ENGOT-en11/GOG-3053/KEYNOTE-B21: a randomised, double-blind, phase III study of pembrolizumab or placebo plus adjuvant chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed, high-risk endometrial cancer.

BACKGROUND: Pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy provides clinically meaningful benefit as first-line therapy for advanced (locoregional extension and residual disease after surgery)/metastatic/recurrent mismatch repair-proficient (pMMR) and mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) endometrial cancer, with greater magnitude of benefit in the dMMR phenotype. We evaluated the addition of pembrolizumab to adjuvant chemotherapy (with/without radiation therapy) among patients with newly diagnosed, high-risk endometrial cancer without any residual macroscopic disease following curative-intent surgery. METHODS: We included patients with histologically confirmed high-risk [International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage I/II of non-endometrioid histology or endometrioid histology with p53/TP53 abnormality, or stage III/IVA of any histology] endometrial cancer following surgery with curative intent and no evidence of disease postoperatively, with no prior radiotherapy or systemic therapy. Patients were randomised to pembrolizumab 200 mg or placebo every 3 weeks (Q3W) for six cycles added to carboplatin-paclitaxel followed by pembrolizumab 400 mg or placebo every 6 weeks (Q6W) for six cycles per treatment assignment. Radiotherapy was at the investigator's discretion. The primary endpoints were investigator-assessed disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival in the intention-to-treat population. RESULTS: A total of 1095 patients were randomised (pembrolizumab, n = 545; placebo, n = 550). At this interim analysis (data cut-off, 4 March 2024), 119 (22%) DFS events occurred in the pembrolizumab group and 121 (22%) occurred in the placebo group [hazard ratio 1.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.79-1.32; P = 0.570]. Kaplan-Meier estimates of 2-year DFS rates were 75% and 76% in the pembrolizumab and placebo groups, respectively. The hazard ratio for DFS was 0.31 (95% CI 0.14-0.69) in the dMMR population (n = 281) and 1.20 (95% CI 0.91-1.57) in the pMMR population (n = 814). Grade ≥3 adverse events (AEs) occurred in 386 of 543 (71%) and 348 of 549 (63%) patients in the pembrolizumab and placebo groups, respectively. No treatment-related grade 5 AEs occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvant pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy did not improve DFS in patients with newly diagnosed, high-risk, all-comer endometrial cancer. Preplanned subgroup analyses for stratification factors suggest that pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy improved DFS in patients with dMMR tumours. Safety was manageable. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04634877; EudraCT, 2020-003424-17. RESEARCH SUPPORT: Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA.

Germline BRCA pathogenic variants in patients with ovarian cancer and post-poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor myeloid neoplasms.

BACKGROUND: Among patients with advanced high-grade ovarian carcinoma (aHGOC) treated with poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors (PARPis), the presence of a germline BRCA pathogenic variant (gBRCA-PV) may increase the risk of bone marrow mutagenesis resulting in postcytotoxic therapy myelodysplastic neoplasms (MDS-pCT) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML-pCT), as it is expressed in heterozygosity also by hematopoietic progenitors. We aimed to investigate the occurrence of post-PARPi MDSs/AMLs-pCTs according to gBRCA-PV status. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective single-center study to evaluate MDS/AML-pCT in patients with aHGOC and a known gBRCA-PV status receiving at least 8 weeks of maintenance PARPi, in any line of therapy, from February 2017 to December 2022. The endpoint was the proportion of patients who experienced MDSs-pCT and AMLs-pCT during and after treatment with PARPi, in gBRCA-PV carriers and non-carriers. RESULTS: A total of 166 patients were included: 95 (57%) had a gBRCA-PV and 72% received PARPi for recurrent disease. The number of lines of chemotherapies before and after PARPi, median overall survival, and median follow-up were comparable between gBRCA-PV carriers and non-carriers. After a median follow-up of 40.0 (95% confidence interval: 35.7-44.3) months, 10 (6%) patients were diagnosed with an MDS-pCT and 4 (2%) with an AML-pCT. A higher proportion of MDSs/AMLs-pCT (10% versus 2%; P = 0.16) and, in particular, of MDSs-pCT (9% versus 1%; P = 0.04) was observed among gBRCA-PV carriers. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a gBRCA-PV is associated with a higher risk of MDS-pCT and possibly of myeloid neoplasms after PARPi in patients with aHGOC who received PARPi, especially in the setting of recurrent disease.

Adding immunotherapy to first-line treatment of advanced and metastatic endometrial cancer.

BACKGROUND: Immunotherapy has transformed the endometrial cancer treatment landscape, particularly for those exhibiting mismatch repair deficiency [MMRd/microsatellite instability-hypermutated (MSI-H)]. A growing body of evidence supports the integration of immunotherapy with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment strategy. Recently, findings from ongoing trials such as RUBY (NCT03981796), NRG-GY018 (NCT03914612), AtTEnd (NCT03603184), and DUO-E (NCT04269200) have been disclosed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This paper constitutes a review and meta-analysis of phase III trials investigating the role of immunotherapy in the first-line setting for advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer. RESULTS: The pooled data from 2320 patients across these trials substantiate the adoption of chemotherapy alongside immunotherapy, revealing a significant improvement in progression-free survival compared to chemotherapy alone [hazard ratio (HR) 0.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.62-0.79] across all patient groups. Progression-free survival benefits are more pronounced in MMRd/MSI-H tumors (n = 563; HR 0.33, 95% CI 0.23-0.43). This benefit, albeit less robust, persists in the MMR-proficient/microsatellite stable group (n = 1757; HR 0.74, 95% CI 0.60-0.91). Pooled data further indicate that chemotherapy plus immunotherapy enhances overall survival compared to chemotherapy alone in all patients (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.63-0.89). However, overall survival data maturity remains low. CONCLUSIONS: The incorporation of immunotherapy into the initial treatment for advanced and metastatic endometrial cancer brings about a substantial improvement in oncologic outcomes, especially within the MMRd/MSI-H subset. This specific subgroup is currently a focal point of investigation for evaluating the potential of chemotherapy-free regimens. Ongoing exploratory analyses aim to identify non-responding patients eligible for inclusion in clinical trials.

ESGO-ESMO-ESP consensus conference recommendations on ovarian cancer: pathology and molecular biology and early, advanced and recurrent disease.

The European Society of Gynaecological Oncology, the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) and the European Society of Pathology held a consensus conference (CC) on ovarian cancer on 15-16 June 2022 in Valencia, Spain. The CC panel included 44 experts in the management of ovarian cancer and pathology, an ESMO scientific advisor and a methodologist. The aim was to discuss new or contentious topics and develop recommendations to improve and harmonise the management of patients with ovarian cancer. Eighteen questions were identified for discussion under four main topics: (i) pathology and molecular biology, (ii) early-stage disease and pelvic mass in pregnancy, (iii) advanced stage (including older/frail patients) and (iv) recurrent disease. The panel was divided into four working groups (WGs) to each address questions relating to one of the four topics outlined above, based on their expertise. Relevant scientific literature was reviewed in advance. Recommendations were developed by the WGs and then presented to the entire panel for further discussion and amendment before voting. This manuscript focuses on the recommendation statements that reached a consensus, their voting results and a summary of evidence supporting each recommendation.

Maintenance olaparib rechallenge in patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer previously treated with a PARP inhibitor (OReO/ENGOT-ov38): a phase IIIb trial.

BACKGROUND: Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor maintenance therapy is the standard of care for some patients with advanced ovarian cancer. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of PARP inhibitor rechallenge. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, multicenter trial (NCT03106987) enrolled patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer who had received one prior PARP inhibitor therapy for ≥18 and ≥12 months in the BRCA-mutated and non-BRCA-mutated cohorts, respectively, following first-line chemotherapy or for ≥12 and ≥6 months, respectively, following a second or subsequent line of chemotherapy. Patients were in response following their last platinum-based chemotherapy regimen and were randomized 2 : 1 to maintenance olaparib tablets 300 mg twice daily or placebo. Investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) was the primary endpoint. RESULTS: Seventy four patients in the BRCA-mutated cohort were randomized to olaparib and 38 to placebo, and 72 patients in the non-BRCA-mutated cohort were randomized to olaparib and 36 to placebo; >85% of patients in both cohorts had received ≥3 prior lines of chemotherapy. In the BRCA-mutated cohort, the median PFS was 4.3 months with olaparib versus 2.8 months with placebo [hazard ratio (HR) 0.57; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.37-0.87; P = 0.022]; 1-year PFS rates were 19% versus 0% (Kaplan-Meier estimates). In the non-BRCA-mutated cohort, median PFS was 5.3 months for olaparib versus 2.8 months for placebo (HR 0.43; 95% CI 0.26-0.71; P = 0.0023); 1-year PFS rates were 14% versus 0% (Kaplan-Meier estimates). No new safety signals were identified with olaparib rechallenge. CONCLUSIONS: In ovarian cancer patients previously treated with one prior PARP inhibitor and at least two lines of platinum-based chemotherapy, maintenance olaparib rechallenge provided a statistically significant, albeit modest, PFS improvement over placebo in both the BRCA-mutated and non-BRCA-mutated cohorts, with a proportion of patients in the maintenance olaparib rechallenge arm of both cohorts remaining progression free at 1 year.

Olaparib plus bevacizumab first-line maintenance in ovarian cancer: final overall survival results from the PAOLA-1/ENGOT-ov25 trial.

BACKGROUND: In the PAOLA-1/ENGOT-ov25 primary analysis, maintenance olaparib plus bevacizumab demonstrated a significant progression-free survival (PFS) benefit in newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer patients in clinical response after first-line platinum-based chemotherapy plus bevacizumab, irrespective of surgical status. Prespecified, exploratory analyses by molecular biomarker status showed substantial benefit in patients with a BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation (BRCAm) or homologous recombination deficiency (HRD; BRCAm and/or genomic instability). We report the prespecified final overall survival (OS) analysis, including analyses by HRD status. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were randomized 2 : 1 to olaparib (300 mg twice daily; up to 24 months) plus bevacizumab (15 mg/kg every 3 weeks; 15 months total) or placebo plus bevacizumab. Analysis of OS, a key secondary endpoint in hierarchical testing, was planned for ∼60% maturity or 3 years after the primary analysis. RESULTS: After median follow-up of 61.7 and 61.9 months in the olaparib and placebo arms, respectively, median OS was 56.5 versus 51.6 months in the intention-to-treat population [hazard ratio (HR) 0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.76-1.12; P = 0.4118]. Subsequent poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor therapy was received by 105 (19.6%) olaparib patients versus 123 (45.7%) placebo patients. In the HRD-positive population, OS was longer with olaparib plus bevacizumab (HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.45-0.85; 5-year OS rate, 65.5% versus 48.4%); at 5 years, updated PFS also showed a higher proportion of olaparib plus bevacizumab patients without relapse (HR 0.41, 95% CI 0.32-0.54; 5-year PFS rate, 46.1% versus 19.2%). Myelodysplastic syndrome, acute myeloid leukemia, aplastic anemia, and new primary malignancy incidence remained low and balanced between arms. CONCLUSIONS: Olaparib plus bevacizumab provided clinically meaningful OS improvement for first-line patients with HRD-positive ovarian cancer. These prespecified exploratory analyses demonstrated improvement despite a high proportion of patients in the placebo arm receiving poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors after progression, confirming the combination as one of the standards of care in this setting with the potential to enhance cure.

Hydrological, thermal and chemical influence of an intact rock glacier discharge on mountain stream water.

Rock glaciers are the most prominent permafrost-related mountain landforms. This study investigates the effects of the discharge from an intact rock glacier on the hydrological, thermal and chemical dynamics of a high-elevation stream in the NW Italian Alps. Despite draining only 39 % of the watershed area, the rock glacier sourced a disproportionately large amount of discharge to the stream, with the highest relative contribution to the catchment streamflow occurring in late summer - early autumn (up to 63 %). However, ice melt was estimated to be only a minor component to the discharge of the rock glacier, due to its insulating coarse debris mantle. The sedimentological characteristics and internal hydrological system of the rock glacier played a major role in its capability to store and transmit relevant amounts of groundwater, especially during the baseflow periods. Besides the hydrological influence, the cold and solute-enriched discharge from the rock glacier significantly lowered the stream water temperature (especially during warm atmospheric periods) as well as increased the concentrations of most solutes in the stream. Furthermore, in the two lobes forming the rock glacier, different internal hydrological systems and flowpaths, likely driven by different permafrost and ice content, caused contrasting hydrological and chemical behaviours. Indeed, higher hydrological contributions and significant seasonal trends in solute concentrations were found in the lobe with higher permafrost and ice content. Our results highlight the relevance of rock glaciers as water resources, despite the minor ice melt contribution, also suggesting their potential, increasing hydrological importance in the light of climate warming.

Matrix Gla Protein drives stemness and tumor initiation in ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer (OC) displays the highest mortality among gynecological tumors, mainly due to early peritoneal dissemination, the high frequency of tumor relapse following primary debulking, and the development of chemoresistance. All these events are thought to be initiated and sustained by a subpopulation of neoplastic cells, termed ovarian cancer stem cells (OCSC), that are endowed with self-renewing and tumor-initiating properties. This implies that interfering with OCSC function should offer novel therapeutic perspectives to defeat OC progression. To this aim, a better understanding of the molecular and functional makeup of OCSC in clinically relevant model systems is essential. We have profiled the transcriptome of OCSC vs. their bulk cell counterpart from a panel of patient-derived OC cell cultures. This revealed that Matrix Gla Protein (MGP), classically known as a calcification-preventing factor in cartilage and blood vessels, is markedly enriched in OCSC. Functional assays showed that MGP confers several stemness-associated traits to OC cells, including a transcriptional reprogramming. Patient-derived organotypic cultures pointed to the peritoneal microenvironment as a major inducer of MGP expression in OC cells. Furthermore, MGP was found to be necessary and sufficient for tumor initiation in OC mouse models, by shortening tumor latency and increasing dramatically the frequency of tumor-initiating cells. Mechanistically, MGP-driven OC stemness was mediated by the stimulation of Hedgehog signaling, in particular through the induction of the Hedgehog effector GLI1, thus highlighting a novel MGP/Hedgehog pathway axis in OCSC. Finally, MGP expression was found to correlate with poor prognosis in OC patients, and was increased in tumor tissue after chemotherapy, supporting the clinical relevance of our findings. Thus, MGP is a novel driver in OCSC pathophysiology, with a major role in stemness and in tumor initiation.

INOVATYON/ ENGOT-ov5 study: Randomized phase III international study comparing trabectedin/pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) followed by platinum at progression vs carboplatin/PLD in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer progressing within 6-12 months after last platinum line.

BACKGROUND: This trial investigated the hypothesis that the treatment with trabectedin/PLD (TP) to extend the platinum-free interval (TFIp) can improve overall survival (OS) in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer (OC). METHODS: Patients with OC (up to two previous platinum-based lines), with a TFIp of 6-12 months, were randomised to receive carboplatin/PLD (CP) or TP followed by platinum therapy at relapse. The primary endpoint was OS (HR: 0.75). RESULTS: The study enrolled 617 patients. The median TFIp was 8.3 months and 30.3% of patients had received two previous platinum lines. 74% and 73.9% of patients, respectively, received a subsequent therapy (ST) in the CP and TP arm; in the latter TP arm 87.2% of ST was platinum-based, as per protocol. The median OS was 21.4 for CP and 21.9 months for TP (HR 1.13; 95% CI: 0.94-1.35; p = 0.197). Grade 3-5 adverse reactions occurred in 37.1% of patients in the CP arm and 69.7% of patients in the TP arm, and the most frequent were neutropenia (22.8% CP, 39.5% TP), gastrointestinal (7.1% CP, 17.4% TP), hepatic (0.7% CP, 19.1% TP). CONCLUSIONS: This study did not meet the primary endpoint. CP combination remains the standard for patients with recurrent OC and a 6-12 months TFIp; TP is an effective treatment in patients suffering from persistent platinum toxicities. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01379989.

Alternative academic approaches for testing homologous recombination deficiency in ovarian cancer in the MITO16A/MaNGO-OV2 trial.

BACKGROUND: The detection of homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) can identify patients who are more responsive to platinum and poly ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi). MyChoice CDx (Myriad) is the most used HRD test in ovarian cancer (OC). However, some limitations of commercial tests exist, because of the high rate of inconclusive results, costs, and the impossibility of evaluating functional resistance mechanisms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two academic genomic tests and a functional assay, the RAD51 foci, were evaluated to detect HRD. One hundred patients with high-grade OC enrolled in the MITO16A/MaNGO-OV2 trial and treated with first-line therapy with carboplatin, paclitaxel, and bevacizumab were analyzed. RESULTS: The failure rate of the two genomic assays was 2%. The sensitivity in detecting HRD when compared with Myriad was 98.1% and 90.6%, respectively. The agreement rate with Myriad was 0.92 and 0.87, with a Cohen's κ coefficient corresponding to 0.84 and 0.74, respectively. For the RAD51 foci assay, the failure rate was 30%. When the test was successful, discordant results for deficient and proficient tumors were observed, and additional HRD patients were identified compared to Myriad; sensitivity was 82.9%, agreement rate was 0.65, and Cohen's κ coefficient was 0.18. The HRD detected by genomic assays and residual tumor at primary surgery and stage was correlated with progression-free survival at multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest the feasibility of academic tests for assessing HRD status that show robust concordance with Myriad and correlation with clinical outcome. The contribution of the functional information related to the RAD51 foci test to the genomic data needs further investigation.

Efficacy of subsequent chemotherapy for patients with BRCA1/2-mutated recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer progressing on olaparib versus placebo maintenance: post-hoc analyses of the SOLO2/ENGOT Ov-21 trial.

BACKGROUND: In the SOLO2 trial (ENGOT Ov-21; NCT01874353), maintenance olaparib in patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer (PSROC) and BRCA mutation significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) and prolonged overall survival (OS). Following disease progression on olaparib, efficacy of subsequent chemotherapy remains unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a post-hoc hypothesis-generating analysis of SOLO2 data to determine the efficacy of different chemotherapy regimens following RECIST disease progression in patients who received olaparib or placebo. We evaluated time to second progression (TTSP) calculated from the date of RECIST progression to the next progression/death. RESULTS: The study population comprised 147 patients who received chemotherapy as their first subsequent treatment after RECIST progression. Of these, 69 (47%) and 78 (53%) were originally randomized to placebo and olaparib arms, respectively. In the placebo-treated cohort, 27/69 and 42/69 received non-platinum and platinum-based chemotherapy, respectively, compared with 24/78 and 54/78, respectively, in the olaparib-treated cohort. Among patients treated with chemotherapy (N = 147), TTSP was significantly longer in the placebo than in the olaparib arm: 12.1 versus 6.9 months [hazard ratio (HR) 2.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.47-3.19]. Similar result was obtained on multivariable analysis adjusting for prognostic factors at RECIST progression (HR 2.13, 95% CI 1.41-3.22). Among patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy (n = 96), TTSP was significantly longer in the placebo arm: 14.3 versus 7.0 months (HR 2.89, 95% CI 1.73-4.82). Conversely, among patients treated with non-platinum-based chemotherapy (n = 51), the TTSP was comparable in the placebo and olaparib arms: 8.3 versus 6.0 months (HR 1.58, 95% CI 0.86-2.90). CONCLUSIONS: Following progression from maintenance olaparib in the recurrent setting, the efficacy of platinum-based subsequent chemotherapy seems to be reduced in BRCA1/2-mutated patients with PSROC compared to patients not previously receiving poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi). The optimal strategy for patients who relapse after PARPi is an area of ongoing research.

The impact of olaparib dose reduction and treatment interruption on treatment outcome in the SOLO2/ENGOT-ov21 platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: Maintenance treatment with poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor is now the standard of care in patients with BRCA-mutated platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer following response to chemotherapy. In the SOLO2 trial, adverse event (AE)-associated olaparib interruption, dose reduction, and discontinuation occurred in 50%, 28%, and 17% of patients, respectively. We used data from the SOLO2 trial to evaluate the impact of dose alterations on survival outcomes and identified baseline characteristics associated with dose alteration. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We computed relative dose intensity (RDI) defined as the received dose as a percentage of the standard dose (300 mg twice a day) during the first 12 weeks on treatment. Patients were categorized into RDI >98%, RDI 90%-98%, and RDI <90%. The association between RDI categories with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were examined using a 12-week landmark Cox regression analysis. Logistic regression analysis was used to correlate baseline factors with RDI at 12 weeks. RESULTS: In patients on olaparib included in the landmark analysis (n = 185), the mean 12-week RDI was 91.4%. There was no significant difference across 12-week RDI >98% (n = 110), 90%-98% (n = 29), and <90% (n = 45) categories for PFS (median, 14.2 versus 19.3 versus 34.4 months; P = 0.37) and OS (median, 49.7 versus 49.5 versus 54.1 months; P = 0.84). Risk of RDI ≤90% increased with baseline performance status 1 [odds ratio (OR): 2.54; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11-5.82] any nausea (OR: 3.17; 95% CI: 0.9-11.23), and with body weight ≤70 kg (OR: 1.86; 95% CI: 0.92-3.76). CONCLUSIONS: Dose reduction and interruption for the management of olaparib-associated AEs during the first 12 weeks did not impact on PFS and OS. When counselling patients requiring dose reductions or interruptions due to AEs, the results of this study will help assure patients that their outcomes will not be adversely affected.

Olaparib maintenance monotherapy in platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer patients without a germline BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation: OPINION primary analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The phase IIIb OPINION trial (NCT03402841) investigated olaparib maintenance monotherapy in patients without a deleterious or suspected deleterious germline BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation (gBRCAm) who had platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer (PSROC) and had received ≥2 previous lines of platinum-based chemotherapy. METHODS: In this single-arm, open-label, international study, patients who had responded to platinum-based chemotherapy received maintenance olaparib tablets (300 mg twice daily) until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) (modified RECIST version 1.1). A key secondary endpoint was PFS by homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) and somatic BRCAm (sBRCAm) status. The primary analysis of PFS was planned for 18 months after the last patient received their first dose. RESULTS: Two hundred and seventy-nine patients were enrolled and received olaparib. At data cutoff (October 2, 2020), 210 PFS events had occurred (75.3% maturity) and median PFS was 9.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.6-10.9) in the overall population. At 12 and 18 months, 38.5% and 24.3% of patients were progression-free, respectively. In the predefined biomarker subgroups, median PFS was 16.4, 11.1, 9.7, and 7.3 months in sBRCAm, HRD-positive including sBRCAm, HRD-positive excluding sBRCAm, and HRD-negative patients, respectively. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were nausea (48.4%) and fatigue/asthenia (44.1%). TEAEs led to dose interruption, dose reduction, and treatment discontinuation in 47.0%, 22.6%, and 7.5% of patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: Maintenance olaparib demonstrated clinical benefit in patients without a gBRCAm, and across all subgroups, compared with historical placebo controls. There were no new safety signals.

European experts consensus: BRCA/homologous recombination deficiency testing in first-line ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: Homologous recombination repair (HRR) enables fault-free repair of double-stranded DNA breaks. HRR deficiency is predicted to occur in around half of high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas. Ovarian cancers harbouring HRR deficiency typically exhibit sensitivity to poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi). Current guidelines recommend a range of approaches for genetic testing to identify predictors of sensitivity to PARPi in ovarian cancer and to identify genetic predisposition. DESIGN: To establish a European-wide consensus for genetic testing (including the genetic care pathway), decision making and clinical management of patients with recently diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer, and the validity of biomarkers to predict the effectiveness of PARPi in the first-line setting. The collaborative European experts' consensus group consisted of a steering committee (n = 14) and contributors (n = 84). A (modified) Delphi process was used to establish consensus statements based on a systematic literature search, conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. RESULTS: A consensus was reached on 34 statements amongst 98 caregivers (including oncologists, pathologists, clinical geneticists, genetic researchers, and patient advocates). The statements concentrated on (i) the value of testing for BRCA1/2 mutations and HRR deficiency testing, including when and whom to test; (ii) the importance of developing new and better HRR deficiency tests; (iii) the importance of germline non-BRCA HRR and mismatch repair gene mutations for predicting familial risk, but not for predicting sensitivity to PARPi, in the first-line setting; (iv) who should be able to inform patients about genetic testing, and what training and education should these caregivers receive. CONCLUSION: These consensus recommendations, from a multidisciplinary panel of experts from across Europe, provide clear guidance on the use of BRCA and HRR deficiency testing for recently diagnosed patients with advanced ovarian cancer.

Maintenance therapy of patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian carcinoma with the anti-tumor-associated-mucin-1 antibody gatipotuzumab: results from a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, phase II study.

BACKGROUND: Gatipotuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody recognizing the carbohydrate-induced epitope of the tumor-associated mucin-1 (TA-MUC1). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of switch maintenance therapy with gatipotuzumab in patients with TA-MUC1-positive recurrent ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary high-grade serous peritoneal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, phase II trial, patients with at least stable disease (SD) following chemotherapy were randomized 2:1 to receive intravenous gatipotuzumab (500 mg followed by 1700 mg 1 week later) or placebo every 3 weeks until tumor progression or unacceptable toxicity occurred. Stratification factors were the number of prior chemotherapy lines (2 versus 3-5), response versus SD after the most recent chemotherapy, and progression-free survival (PFS) <6 versus 6-12 months following the prior therapy. Primary endpoint was PFS according to modified immune-related RECIST 1.1 response criteria. Secondary endpoints were PFS at 6 months, safety, overall response rate, CA-125 progression, overall survival, quality of life, and pharmacokinetics. RESULTS: Overall, 216 patients were randomized to gatipotuzumab (n  = 151) or placebo (n  = 65). Median PFS with gatipotuzumab was 3.5 months as compared with 3.5 months with placebo (hazard ratio 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.69-1.33, P  = 0.80). No advantage for gatipotuzumab over placebo was seen in the secondary efficacy endpoints or in any stratified subgroups. Gatipotuzumab was well tolerated, with mild to moderate infusion-related reactions being the most common adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Gatipotuzumab switch maintenance therapy does not improve outcome in TA-MUC1-positive ovarian cancer patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.govNCT01899599; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01899599.