SWOG 1609 cohort 48: anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 for advanced gallbladder cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Most patients with advanced gallbladder cancer are treated with multiagent chemotherapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors offer the possibility of a durable response with less toxicity. This prospective, multicenter, open-label study was designed to evaluate the anticancer activity of nivolumab plus ipilimumab in patients with advanced gallbladder cancer. METHODS: Nineteen patients with advanced gallbladder cancer refractory to ≥1 previous therapy received nivolumab 240 mg intravenously every 2 weeks and ipilimumab 1 mg/kg intravenously every 6 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary end point was confirmed radiographic overall response rate (ORR) (complete response [CR] + partial response [PR] confirmed on subsequent scan); secondary end points included unconfirmed overall response, clinical benefit rate (confirmed and unconfirmed responses + stable disease >6 months), progression-free survival, overall survival, and toxicity. RESULTS: The confirmed ORR was 16% (CR, n = 1 [5%]; PR, n = 2 [11%]); all were microsatellite stable, and the confirmed CR had undetectable programmed death-ligand 1 by immunohistochemistry. The unconfirmed ORR and clinical benefit rates were both 32%. The median duration of response was 14.8 months (range, 4-35.1+ months). The 6-month progression-free survival was 26% (95% CI, 12-55). The median overall survival was 7.0 months (95% CI, 3.9-19.1). The most common toxicities were fatigue (32%), anemia (26%), and anorexia (26%). Aspartate aminotransferase elevation was the most common grade 3/4 toxicity (11%). There was 1 possibly related death (sepsis with attendant hepatic failure). CONCLUSIONS: Ipilimumab plus nivolumab was well tolerated and showed modest efficacy with durable responses in previously treated patients with advanced gallbladder cancer. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02834013 (ClincialTrials.gov). PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: This prospective study assessed the efficacy and safety of nivolumab plus ipilimumab in 19 patients with advanced gallbladder cancer refractory to previous therapy. The combination demonstrated modest efficacy with a 16% confirmed overall response rate, durable responses, and manageable toxicities, suggesting potential benefits for this challenging patient population.

Phase I/II Trial of Carboplatin, Nab-paclitaxel, and Pembrolizumab for Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Hoosier Cancer Research Network LUN13-175.

BACKGROUND: Combination chemotherapy and immunotherapy regimens have significantly improved survival for patients with previously untreated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Improvements in overall survival (OS) in two separate pembrolizumab trials have demonstrated survival improvements over chemotherapy alone, regardless of PD-L1 status. The optimal chemotherapy backbone for combination with immunotherapy is unknown. We hypothesized nab-paclitaxel may be a well-suited platinum partner to use in combination with checkpoint inhibitor therapy for both adenocarcinoma and squamous histology and conducted a phase I/II trial to assess the efficacy of this regimen in advanced NSCLC. METHODS: Adult patients with previously untreated, stage IIIB/IV NSCLC (any histology) with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-1, any PD-L1 expression, and no EGFR mutations or ALK translocations, received carboplatin area under the curve (AUC) 6 day 1, nab-paclitaxel 100 mg/m2 days 1, 8, 15, and pembrolizumab 200 mg day 1 q21 days for 4 cycles followed by maintenance pembrolizumab q3w. Co-primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall response rate (ORR). RESULTS: Forty-six evaluable patients enrolled, 14 in phase I and 32 in phase II, from June 2015 to July 2018 with a median duration of follow-up of 35.4 months. Median time from enrollment to data lock was 42 months. In the ITT population, the ORR was 35%, median PFS was 5.6 months (95% CI, 4.6-8.2), and median OS was 15.4 months (CI, 12.4-28.1). There were no statistical differences in PFS or OS by PD-L1 status. The 2- and 3-year landmark OS rates were 33% and 24%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Carboplatin, nab-paclitaxel, and pembrolizumab are a safe and effective regimen for patients with both squamous and nonsquamous NSCLC. Although this study did not meet the prespecified endpoints, the median and landmark OS results are consistent with durable benefit of this regimen as seen in phase III trials for first-line treatment of advanced NSCLC.

Artificial Intelligence-Powered Hematoxylin and Eosin Analyzer Reveals Distinct Immunologic and Mutational Profiles among Immune Phenotypes in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

The tumor microenvironment can be classified into three immune phenotypes: inflamed, immune excluded, and immune-desert. Immunotherapy efficacy has been shown to vary by phenotype; yet, the mechanisms are poorly understood and demand further investigation. This study unveils the mechanisms using an artificial intelligence-powered software called Lunit SCOPE. Artificial intelligence was used to classify 965 samples of non-small-cell lung carcinoma from The Cancer Genome Atlas into the three immune phenotypes. The immune and mutational profiles that shape each phenotype using xCell, gene set enrichment analysis with RNA-sequencing data, and cBioportal were described. In the inflamed subtype, which showed higher cytolytic score, the enriched pathways were generally associated with immune response and immune-related cell types were highly expressed. In the immune excluded subtype, enriched glycolysis, fatty acid, and cholesterol metabolism pathways were observed. The KRAS mutation, BRAF mutation, and MET splicing variant were mostly observed in the inflamed subtype. The two prominent mutations found in the immune excluded subtype were EGFR and PIK3CA mutations. This study is the first to report the distinct immunologic and mutational landscapes of immune phenotypes, and demonstrates the biological relevance of the classification. In light of these findings, the study offers insights into potential treatment options tailored to each immune phenotype.

A Comprehensive Landscape of De Novo Malignancy After Double Lung Transplantation.

Although the association between post-transplant malignancy (PTM) and immunosuppressive therapy after organ transplantation has been studied, an integrated review of PTM after lung transplantation is lacking. We investigated the incidence and types of de novo PTM and its impact on survival following double lung transplantation (DLT). The incidence and type of PTM as well as the annual and cumulative risks of each malignancy after DLT were analyzed. The overall survival (OS) of recipients with or without PTM was compared by the Kaplan-Meier survival method and landmark analysis. There were 5,629 cases (23.52%) with 27 types of PTMs and incidences and OS varied according to the types of PTMs. The recipients with PTM showed a significantly longer OS than those without PTM (p < 0.001). However, while the recipients with PTM showed significantly better OS at 3, and 5 years (p < 0.001, p = 0.007), it was worse at the 10-year landmark time (p = 0.013). And the single PTM group showed a worse OS rate than the multiple PTM group (p < 0.001). This comprehensive report on PTM following DLT can help understand the risks and timing of PTM to improve the implementation of screening and treatment.

Response to Nivolumab and Ipilimumab in Microsatellite Instability-High (MSI-H) Cervical Carcinoma with Acquired Resistance to Pembrolizumab: A Case Report and Literature Review.

As the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in treating a variety of cancer types has increased in recent years, so too have the number of reports on patients acquiring resistance to these therapies. Overcoming acquired resistance to immunotherapy remains an important need in the field of immuno-oncology. Herein, we present a case that suggests sequential administration of combination immunotherapy may be beneficial to advanced cervical cancer patients exhibiting acquired resistance to mono-immunotherapy. The patient's tumor is microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H), which is an important biomarker in predicting ICI response. Results from recent interim prospective studies using combination immunotherapy (eg, nivolumab and ipilimumab) with anti-PD-1 plus anti-CTLA-4 inhibitor following progression on anti-PD-1 inhibitors (eg, nivolumab) have shown anti-tumor activity in patients with advanced melanoma and metastatic urothelial carcinoma. We also introduce retrospective studies and case reports/case series of dual checkpoint inhibition with anti-PD-1 inhibitor plus anti-CTLA-4 inhibitor after progression on prior anti-PD/PD-L1 monotherapy. To date, there has been no prospective study on the use of combined anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 therapy at the time of progression on anti-PD-1 therapy in patients with MSI-H tumors or advanced cervical cancer. In this report, we provide evidence that supports future investigations into such treatments.

Artificial Intelligence-based Radiomics in the Era of Immuno-oncology.

The recent, rapid advances in immuno-oncology have revolutionized cancer treatment and spurred further research into tumor biology. Yet, cancer patients respond variably to immunotherapy despite mounting evidence to support its efficacy. Current methods for predicting immunotherapy response are unreliable, as these tests cannot fully account for tumor heterogeneity and microenvironment. An improved method for predicting response to immunotherapy is needed. Recent studies have proposed radiomics-the process of converting medical images into quantitative data (features) that can be processed using machine learning algorithms to identify complex patterns and trends-for predicting response to immunotherapy. Because patients undergo numerous imaging procedures throughout the course of the disease, there exists a wealth of radiological imaging data available for training radiomics models. And because radiomic features reflect cancer biology, such as tumor heterogeneity and microenvironment, these models have enormous potential to predict immunotherapy response more accurately than current methods. Models trained on preexisting biomarkers and/or clinical outcomes have demonstrated potential to improve patient stratification and treatment outcomes. In this review, we discuss current applications of radiomics in oncology, followed by a discussion on recent studies that use radiomics to predict immunotherapy response and toxicity.

A phase II basket trial of Dual Anti-CTLA-4 and Anti-PD-1 Blockade in Rare Tumors (DART) SWOG S1609: High-grade neuroendocrine neoplasm cohort.

BACKGROUND: The authors previously reported the results of the nonpancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm cohort of the SWOG S1609 DART (Dual Anti-CTLA-4 and Anti-PD-1 Blockade in Rare Tumors) trial, which permitted all histologic grades and had a 44% overall response rate (ORR) among patients with high-grade disease. Here they sought to validate their findings in a dedicated prospective cohort of high-grade neuroendocrine neoplasms within S1609. METHODS: A prospective, open-label, multicenter, phase 2 clinical trial of ipilimumab plus nivolumab was conducted across multiple rare tumor cohorts. The dedicated, high-grade neuroendocrine neoplasm cohort was examined here. The primary end point was the ORR according to version 1.1 of the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. Secondary end points included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity. RESULTS: Nineteen patients with high-grade neuroendocrine neoplasms (defined by local pathology review) were enrolled in this cohort of S1609. The most common primary sites were unknown primaries (21%), which were followed by the rectum, gastroesophageal junction, cervix, and pancreas (11%). The median number of lines of prior therapy was 1 (range, 0-3). All patients were microsatellite-stable. The median Ki-67 value was 80%. The ORR was 26% (95% confidence interval [CI], 11%-45%), and the clinical benefit rate (stable disease for ≥6 months plus partial responses plus complete responses) was 32% (95% CI, 13%-57%). The 6-month PFS rate was 32% (95% CI, 16%-61%) with a median PFS of 2.0 months (95% CI, 1.8 months to ∞) and a median OS of 8.7 months (95% CI, 6.1 months to ∞). The most common toxicities were fatigue (32%) and rash (26%), and the most common grade 3/4 immune-related adverse event was rash (15%); there were no events that required treatment discontinuation and no grade 5 events. CONCLUSIONS: Ipilimumab plus nivolumab demonstrated a 26% ORR in patients with high-grade neuroendocrine neoplasms, with durable responses seen in patients with refractory disease.

Overcoming acquired resistance to PD-1 inhibitor with the addition of metformin in small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Metformin has been widely used as the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus for its anti-hyperglycemic effect. In recent years, it has also been extensively studied for its anti-cancer effect as it diminishes immune exhaustion of CD8 + tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). It decreases apoptosis of CD8 + TILs, thereby enhancing T cell-mediated immune response to tumor cells. Here, we present a unique case of a patient with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) who exhibited an overall partial response as per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, version 1.1 (RECIST 1.1) since starting metformin in combination with nivolumab therapy. Our patient had been treated with nivolumab monotherapy for 2 years until she had progression of disease. After she was started on metformin along with nivolumab therapy, she has shown a significant durable response for over 6 months. Many patients develop resistance to immunotherapy such as antibodies against cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1). Tumor hypoxia is one of the resistance factors. Signals activated by hypoxic environments in tumors are associated with decreased sensitivity to the PD-1 blockade. Metformin inhibits oxygen consumption in tumor cells in vitro and in vivo, reducing intratumoral hypoxia. These data suggest that metformin can improve susceptibility to anti-PD-1 treatment. To the best of our knowledge, our case is the first reported example demonstrating a proof-of-concept that metformin can contribute to overcoming acquired resistance to PD-1 inhibitors.

Entrectinib in patients with advanced or metastatic NTRK fusion-positive solid tumours: integrated analysis of three phase 1-2 trials.

BACKGROUND: Entrectinib is a potent inhibitor of tropomyosin receptor kinase (TRK) A, B, and C, which has been shown to have anti-tumour activity against NTRK gene fusion-positive solid tumours, including CNS activity due to its ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. We present an integrated efficacy and safety analysis of patients with metastatic or locally advanced solid tumours harbouring oncogenic NTRK1, NTRK2, and NTRK3 gene fusions treated in three ongoing, early-phase trials. METHODS: An integrated database comprised the pivotal datasets of three, ongoing phase 1 or 2 clinical trials (ALKA-372-001, STARTRK-1, and STARTRK-2), which enrolled patients aged 18 years or older with metastatic or locally advanced NTRK fusion-positive solid tumours who received entrectinib orally at a dose of at least 600 mg once per day in a capsule. All patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2 and could have received previous anti-cancer therapy (except previous TRK inhibitors). The primary endpoints, the proportion of patients with an objective response and median duration of response, were evaluated by blinded independent central review in the efficacy-evaluable population (ie, patients with NTRK fusion-positive solid tumours who were TRK inhibitor-naive and had received at least one dose of entrectinib). Overall safety evaluable population included patients from STARTRK-1, STARTRK-2, ALKA-372-001, and STARTRK-NG (NCT02650401; treating young adult and paediatric patients [aged ≤21 years]), who received at least one dose of entrectinib, regardless of tumour type or gene rearrangement. NTRK fusion-positive safety evaluable population comprised all patients who have received at least one dose of entrectinib regardless of dose or follow-up. These ongoing studies are registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02097810 (STARTRK-1) and NCT02568267 (STARTRK-2), and EudraCT, 2012-000148-88 (ALKA-372-001). FINDINGS: Patients were enrolled in ALKA-372-001 from Oct 26, 2012, to March 27, 2018; in STARTRK-1 from Aug 7, 2014, to May 10, 2018; and in STARTRK-2 from Nov 19, 2015 (enrolment is ongoing). At the data cutoff date for this analysis (May 31, 2018) the efficacy-evaluable population comprised 54 adults with advanced or metastatic NTRK fusion-positive solid tumours comprising ten different tumour types and 19 different histologies. Median follow-up was 12.9 months (IQR 8·77-18·76). 31 (57%; 95% CI 43·2-70·8) of 54 patients had an objective response, of which four (7%) were complete responses and 27 (50%) partial reponses. Median duration of response was 10 months (95% CI 7·1 to not estimable). The most common grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events in both safety populations were increased weight (seven [10%] of 68 patients in the NTRK fusion-positive safety population and in 18 [5%] of 355 patients in the overall safety-evaluable population) and anaemia (8 [12%] and 16 [5%]). The most common serious treatment-related adverse events were nervous system disorders (three [4%] of 68 patients and ten [3%] of 355 patients). No treatment-related deaths occurred. INTERPRETATION: Entrectinib induced durable and clinically meaningful responses in patients with NTRK fusion-positive solid tumours, and was well tolerated with a manageable safety profile. These results show that entrectinib is a safe and active treatment option for patients with NTRK fusion-positive solid tumours. These data highlight the need to routinely test for NTRK fusions to broaden the therapeutic options available for patients with NTRK fusion-positive solid tumours. FUNDING: Ignyta/F Hoffmann-La Roche.

Association of the prognostic model iSEND with PD-1/L1 monotherapy outcome in non-small-cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Accessible biomarkers are needed for immunotherapy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We previously described a multivariate risk prediction model, the iSEND, which categorises advanced NSCLC patients treated with nivolumab into Good, Intermediate or Poor groups. This model was developed by using only clinical and analytical variables (sex, ECOG-performance status, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio [NLR] and post-treatment delta NLR). METHODS: An international database of 439 patients who received post-platinum PD-1/L1 monotherapies was collected for validation. Performance of the iSEND to different PD-L1 groups was compared by using time-dependent positive predictive value (PPV) for their mortality events. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 18.2 months (95% CI: 15.9-19.6). The overall survival of the iSEND Good (HR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.22-0.43, p < 0.0001) was superior to the iSEND Poor. Time-dependent PPV for mortality of iSEND Poor was superior to PD-L1 = 0% group at 12 (75 vs. 53%, p = 0.01) and 18 months (85 vs. 46%, p = 0.03). However, female gender did not independently associate with better outcome in the validation cohort. CONCLUSION: The iSEND model is associated with the outcome of post-platinum PD-1/L1 monotherapy in advanced NSCLC patients. The iSEND Poor demonstrated a superior performance to PD-L1 = 0% in negative prognostication. Prospective investigation and modelling with other significant parameters in a larger cohort are warranted.

Clinical Implications of Circulating Tumor DNA Tumor Mutational Burden (ctDNA TMB) in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Tissue tumor mutational burden (TMB) has emerged as a potential biomarker predicting response to anti-programmed cell death-1 protein receptor (PD-1)/programmed cell death-1 protein ligand (PD-L1) therapy, but few studies have explored using circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) TMB in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 136 patients with NSCLC with ctDNA testing were retrospectively evaluated from a single institution, along with a validation cohort from a second institution. ctDNA TMB was derived using the number of detected mutations over the DNA sequencing length. RESULTS: Higher ctDNA TMB was significantly correlated with smoking history (p < .05, chi-squared test). Among patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (n = 20), higher ctDNA TMB was significantly correlated with shorter progressive free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS; 45 vs. 355 days; hazard ratio [HR], 5.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-24.6; p < .01, and OS 106 days vs. not reached; HR, 6.0; 95% CI, 1.3-27.1; p < .01, respectively). In a small independent validation cohort (n = 12), there was a nonsignificant numerical difference for higher ctDNA TMB predicting shorter OS but not PFS. ctDNA TMB was not correlated with RECIST tumor burden estimation in the subset of patients treated with immune checkpoint blockade. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that higher ctDNA TMB, at the current commercial sequencing length, reflects worse clinical outcomes. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Biomarkers to identify patients who will respond to immune checkpoint blockade are critical. Tissue tumor mutational burden (TMB) has emerged as a viable biomarker to predict response to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy, but few studies have explored the meaning and potential clinical significance of noninvasive, blood-based TMB. Here, we investigated circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) TMB and present data demonstrating that current ctDNA TMB may reflect tumor burden and that ctDNA panels with a greater number of mutations may be necessary to more accurately reflect tissue TMB.

Exceptional response to chemotherapy followed by concurrent radiotherapy and immunotherapy in a male with primary retroperitoneal serous Adenocarcinoma: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Primary retroperitoneal serous adenocarcinoma (PRSA) is an extremely uncommon malignancy exclusively reported in females. Due to the rarity of the disease, it is difficult to establish a standardized treatment. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a unique case of PRSA in a 71-year-old male who presented with right-sided lower back pain and numbness. Magnetic resonance imaging identified a mass invading the adjacent psoas muscle and twelfth rib. Tissue biopsy confirmed poorly differentiated PRSA. Patient was initially treated with neoadjuvant carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy regimen. This resulted in complete radiological resolution of the tumor. However, 12 weeks later, rapid recurrence was noted on follow-up CT scan. The patient was then treated with external radiotherapy with concurrent nivolumab, an anti-PD-1 antibody. The patient displayed a positive response to treatment with reduction in primary tumor and metastases and had a sustained disease control. CONCLUSION: Treatment with radiotherapy in combination with anti-PD-1 antibody could be an effective modality of management for PRSA.

Molecular Biomarkers of Primary and Acquired Resistance to T-Cell-Mediated Immunotherapy in Cancer: Landscape, Clinical Implications, and Future Directions.

The emergence of immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment in recent years. Inhibitors of immune checkpoints, including antibodies against cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4, programmed cell death protein 1, and programmed death ligand 1, have demonstrated notable efficacy in certain advanced cancers. Unfortunately, many patients do not benefit from these therapies and either exhibit primary resistance to treatment or develop acquired mechanisms of resistance after initially responding to therapy. Here, we review the genomic and immune traits that may promote resistance to T-cell-mediated immunotherapy, with a focus on identifying potential biomarkers that could eventually be used in the clinical setting to guide treatment selection. We summarize the clinical evidence for these markers and discuss how current understanding of resistance mechanisms can inform future studies and aid clinical decision-making in order to derive maximum benefit from immunotherapy. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Immunotherapy has rapidly progressed as a treatment modality for multiple cancers, but it is still unclear which patients are likely to benefit from these therapies. Studies of resistance mechanisms have only recently started to identify biomarkers that can help predict patient outcomes. This review summarizes the available clinical data in regard to immunotherapy resistance, with a focus on molecular biomarkers that may be useful in guiding clinical decision-making. It discusses possible applications of these biomarkers and highlights opportunities for further clinical discovery.

A case of pembrolizumab-induced type-1 diabetes mellitus and discussion of immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced type 1 diabetes.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors such as pembrolizumab, ipilimumab, and nivolumab, now FDA-approved for use in treating several types of cancer, have been associated with immune-related adverse effects. Specifically, the antibodies targeting the programmed-cell death-1 immune checkpoint, pembrolizumab and nivolumab, have been rarely reported to induce the development of type 1 diabetes mellitus. Here we describe a case of a patient who developed antibody-positive type 1 diabetes mellitus following treatment with pembrolizumab in combination with systemic chemotherapy for metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung. We will also provide a brief literature review of other rarely reported cases of type 1 diabetes presenting after treatment with pembrolizumab and nivolumab, as well as discussion regarding potential mechanisms of this adverse effect and its importance as these drugs continue to become even more widespread.

Is Personalized Medicine Here?

Major technologic advances in genomics have made possible the identification of critical genetic alterations in cancer, which has led to a rapid paradigm shift in what is now considered personalized cancer treatment. This exponential growth in the understanding of cancer genomics is reshaping the drug development process, from drug discovery to novel designs of clinical trials. It is also exposing the critical importance of rigorous validation of molecular diagnostics platforms, such as the use of whole-exome sequencing and patient-derived xenografts, which may eventually be utilized to guide treatment decisions and may ultimately enable the true practice of personalized oncology. This review describes the achievements in therapeutic and molecular diagnostics, details evolving molecular platforms, and highlights the challenges for the translation of these developments to daily clinical practice.

Implications of functional proteomics in breast cancer.

Breast cancer is one of the major public health problems of the Western world. Recent advances in genomics and gene expression-profiling approaches have enriched our understanding of this heterogeneous disease. However, progress in functional proteomics in breast cancer research has been relatively slow. Allied with genomics, the functional proteomics approach will be important in improving diagnosis through better classification of breast cancer and in predicting prognosis and response to different therapies, including chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and targeted therapy. In this review, we will present functional proteomic approaches with a focus on the recent clinical implications of utilizing the reverse-phase protein array platform in breast cancer research.

Incidence of immunotherapy-related hyperprogressive disease (HPD) across HPD definitions and cancer types in observational studies: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: While evidence of hyperprogressive disease (HPD) continues to grow, the lack of a consensual definition obscures a proper characterization of HPD incidence. We examined how HPD incidence varies by the tumor type or the type of definition used. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library of Systematic Reviews, and Web of Science from database inception to June 21, 2022. Observational studies reporting HPD incidence, in patients diagnosed with solid malignant tumors and treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), were included. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed, and all statistical tests were 2-sided. RESULTS: HPD incidence was 12.4% (95% CI 10.2%-15.0%) with evidence of heterogeneity (Q = 119.32, p < 0.001). Meta-regression showed that the risk of developing HPD was higher in patients with advanced gastric cancer (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 10.83; 95% CI, 2.14-54.65; p < 0.001), hepatocellular carcinoma (adjusted OR, 7.99; 95% CI, 1.68-38.13; p = 0.006), non-small cell lung cancer (adjusted OR, 7.14; 95% CI, 1.58-32.29; p = 0.005), and mixed or other types (adjusted OR, 5.09; 95% CI, 1.12-23.14, p = 0.018) than in patients with renal cell carcinoma. Across definitions, HPD defined as a tumor growth kinetics ratio ≥ 2 (adjusted OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.08-3.07; p = 0.025) based on the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) reported higher incidence than when HPD was defined as RECIST-defined progressive disease and a change in the tumor growth rate (TGR) exceeding 50% (∆TGR > 50). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of immunotherapy-related HPD may vary across tumor types and definitions used, supporting the argument for a uniform and improved method of HPD evaluation for informed clinical decision-making.

Deep response to a combination of mTOR inhibitor temsirolimus and dual immunotherapy of nivolumab/ipilimumab in poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma with PTEN mutation: a case report and literature review.

Treating advanced thyroid cancer presents challenges due to its resistance to various treatment modalities, thereby limiting therapeutic options. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report the efficacy of temsirolimus in conjunction with dual immunotherapy of nivolumab/ipilimumab to treat heavily treated advanced PDTC. A 50-year-old female initially presented with a rapidly enlarging mass on her right neck. Subsequent diagnosis revealed poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma, leading to a total thyroidectomy followed by post-operative radioablation therapy. After four years, an examination for persistent cough revealed a recurrence of the disease within multiple mediastinal nodes. Genetic analysis of blood samples uncovered somatic mutations in the tumor, specifically involving PTEN and TP53. The disease progressed despite palliative radiation, lenvatinib, and nivolumab/ipilimumab therapy. Consequently, temsirolimus, functioning as an mTOR inhibitor, was introduced as an adjunct to the nivolumab/ipilimumab regimen. This combination approach yielded remarkable clinical improvement and disease control for a duration of approximately six months. Temsirolimus likely suppressed the aberrantly activated PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, facilitated by the PTEN genetic alteration, thus engendering an effective treatment response. This synergy between targeted agents and immunotherapy presents a promising therapeutic strategy for advanced PDTC patients with limited treatment alternatives. In previous clinical trials, mTOR inhibitors have demonstrated the ability to maintain stable disease (SD) in 65% to 74% for advanced thyroid cancer patients, including those with PDTC. When combined with other targeted therapies, the observed SD or partial response rates range from 80% to 97%. Many of these trials primarily involved differentiated thyroid carcinoma, with diverse genetic mutations. Thyroid cancer patients with alterations in the PI3K/mTOR/Akt appeared to benefit most from mTOR inhibitors. However, no clear association between the efficacy of mTOR inhibitors and specific histologies or genetic mutations has been established. Future studies are warranted to elucidate these associations.

A Phase II Basket Trial of Dual Anti-CTLA-4 and Anti-PD-1 Blockade in Rare Tumors (DART SWOG 1609 Cohort 47) in Patients with Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia.

PURPOSE: The efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade in gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) remains uncertain. We report the results of the GTN cohort of SWOG S1609 dual anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 blockade in rare tumors (DART). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective, open-label phase II trial evaluated ipilimumab plus nivolumab across multiple rare tumor cohorts, including GTN. Eligible patients received nivolumab 240 mg, i.v. every 2 weeks and ipilimumab 1 mg/kg i.v. every 6 weeks. The primary endpoint was overall response rate [ORR; complete response (CR) + partial response (PR)] by quantitative serum beta human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG); secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity. RESULTS: Four patients with refractory GTN enrolled and received therapy. At 11 months of ongoing follow-up, 3 of 4 patients responded [ORR = 75% (CR, 25%, n = 1, tumor mutation burden = 1 mutation/megabase; PD-L1 tumor proportion score = 50%); PR, 50%, n = 2)]. Responders included malignant gestational trophoblastic neoplasm (n = 1, CR, PFS 11+ months) and choriocarcinoma (n = 2, both PRs, PFS 10+ and 6+ months). One patient with epithelioid trophoblastic tumor experienced disease progression. The 6-month PFS was 75% [95% confidence interval (CI), 43%-100%], and the median PFS was not reached (range, 35-339+ days); all 4 patients were alive at last follow-up. Two patients experienced grade 3 immune-related toxicity (arthralgia and colitis); there were no grade ≥4 events. CONCLUSIONS: Ipilimumab plus nivolumab demonstrated efficacy in chemotherapy-refractory GTN, an ultra-rare cancer affecting young women. Three of 4 patients achieved ongoing objective responses with a reasonable safety profile at 6-11+ months.

Efficacy of Systemic Treatments in Patients With Metastatic Lung Invasive Mucinous Adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (IMA) is a rare histological subtype of lung invasive adenocarcinoma with unique clinical, radiological, histopathological, and genomic characteristics. There have been limited studies on the effectiveness of systemic therapy for lung IMA, with conflicting results reported. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the medical records of patients diagnosed with lung IMA. Patients who were ≥ 18 years of age and received at least 1 course of treatment for metastatic or locally advanced inoperable disease were included in the study. Archive records of 113 patients diagnosed with IMA were screened for the study. RESULTS: A total of 41 patients with lung IMA were included. The targetable mutation rate was 20.6% (in 6 of 29 patients). Most patients (83.1%) had received platinum-based chemotherapy as a first-line treatment. The objective response rate (ORR) was 25.7%, and median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 8.1 months (95% CI, 5.02-11.2) and 17.5 months (95% CI, 11.7-23.3 months), respectively, in the patients who received chemotherapy. The median PFS and ORR were 20.6 (95% CI, 18.9-66.5) and 66.6%, respectively, in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive patients (n = 3) with relevant targeted therapy. Only 1 patient used oxaliplatin and capecitabine combination (XELOX) as chemotherapy in the second-line treatment and achieved a partial response (PR) at 7.2 months. CONCLUSION: Platinum-based chemotherapies moderately enhance IMA patients' survival rates. Anti-EGFR-targeted drugs are seen as potentially effective in patients with EGFR driver mutation positive. Large, prospective studies are needed to confirm our findings.