold for the QLQ-C30 and are therefore clinically non-significant. INTERPRETATION: Pembrolizumab does not result in a clinically significant decrease in HRQOL compared with placebo when given as adjuvant therapy for patients with resected, high-risk stage III melanoma. These results support the use of adjuvant pembrolizumab in this setting. FUNDING: Merck Sharp & Dohme.

Adjuvant Pembrolizumab versus Placebo in Resected Stage III Melanoma.

BACKGROUND: The programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibitor pembrolizumab has been found to prolong progression-free and overall survival among patients with advanced melanoma. We conducted a phase 3 double-blind trial to evaluate pembrolizumab as adjuvant therapy in patients with resected, high-risk stage III melanoma. METHODS: Patients with completely resected stage III melanoma were randomly assigned (with stratification according to cancer stage and geographic region) to receive 200 mg of pembrolizumab (514 patients) or placebo (505 patients) intravenously every 3 weeks for a total of 18 doses (approximately 1 year) or until disease recurrence or unacceptable toxic effects occurred. Recurrence-free survival in the overall intention-to-treat population and in the subgroup of patients with cancer that was positive for the PD-1 ligand (PD-L1) were the primary end points. Safety was also evaluated. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 15 months, pembrolizumab was associated with significantly longer recurrence-free survival than placebo in the overall intention-to-treat population (1-year rate of recurrence-free survival, 75.4% [95% confidence interval {CI}, 71.3 to 78.9] vs. 61.0% [95% CI, 56.5 to 65.1]; hazard ratio for recurrence or death, 0.57; 98.4% CI, 0.43 to 0.74; P<0.001) and in the subgroup of 853 patients with PD-L1-positive tumors (1-year rate of recurrence-free survival, 77.1% [95% CI, 72.7 to 80.9] in the pembrolizumab group and 62.6% [95% CI, 57.7 to 67.0] in the placebo group; hazard ratio, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.42 to 0.69; P<0.001). Adverse events of grades 3 to 5 that were related to the trial regimen were reported in 14.7% of the patients in the pembrolizumab group and in 3.4% of patients in the placebo group. There was one treatment-related death due to myositis in the pembrolizumab group. CONCLUSIONS: As adjuvant therapy for high-risk stage III melanoma, 200 mg of pembrolizumab administered every 3 weeks for up to 1 year resulted in significantly longer recurrence-free survival than placebo, with no new toxic effects identified. (Funded by Merck; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02362594 ; EudraCT number, 2014-004944-37 .).

Phase I/II trial of Durvalumab plus Tremelimumab and stereotactic body radiotherapy for metastatic head and neck carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of immunotherapy targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway has previously been demonstrated in metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) aims at ablating metastatic lesions and may play a synergistic role with immunotherapy. The purpose of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of triple treatment combination (TTC) consisting of the administration of durvalumab and tremelimumab in combination with SBRT in metastatic HNSCC. METHOD: This is a phase I/II single arm study that will include 35 patients with 2-10 extracranial metastatic lesions. Patients will receive durvalumab (1500 mg IV every 4 weeks (Q4W)) and tremelimumab (75 mg IV Q4W for a total of 4 doses) until progression, unacceptable toxicity or patient withdrawal. SBRT to 2-5 metastases will be administered between cycles 2 and 3 of immunotherapy. The safety of the treatment combination will be evaluated through assessment of TTC-related toxicities, defined as grade 3-5 toxicities based on Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (v 4.03), occurring within 6 weeks from SBRT start, and that are definitely, probably or possibly related to the combination of all treatments. We hypothesize that dual targeting of PD-L1 and CTLA-4 pathways combined with SBRT will lead to < 35% grade 3-5 acute toxicities related to TTC. Progression free survival (PFS) will be the primary endpoint of the phase II portion of this study and will be assessed with radiological exams every 8 weeks using the RECIST version 1.1 criteria. DISCUSSION: The combination of synergistic dual checkpoints inhibition along with ablative radiation may significantly potentiate the local and systemic disease control. This study constitutes the first clinical trial combining effects of SBRT with dual checkpoint blockade with durvalumab and tremelimumab in the treatment of metastatic HNSCC. If positive, this study would lead to a phase III trial testing this treatment combination against standard of care in metastatic HNSCC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03283605 . Registration date: September 14, 2017; version 1.

Gut microbiome predicts gastrointestinal toxicity outcomes from chemoradiation therapy in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Chemoradiation (CRT) in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) is associated with significant toxicities, including mucositis. The gut microbiome represents an emerging hallmark of cancer and a potentially important biomarker for CRT-related adverse events. This prospective study investigated the association between the gut microbiome composition and CRT-related toxicities in patients with HNSCC, including mucositis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Stool samples from patients diagnosed with locally advanced HNSCC were prospectively collected prior to CRT initiation and analyzed using shotgun metagenomic sequencing to evaluate gut microbiome composition at baseline. Concurrently, clinicopathologic data, survival outcomes and the incidence and grading of CRT-emergent adverse events were documented in all patients. RESULTS: A total of 52 patients were included, of whom 47 had baseline stool samples available for metagenomic analysis. Median age was 62, 83 % patients were men and 54 % had stage III-IV disease. All patients developed CRT-induced mucositis, including 42 % with severe events (i.e. CTCAE v5.0 grade ≥ 3) and 25 % who required enteral feeding. With a median follow-up of 26.5 months, patients with severe mucositis had shorter overall survival (HR = 3.3, 95 %CI 1.0-10.6; p = 0.02) and numerically shorter progression-free survival (HR = 2.8, 95 %CI, 0.8-9.6; p = 0.09). The gut microbiome beta-diversity of patients with severe mucositis differed from patients with grades 1-2 mucositis (p = 0.04), with enrichment in Mediterraneibacter (Ruminococcus gnavus) and Clostridiaceae family members, including Hungatella hathewayi. Grade 1-2 mucositis was associated with enrichment in Eubacterium rectale, Alistipes putredinis and Ruminococcaceae family members. Similar bacterial profiles were observed in patients who required enteral feeding. CONCLUSION: Patients who developed severe mucositis had decreased survival and enrichment in specific bacteria associated with mucosal inflammation. Interestingly, these same bacteria have been linked to immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance.

Seven-year analysis of adjuvant pembrolizumab versus placebo in stage III melanoma in the EORTC1325 / KEYNOTE-054 trial.

In the previously reported primary analyses of this phase 3 trial, 12 months of adjuvant pembrolizumab resulted in significantly longer recurrence-free survival (RFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) than placebo in patients with resected high risk stage III melanoma. Stability of these benefits when the median follow-up was 3.5 and 5 years was published. Here we report results with a longer follow-up. METHODS: We randomized 1019 patients to receive pembrolizumab 200 mg or placebo, intravenously every 3 weeks for a total of 18 doses. RFS in the overall population and in the subgroup of patients with melanoma positive for the PD-1 ligand (PD-L1) were co-primary endpoints. DMFS in these two populations was a secondary and progression/recurrence-free survival 2 (PRFS2) an exploratory endpoint. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 6.9 years. In the overall intention-to-treat population, RFS was longer in the pembrolizumab group than in the placebo group (HR 0.63, 95 % CI 0.53 to 0.74). RFS at 7 years was 50 % (95 % CI 46 % to 55 %) in the pembrolizumab and 36 % (95 % CI 32 % to 41 %) in the placebo group. Positive effects were present both for loco-regional recurrences and distant metastases, and across substages IIIA-IIIB-IIIC, and PD-L1 positive and PD-L1 negative as well as for BRAF mutant and BRAF wild type populations. DMFS was longer in the pembrolizumab group than in the placebo group (HR 0.64, 95 % CI 0.54 to 0.76). DMFS at 7 years was 54 % (95 % CI 50 % to 59 %) in the pembrolizumab and 42 % (95 % CI 37 % to 46 %) in the placebo group. PRFS2 was longer in the pembrolizumab group than in the placebo group (HR 0.69, 95 % CI 0.57 to 0.84). PRFS2 at 7 years was 61 % (95 % CI 57 % to 66 %) in the pembrolizumab and 53 % (95 % CI 49 % to 57 %) in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: The 7-year analysis of adjuvant therapy with pembrolizumab demonstrated a sustained improvement in the long-term RFS, DMFS and PRFS2 compared with placebo in patients with resected stage III melanoma.

Prognostic and predictive value of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the EORTC 1325/KEYNOTE-054 phase III trial of pembrolizumab versus placebo in resected high-risk stage III melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Pain is common in patients with cancer. The World Health Organisation recommends paracetamol or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for mild pain and combined with other agents for moderate/severe pain. This study estimated associations of NSAIDs with recurrence-free survival (RFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) and the incidence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in high-risk patients with resected melanoma in the EORTC 1325/KEYNOTE-054 phase III clinical trial. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with AJCC7 stage IIIA, IIIB or IIIC resected melanoma were randomized to receive 200 mg of adjuvant pembrolizumab (N = 514) or placebo (N = 505) 3-weekly for one year or until recurrence. As previously reported, pembrolizumab prolonged RFS and DMFS. NSAID use was defined as administration between 7 days pre-randomization and starting treatment. Multivariable Cox and Fine and Gray models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for associations of NSAIDs with RFS, DMFS and irAEs. RESULTS: Of 1019 patients randomized, 59 and 44 patients in the pembrolizumab and placebo arms, respectively, used NSAIDs. NSAIDs were not associated with RFS (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.58-1.43) or DMFS in the pembrolizumab (HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.65-1.66) or placebo arms (for RFS, HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.48-1.20; for DMFS, HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.49-1.31). NSAIDs were associated with the incidence of irAEs in the placebo arm (HR 3.06, 95% CI 1.45-6.45) but not in the pembrolizumab arm (HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.58-1.53). CONCLUSION: NSAIDs were not associated with efficacy outcomes nor the risk of irAEs in patients with resected high-risk stage III melanoma receiving adjuvant pembrolizumab.

Clinical and toxicity predictors of response and progression to temsirolimus in women with recurrent or metastatic endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Temsirolimus (TEM) has recently shown activity (NCIC CTG phase II trial) in endometrial cancer (EC). Despite EC having a high rate of PTEN mutation, in this trial activity was independent of PTEN and other molecular markers. We explored whether treatment related toxicity occurring in cycle one was predictive of outcomes. METHODS: Patients were those enrolled on two sequential phase II studies of the NCIC CTG that evaluated single agent TEM in women with recurrent or metastatic chemotherapy naïve or treated EC. An exploratory landmark analysis examined the relationship between early treatment related toxicities as well as prior chemotherapy and efficacy outcomes (response, progression, and tumor size shrinkage) in univariate and multivariate analyses. The relationship between molecular markers and outcomes was also reexamined in patients. RESULTS: Mucositis, diarrhea, decreased absolute neutrophil count, as well as elevated glucose, or cholesterol were not independent predictors of response or progression. Highest fasting triglyceride predicted for a 3.5% tumor shrinkage from baseline. Women previously treated with chemotherapy were at 7.37 times greater risk of progression and experienced 20.9% increased tumor growth compared to chemotherapy naïve women. Molecular markers were not predictors of response or progression. CONCLUSIONS: Except for elevation in fasting triglyceride being associated with minimal tumor shrinkage, no other relationship between efficacy and TEM induced adverse events was found. mTOR inhibition activity in EC seems greatest in chemo-naïve patients. Future studies of mTOR inhibitors in EC should focus on women without prior chemotherapy while continuing to explore molecular mechanisms of benefit.

Primary malignant melanoma of the vagina: A case report.

Malignant primary melanoma of the vagina (PMV) is a rare type of non-cutaneous melanoma often discovered in postmenopausal women. PMV has a very aggressive disease course and a poor prognosis. The best course of treatment is not presently agreed upon. In this report, we describe the case of a 68-year-old woman presenting with a malignant PMV and its subsequent management. The patient presented with right vaginal pain, abnormal vaginal bleeding and a new vaginal mass. A PET scan identified a 28 × 38 mm hypermetabolic vaginal lesion, without nodal involvement or distant metastasis. A posterior exenteration type 2B was performed, including the anal mucosa. Sentinel lymph node dissection, vaginal and rectal resection as well as a terminal colostomy were also carried out. Final staging was FIGO stage III and T4bN1. Four months later, the patient presented with a recurrent vaginal bleed and intra-vaginal induration. Imaging revealed loco-reginal recurrence at the site of the primary malignancy with countless metastases. The patient opted for palliative care given the early disseminated recurrence and her multiple comorbidities. We review the treatment options for PMV, mainly the importance of surgery as the mainstay of treatment as well as the interest of adding checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy or targeted therapy to the treatment plan. We also summarize the characteristics of PMV and its main prognostic factors.

Phase II LEAP-004 Study of Lenvatinib Plus Pembrolizumab for Melanoma With Confirmed Progression on a Programmed Cell Death Protein-1 or Programmed Death Ligand 1 Inhibitor Given as Monotherapy or in Combination.

PURPOSE: Effective treatments are needed for melanoma that progresses on inhibitors of programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) or its ligand (PD-L1). We conducted the phase II LEAP-004 study to evaluate the combination of the multikinase inhibitor lenvatinib and the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab in this population (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03776136). METHODS: Eligible patients with unresectable stage III-IV melanoma with confirmed progressive disease (PD) within 12 weeks of the last dose of a PD-1/L1 inhibitor given alone or with other therapies, including cytotoxic T-cell lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) inhibitors, received lenvatinib 20 mg orally once daily plus ≤ 35 doses of pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously once every 3 weeks until PD or unacceptable toxicity. The primary end point was objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST, version 1.1, by independent central review. RESULTS: A total of 103 patients were enrolled and treated. The median study follow-up was 15.3 months. ORR in the total population was 21.4% (95% CI, 13.9 to 30.5), with three (2.9%) complete responses and 19 (18.4%) partial responses. The median duration of response was 8.3 months (range, 3.2-15.9+). ORR was 33.3% in the 30 patients with PD on prior anti-PD-1 plus anti-CTLA-4 therapy. The median progression-free survival and overall survival in the total population were 4.2 months (95% CI, 3.8 to 7.1) and 14.0 months (95% CI, 10.8 to not reached), respectively. Grade 3-5 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 47 (45.6%) patients, most commonly hypertension (21.4%); one patient died from a treatment-related event (decreased platelet count). CONCLUSION: Lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab provides clinically meaningful, durable responses in patients with advanced melanoma with confirmed PD on prior PD-1/L1 inhibitor-based therapy, including those with PD on anti-PD-1 plus anti-CTLA-4 therapy. The safety profile was as expected. These data support lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab as a potential regimen for this population of high unmet need.

Fecal microbiota transplantation plus anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in advanced melanoma: a phase I trial.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) represents a potential strategy to overcome resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with refractory melanoma; however, the role of FMT in first-line treatment settings has not been evaluated. We conducted a multicenter phase I trial combining healthy donor FMT with the PD-1 inhibitors nivolumab or pembrolizumab in 20 previously untreated patients with advanced melanoma. The primary end point was safety. No grade 3 adverse events were reported from FMT alone. Five patients (25%) experienced grade 3 immune-related adverse events from combination therapy. Key secondary end points were objective response rate, changes in gut microbiome composition and systemic immune and metabolomics analyses. The objective response rate was 65% (13 of 20), including four (20%) complete responses. Longitudinal microbiome profiling revealed that all patients engrafted strains from their respective donors; however, the acquired similarity between donor and patient microbiomes only increased over time in responders. Responders experienced an enrichment of immunogenic and a loss of deleterious bacteria following FMT. Avatar mouse models confirmed the role of healthy donor feces in increasing anti-PD-1 efficacy. Our results show that FMT from healthy donors is safe in the first-line setting and warrants further investigation in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03772899 .

Prognostic and predictive value of metformin in the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer 1325/KEYNOTE-054 phase III trial of pembrolizumab versus placebo in resected high-risk stage III melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Metformin is a commonly prescribed and well-tolerated medication. In laboratory studies, metformin suppresses BRAF wild-type melanoma cells but accelerates the growth of BRAF-mutated cells. This study investigated the prognostic and predictive value of metformin, including with respect to BRAF mutation status, in the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer 1325/KEYNOTE-054 randomised controlled trial. METHODS: Patients with resected high-risk stage IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC melanoma received 200 mg of pembrolizumab (n = 514) or placebo (n = 505) every 3 weeks for twelve months. Pembrolizumab prolonged recurrence-free survival (RFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) at approximately 42 months median follow-up (Eggermont et al., TLO, 2021). Multivariable Cox regression was used to estimate associations of metformin with RFS and DMFS. Interaction terms were used to model effect modification by treatment and BRAF mutation. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients (0.5%) used metformin at baseline. Metformin was not significantly associated with RFS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.87, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.52-1.45) and DMFS (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.47-1.44). The interaction between metformin and the treatment arm was not significant for either RFS (p = 0.92) or DMFS (p = 0.93). Among patients with mutated BRAF, the association of metformin with RFS (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.37-1.33) was greater in magnitude though not significantly different to those without mutated BRAF (HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.56-1.69). CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant impact of metformin use on pembrolizumab efficacy in resected high-risk stage III melanoma. However, larger studies or pooled analyses are needed, particularly to explore a possible effect of metformin in BRAF-mutated melanoma.

Upfront DPYD Genotyping and Toxicity Associated with Fluoropyrimidine-Based Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy for Oropharyngeal Carcinomas: A Work in Progress.

Background: 5-FU-based chemoradiotherapy (CRT) could be associated with severe treatment-related toxicities in patients harboring at-risk DPYD polymorphisms. Methods: The studied population included consecutive patients with locoregionally advanced oropharyngeal carcinoma treated with carboplatin and 5-FU-based CRT one year before and after the implementation of upfront DPYD*2A genotyping. We aimed to determine the effect of DPYD genotyping on grade ≥3 toxicities. Results: 181 patients were analyzed (87 patients before and 94 patients following DPYD*2A screening). Of the patients, 91% (n = 86) were prospectively genotyped for the DPYD*2A allele. Of those screened, 2% (n = 2/87) demonstrated a heterozygous DPYD*2A mutation. Extended genotyping of DPYD*2A-negative patients later allowed for the retrospective identification of six additional patients with alternative DPYD variants (two c.2846A>T and four c.1236G>A mutations). Grade ≥3 toxicities occurred in 71% of the patients before DPYD*2A screening versus 62% following upfront genotyping (p = 0.18). When retrospectively analyzing additional non-DPYD*2A variants, the relative risks for mucositis (RR 2.36 [1.39-2.13], p = 0.0063), dysphagia (RR 2.89 [1.20-5.11], p = 0.019), and aspiration pneumonia (RR 13 [2.42-61.5)], p = 0.00065) were all significantly increased. Conclusion: The DPYD*2A, c.2846A>T, and c.1236G>A polymorphisms are associated with an increased risk of grade ≥3 toxicity to 5-FU. Upfront DPYD genotyping can identify patients in whom 5-FU-related toxicity should be avoided.

Helicobacter pylori serology is associated with worse overall survival in patients with melanoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

The microbiome is now regarded as one of the hallmarks of cancer and several strategies to modify the gut microbiota to improve immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) activity are being evaluated in clinical trials. Preliminary data regarding the upper gastro-intestinal microbiota indicated that Helicobacter pylori seropositivity was associated with a negative prognosis in patients amenable to ICI. In 97 patients with advanced melanoma treated with ICI, we assessed the impact of H. pylori on outcomes and microbiome composition. We performed H. pylori serology and profiled the fecal microbiome with metagenomics sequencing. Among the 97 patients, 22% were H. pylori positive (Pos). H. pylori Pos patients had a significantly shorter overall survival (p = .02) compared to H. pylori negative (Neg) patients. In addition, objective response rate and progression-free survival were decreased in H. pylori Pos patients. Metagenomics sequencing did not reveal any difference in diversity indexes between the H. pylori groups. At the taxa level, Eubacterium ventriosum, Mediterraneibacter (Ruminococcus) torques, and Dorea formicigenerans were increased in the H. pylori Pos group, while Alistipes finegoldii, Hungatella hathewayi and Blautia producta were over-represented in the H. pylori Neg group. In a second independent cohort of patients with NSCLC, diversity indexes were similar in both groups and Bacteroides xylanisolvens was increased in H. pylori Neg patients. Our results demonstrated that the negative impact of H. pylori on outcomes seem to be independent from the fecal microbiome composition. These findings warrant further validation and development of therapeutic strategies to eradicate H. pylori in immuno-oncology arena.

Prognostic and predictive value of ß-blockers in the EORTC 1325/KEYNOTE-054 phase III trial of pembrolizumab versus placebo in resected high-risk stage III melanoma.

BACKGROUND: ß-adrenergic receptors are upregulated in melanoma cells and contribute to an immunosuppressive, pro-tumorigenic microenvironment. This study investigated the prognostic and predictive value of ß-adrenoreceptor blockade by ß-blockers in the EORTC1325/KEYNOTE-054 randomised controlled trial. METHODS: Patients with resected stage IIIA, IIIB or IIIC melanoma and regional lymphadenectomy received 200 mg of adjuvant pembrolizumab (n = 514) or placebo (n = 505) every three weeks for one year or until recurrence or unacceptable toxicity. At a median follow-up of 3 years, pembrolizumab prolonged recurrence-free survival (RFS) compared to placebo (hazard ratio (HR) 0.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.47-0.68). ß-blocker use was defined as oral administration of any ß-blocker within 30 days of randomisation. A multivariable Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the HR for the association between the use of ß-blockers and RFS. RESULTS: Ninety-nine (10%) of 1019 randomised patients used ß-blockers at baseline. ß-blockers had no independent prognostic effect on RFS: HR 0.96 (95% CI 0.70-1.31). The HRs of RFS associated with ß-blocker use were 0.67 (95% CI 0.38-1.19) in the pembrolizumab arm and 1.15 (95% CI 0.80-1.66) in the placebo arm. The HR of RFS associated with pembrolizumab compared to placebo was 0.34 (95% CI 0.18-0.65) among ß-blocker users and 0.59 (95% CI 0.48-0.71) among those not using ß-blockers. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests no prognostic effect of ß-blockers in resected high-risk stage III melanoma. However, ß-blockers may predict improved efficacy of adjuvant pembrolizumab treatment. The combination of immunotherapy with ß-blockers merits further investigation. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02362594, and EudraCT, 2014-004944-37.

Five-Year Analysis of Adjuvant Pembrolizumab or Placebo in Stage III Melanoma.

BACKGROUND: In the previously reported primary analyses of this phase 3 trial, 12 months of adjuvant pembrolizumab resulted in significantly longer recurrence- and distant metastasis-free survival than placebo in patients with resected high-risk stage III melanoma. To confirm the stability of these benefits, longer-term data were needed. METHODS: We randomly assigned 1019 patients to receive 200 mg of pembrolizumab or placebo intravenously every 3 weeks for a total of 18 doses (approximately 1 year) and had previously reported data with a 15-, 36-, and 42-month median follow-up. We now report data at a median follow-up of 4.9 years. We report a number of outcomes, including recurrence-free survival in the overall population and in the subgroup of patients with cancer who were positive for the programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). Distant metastasis-free survival was a secondary end point. RESULTS: In the overall intention-to-treat population, pembrolizumab was still associated with longer recurrence-free survival than placebo (5-year rate of recurrence-free survival, 55.4% [95% confidence interval (CI), 50.8 to 59.8] vs. 38.3% [95% CI, 33.9 to 42.7]; hazard ratio for recurrence or death, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.51 to 0.72]) and a longer distant metastasis-free survival (5-year rate of distant metastasis-free survival, 60.6% [95% CI, 56.0 to 64.9] vs. 44.5% [95% CI, 39.9 to 48.9]; hazard ratio for distant metastasis or death, 0.62 [95% CI, 0.52 to 0.75]). Similar findings were obtained in the subgroup of 853 patients with PD-L1­positive tumors. CONCLUSIONS: The 5-year analysis of adjuvant therapy with pembrolizumab resulted in a sustained improvement in the long-term recurrence- and distant metastasis-free survival compared with placebo in patients with resected stage III melanoma. (Funded by Merck & Co., Inc.; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02362594, and EudraCT number, 2014-004944-37.)

Spatially mapping the immune landscape of melanoma using imaging mass cytometry.

Melanoma is an immunogenic cancer with a high response rate to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). It harbors a high mutation burden compared with other cancers and, as a result, has abundant tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) within its microenvironment. However, understanding the complex interplay between the stroma, tumor cells, and distinct TIL subsets remains a substantial challenge in immune oncology. To properly study this interplay, quantifying spatial relationships of multiple cell types within the tumor microenvironment is crucial. To address this, we used cytometry time-of-flight (CyTOF) imaging mass cytometry (IMC) to simultaneously quantify the expression of 35 protein markers, characterizing the microenvironment of 5 benign nevi and 67 melanomas. We profiled more than 220,000 individual cells to identify melanoma, lymphocyte subsets, macrophage/monocyte, and stromal cell populations, allowing for in-depth spatial quantification of the melanoma microenvironment. We found that within pretreatment melanomas, the abundance of proliferating antigen-experienced cytotoxic T cells (CD8+CD45RO+Ki67+) and the proximity of antigen-experienced cytotoxic T cells to melanoma cells were associated with positive response to ICIs. Our study highlights the potential of multiplexed single-cell technology to quantify spatial cell-cell interactions within the tumor microenvironment to understand immune therapy responses.