Weekly Versus Bolus Cisplatin Concurrent With Definitive Radiation Therapy for Squamous Carcinoma of the Head and Neck: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

PURPOSE: The schedule of cisplatin concurrent with definitive radiation for squamous carcinoma of the head and neck remains controversial. Most institutions deliver either a high-dose "bolus" schedule once every 3 weeks or a low-dose weekly schedule. We compared these 2 schedules via a simplified network meta-analysis with a common comparator. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We performed a PRISMA-concordant systematic review to identify randomized controlled trials comparing cisplatin with cetuximab for nonmetastatic, locoregionally advanced squamous carcinoma of the head and neck treated with definitive radiation. Trials incorporating primary surgery or induction therapy were excluded. Patient survival times were extracted on a per-event basis from the published curves using a digitizer and validated against published point estimates and hazard ratios (HRs). Survival was compared using random effects Cox regression under a frequentist framework. Toxicity and secondary endpoints were analyzed qualitatively. The Cochrane method assessed the risk of bias. The analysis plan was preregistered with the Open Science Foundation. RESULTS: Five randomized trials were identified, including 1678 patients. There was no statistical difference in overall survival between weekly and bolus regimens (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.53-1.52, P = .345). This Cox model suggested that for the average patient in the cohort, the absolute difference in 5-year overall survival between weekly and bolus regimens was +1.2% (95% CI, -6.1%-+5.9%, P = .345). Secondary endpoints and toxicity were not obviously different by regimen, qualitatively. CONCLUSIONS: The cetuximab trials provide indirect data suggesting that the differences between cisplatin schedules are subtle.

Radiation therapy for cT1-2 carcinoma of the palatine tonsil diagnosed via a simple tonsillectomy: Dosimetry and patterns of care in the IMRT era.

OBJECTIVE: Small carcinomas of the palatine tonsil are often diagnosed via simple tonsillectomy, a maneuver with non-therapeutic intent. Herein, practice patterns for this unique situation are evaluated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed across 10 facilities to identify patients with cT1-2 squamous carcinomas of the tonsil diagnosed by simple tonsillectomy between 2010 and 2018. Patients who received curative-intent intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) without additional surgery were included. Target volumes were reviewed, and cumulative incidences of local failure and severe late dysphagia were calculated. RESULTS: From 638 oropharyngeal patients, 91 were diagnosed via simple tonsillectomy. Definitive IMRT with no additional surgery to the primary site was utilized in 57, and three with gross residual disease were excluded, leaving 54 for analysis. Margins were negative in 13%, close (<5 mm) in 13%, microscopically positive in 61%, and not reported in 13%. Doses typically delivered to gross disease (68-70.2 Gy in 33-35 fx or 66 Gy/30 fx) were prescribed to the tonsil bed in 37 (69%). Sixteen patients (29%) received doses from 60 to 66 Gy (≤2 Gy/fx) and one received 50 Gy (2 Gy/fx). No local failures were observed. One late oropharyngeal soft tissue ulcer occurred, treated conservatively (grade 2). At five years, the cumulative incidence of severe late dysphagia was 17.4% (95% CI 6.1-28.8%). CONCLUSION: Small tonsil carcinomas diagnosed by simple tonsillectomy represent a niche subset with favorable oncologic outcomes. Regardless, radiation oncologists tend to deliver full-dose to the tonsil bed. The necessity of this routine could be questioned in the modern era.

Defining targets to improve care delivery for T4 larynx squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: United States oncology trends consistently demonstrate that nearly half of T4a larynx carcinoma patients are treated with larynx preservation, despite national guidelines favoring laryngectomy. This study identifies clinical decision-making drivers and defines patient subsets that should become targets for care improvement. Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients with cT4 squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx from US National Cancer Database 2005-2016. Demographic data and survival rates between clinical pathways were compared. Survival was estimated by Kaplan-Meier method with statistical comparisons assessed by log-rank test. Results: Of 11,556 patients with cT4 disease, laryngectomy (TL) was the initial treatment for 4627 (40%) patients. Larynx preservation via chemoradiation (CRT) occurred for 4307 patients. TL and CRT patients had similar Charlson-Deyo comorbidity indices and insurance status. TL patients had higher total tumor size, lower N3 rates and were more often seen at academic institutions (p < .0001). N0 surgery patients with adjuvant treatment demonstrated superior median survival (MS) compared to CRT (surgery + radiation MS: 69 months, surgery + chemoradiation MS: 66, CRT MS: 37.7), p < .0001. MS for N1/N2 disease patients was 56.5 months for surgery + radiation and 35.5 months for surgery + CRT, superior to CRT, MS 30.8 months, p < .0001. Tri-modality N3 patients with up front surgery had similar MS compared to CRT (surgery + chemoradiation 21.3 months vs. CRT 16.1), p = .95. Conclusion: National quality improvement initiatives are needed to promote guideline adherence and improve survival in advanced larynx cancer. Targets for such initiatives should be patients with limited or no nodal disease burden, that meet clear T4a imaging criteria. Level of Evidence: Level IV, non-randomized controlled cohort.

Impact of a Clinical Genomics Program on Trial Accrual for Targeted Treatments: Practical Approach Overcoming Barriers to Accrual for Underserved Patients.

PURPOSE: Clinical trials of novel and targeted agents increasingly require biomarkers for eligibility. Precision oncology continues to evolve, but challenges hamper broad use of molecular profiling (MP) that could increase the number of patients benefiting from targeted therapy. We implemented an integrated clinical genomics program (CGP), including a virtual Molecular Tumor Board (MTB), and examined its impact on MP use and impact on clinical trial accrual in a multisite regional-based cancer system with an emphasis on effects for isolated clinicians. METHODS: We assessed MP and MTB use from 2010 to 2020 by practice location, physician experience, and patient characteristics. Use of MTB-recommended treatments was assessed. Clinical trial enrollment was evaluated for patients with MP versus MP and MTB review. RESULTS: After CGP implementation, the number of physicians using MP and the number of MP tests increased ≥ 10-fold. The proportion of Hispanic patients with MP was the same as that in the system (both 2%) with marginal differences observed in the proportion of African Americans tested compared with the system population (16% v 19%). Physicians followed MTB treatment recommendations in 74% of cases. Rapid clinical decline was the most common reason why physicians did not follow MTB recommendations. Clinical trial accrual was 15% (669 of 4,459) for patients with MP alone and 28% (94 of 334) with both MP and MTB review. Clinical trial availability and patient out-of-pocket costs affected MP use. CONCLUSION: Integrating CGP into clinical workflow with decision support tools, trial matching, and management of patient costs led to increased use of MP by physicians with all levels of experience, enhanced clinical trial accrual, and has the potential to reduce disparities in MP.

Identifying an oligometastatic phenotype in HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer: Implications for clinical trial design.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with human papillomavirus (HPV) associated squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx (SCC-OP) have improved overall survival (OS) after distant metastasis (DM) compared to HPV negative patients. These patients may be appropriate candidates for enrollment on clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of metastasis-directed therapy (MDT). This study seeks to identify prognostic factors associated with OS after DM, which could serve as enrollment criteria for such trials. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From an IRB approved multi-institutional database, we retrospectively identified patients with HPV/p16 positive SCC-OP diagnosed between 2001 and 2018. Patterns of distant failure were assessed, including number of lesions at diagnosis and sites of involvement. The primary outcome was OS after DM. Prognostic factors for OS after DM were identified with Cox proportional hazards. Stepwise approach was used for multivariable analysis. RESULTS: We identified 621 patients with HPV-associated SCC-OP, of whom 82 (13.2%) were diagnosed with DM. Median OS after DM was 14.6 months. On multivariable analysis, smoking history and number of lesions were significantly associated with prolonged OS. Median OS after DM by smoking (never vs ever) was 37.6 vs 11.2 months (p = 0.006), and by lesion number (1 vs 2-4 vs 5 or more) was 41.2 vs 17.2 vs 10.8 months (p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Among patients with newly diagnosed metastatic HPV-associated SCC-OP, lesion number and smoking status were associated with significantly prolonged overall survival. These factors should be incorporated into the design of clinical trials investigating the utility of MDT, with or without systemic therapy, in this population.

Rethinking the 10-pack-year rule for favorable human papillomavirus-associated oropharynx carcinoma: A multi-institution analysis.

BACKGROUND: De-intensified treatment strategies for early human papillomavirus-positive (HPV+) oropharynx cancer (OPC) rely on selecting patients with an excellent prognosis. The criterion for enrollment in current de-intensification trials is ≤10 pack-years. More nuance to the pack-year criteria may expand enrollment, improve patient outcomes, and prevent overtreatment. It was hypothesized that patients with more than 10 pack-years may experience favorable outcomes if smoking cessation has been achieved. METHODS: From an institutional review board-approved database, patients with HPV+ oropharyngeal squamous carcinoma treated definitively with radiation with or without chemotherapy were retrospectively identified. Patients with a history of smoking who were eligible for national de-intensification trials were included (cT1-2N1-2b or T3N0-2b [American Joint Committee on Cancer, seventh edition]). Cox regression with penalized smoothing splines was used to evaluate nonlinear effects of cessation. Recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) was used to objectively search for relationships between the 2 colinear variables (pack-years and time since cessation). RESULTS: Among 330 patients meeting the inclusion criteria, 130 (40%) were never smokers, 139 (42%) were former smokers, and 61 (18%) were current smokers. With standard therapy, all former smokers achieved a progression-free survival (PFS) rate higher than 91%, regardless of pack-year exposure. Nonlinear Cox regression demonstrated that more recent cessation was associated with significantly worse PFS even among those with ≤20 pack-years. RPA demonstrated that only current smokers experienced a 2-year PFS rate lower than 91%; former smokers, regardless of pack-years, experienced a 2-year PFS rate higher than 91%. CONCLUSIONS: The 10-pack-year rule may not apply to all early HPV+ OPCs, particularly for former smokers. Future randomized de-intensification trials should consider a broader and more nuanced approach until the predictive role of smoking status is established.

Gene Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer.

Although overall cancer death rates are decreasing, comparative improvements in head and neck squamous cell cancer are modest. Although new advances targeting immune checkpoints may soon improve these numbers, additional research for new therapeutic options is vital. One potential treatment avenue is the use of gene therapy. This article provides insight into some gene therapy targets and varied techniques being evaluated for patients with head and neck cancer. Techniques include corrective gene therapy, cytoreductive gene therapy, and gene editing, in addition to a discussion on gene therapy vectors.

Tamoxifen Dose Escalation in Patients With Diminished CYP2D6 Activity Normalizes Endoxifen Concentrations Without Increasing Toxicity.

BACKGROUND: Polymorphic CYP2D6 is primarily responsible for metabolic activation of tamoxifen to endoxifen. We previously reported that by increasing the daily tamoxifen dose to 40 mg/day in CYP2D6 intermediate metabolizer (IM), but not poor metabolizer (PM), patients achieve endoxifen concentrations similar to those of extensive metabolizer patients on 20 mg/day. We expanded enrollment to assess the safety of CYP2D6 genotype-guided dose escalation and investigate concentration differences between races. METHODS: PM and IM breast cancer patients currently receiving tamoxifen at 20 mg/day were enrolled for genotype-guided escalation to 40 mg/day. Endoxifen was measured at baseline and after 4 months. Quality-of-life data were collected using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) and Breast Cancer Prevention Trial Menopausal Symptom Scale at baseline and after 4 months. RESULTS: In 353 newly enrolled patients, genotype-guided dose escalation eliminated baseline concentration differences in IM (p = .08), but not PM (p = .009), patients. Endoxifen concentrations were similar in black and white patients overall (p = .63) and within CYP2D6 phenotype groups (p > .05). In the quality-of-life analysis of 480 patients, dose escalation did not meaningfully diminish quality of life; in fact, improvements were seen in several measures including the FACT Breast Cancer subscale (p = .004) and limitations in range of motion (p < .0001) in IM patients. CONCLUSION: Differences in endoxifen concentration during treatment can be eliminated by doubling the tamoxifen dose in IM patients, without an appreciable effect on quality of life. Validation of the association between endoxifen concentration and efficacy or prospective demonstration of improved efficacy is necessary to warrant clinical uptake of this personalized treatment strategy. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This secondary analysis of a prospective CYP2D6 genotype-guided tamoxifen dose escalation study confirms that escalation to 40 mg/day in patients with low-activity CYP2D6 phenotypes (poor or intermediate metabolizers) increases endoxifen concentrations without any obvious increases in treatment-related toxicity. It remains unknown whether endoxifen concentration is a useful predictor of tamoxifen efficacy, and thus, there is no current role in clinical practice for CYP2D6 genotype-guided tamoxifen dose adjustment. If future studies confirm the importance of endoxifen concentrations for tamoxifen efficacy and report a target concentration, this study provides guidance for a dose-adjustment approach that could maximize efficacy while maintaining patient quality of life.

New strategies in immunotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer.

Treatment for the most common form of cancer (lung cancer) has historically involved use of cytotoxic chemotherapy. With the advent of mutation analysis, more therapies beyond traditional cytotoxics have been discovered. Most recently, the use of immunotherapy has entered the treatment arsenal of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This review aims to summarize the current and future use of immunotherapy in the treatment of NSCLC.

In vivo assessment of the metabolic activity of CYP2D6 diplotypes and alleles.

AIMS: A prospectively enrolled patient cohort was used to assess whether the prediction of CYP2D6 phenotype activity from genotype data could be improved by reclassification of diplotypes or alleles. METHODS: Three hundred and fifty-five patients receiving tamoxifen 20 mg were genotyped for CYP2D6 and tamoxifen metabolite concentrations were measured. The endoxifen : N-desmethly-tamoxifen metabolic ratio, as a surrogate of CYP2D6 activity, was compared across four diplotypes (EM/IM, EM/PM, IM/IM, IM/PM) that are typically collapsed into an intermediate metabolizer (IM) phenotype. The relative metabolic activity of each allele type (UM, EM, IM, and PM) and each EM and IM allele was estimated for comparison with the activity scores typically assigned, 2, 1, 0.5 and 0, respectively. RESULTS: Each of the four IM diplotypes have distinct CYP2D6 activity from each other and from the EM and PM phenotype groups (each P < 0.05). Setting the activity of an EM allele at 1.0, the relative activities of a UM, IM and PM allele were 0.85, 0.67 and 0.52, respectively. The activity of the EM alleles were statistically different (P < 0.0001), with the CYP2D6*2 allele (scaled activity = 0.63) closer in activity to an IM than an EM allele. The activity of the IM alleles were also statistically different (P = 0.014). CONCLUSION: The current systems for translating CYP2D6 genotype into phenotype are not optimally calibrated, particularly in regards to IM diplotypes and the *2 allele. Additional research is needed to improve the prediction of CYP2D6 activity from genetic data for individualized dosing of CYP2D6 dependent drugs.

New targets and new mechanisms in lung cancer.

With the advent of the importance of histology in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the development of targeted agents that work on newly found mutations, the field of lung cancer therapy has greatly changed. In addition to new uses of chemotherapeutics and targeted agents, the possibilities of immunotherapy are also being explored. This review will describe the well-known use of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antibodies; the current uses of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine kinase inhibitors; newer agents being used against MET, fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR), and other intracellular targets; insights regarding the field of immunotherapy in lung cancer; and finally, newer developments in chemotherapy.

Adjuvant systemic therapy in young women.

About a third of all newly diagnosed breast cancers occur in women under the age of 50 [1,2]. Young women face many of the same adjuvant treatment issues that their postmenopausal counterparts encounter. Unfortunately, they also experience issues that are unique to their age, their hormonal status, and their longer life expectancy. We will examine the issues regarding cytotoxic and biologic therapy as well as the controversies regarding optimal endocrine and chemoendocrine therapy in the premenopausal woman, and we will explore some of the survivorship issues faced by young women after breast cancer therapy.