Repotrectinib in ROS1 Fusion-Positive Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The early-generation ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) that are approved for the treatment of ROS1 fusion-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have antitumor activity, but resistance develops in tumors, and intracranial activity is suboptimal. Repotrectinib is a next-generation ROS1 TKI with preclinical activity against ROS1 fusion-positive cancers, including those with resistance mutations such as ROS1 G2032R. METHODS: In this registrational phase 1-2 trial, we assessed the efficacy and safety of repotrectinib in patients with advanced solid tumors, including ROS1 fusion-positive NSCLC. The primary efficacy end point in the phase 2 trial was confirmed objective response; efficacy analyses included patients from phase 1 and phase 2. Duration of response, progression-free survival, and safety were secondary end points in phase 2. RESULTS: On the basis of results from the phase 1 trial, the recommended phase 2 dose of repotrectinib was 160 mg daily for 14 days, followed by 160 mg twice daily. Response occurred in 56 of the 71 patients (79%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 68 to 88) with ROS1 fusion-positive NSCLC who had not previously received a ROS1 TKI; the median duration of response was 34.1 months (95% CI, 25.6 to could not be estimated), and median progression-free survival was 35.7 months (95% CI, 27.4 to could not be estimated). Response occurred in 21 of the 56 patients (38%; 95% CI, 25 to 52) with ROS1 fusion-positive NSCLC who had previously received one ROS1 TKI and had never received chemotherapy; the median duration of response was 14.8 months (95% CI, 7.6 to could not be estimated), and median progression-free survival was 9.0 months (95% CI, 6.8 to 19.6). Ten of the 17 patients (59%; 95% CI, 33 to 82) with the ROS1 G2032R mutation had a response. A total of 426 patients received the phase 2 dose; the most common treatment-related adverse events were dizziness (in 58% of the patients), dysgeusia (in 50%), and paresthesia (in 30%), and 3% discontinued repotrectinib owing to treatment-related adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Repotrectinib had durable clinical activity in patients with ROS1 fusion-positive NSCLC, regardless of whether they had previously received a ROS1 TKI. Adverse events were mainly of low grade and compatible with long-term administration. (Funded by Turning Point Therapeutics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bristol Myers Squibb; TRIDENT-1 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03093116.).

A phase Ib/II study of cadonilimab (PD-1/CTLA-4 bispecific antibody) plus anlotinib as first-line treatment in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cadonilimab is a bispecific antibody that simultaneously targets programmed cell death receptor-1 and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4. This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of cadonilimab plus anlotinib for the first-line treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without sensitizing EGFR/ALK/ROS1 mutations. METHODS: Patients received cadonilimab 15 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg every three weeks (Q3W) plus anlotinib at doses of 10 or 12 mg once daily for two weeks on a one-week-off schedule. The primary endpoints included safety and objective response rate (ORR). RESULTS: Sixty-nine treatment-naïve patients received cadonilimab 15 mg/kg Q3W combination (n = 49) and 10 mg/kg Q3W combination (n = 20). Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were reported in 48 (98.0%) and 19 (95.0%) patients, with grade ≥3 TRAEs occurring in 29 (59.2%) and five (25.0%) patients, respectively. TRAEs leading to cadonilimab discontinuation occurred in eight (16.3%) and one (5.0%) patients in the cadonilimab 15 mg/kg Q3W and 10 mg/kg Q3W dosing groups. The confirmed ORRs were 51.0% (25/49) and 60.0% (12/20) accordingly. CONCLUSIONS: Cadonilimab 10 mg/kg Q3W plus anlotinib showed manageable safety and promising efficacy as a first-line chemo-free treatment for advanced NSCLC. GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT04646330.

Loss-tolerant and quantum-enhanced interferometer by reversed squeezing processes.

Reversed nonlinear dynamics is predicted to be capable of enhancing the quantum sensing in unprecedented ways. Here, we report the experimental demonstration of a loss-tolerant (external loss) and quantum-enhanced interferometer. Two cascaded optical parametric amplifiers are used to judiciously construct an interferometry with two orthogonal squeezing operation. As a consequence, a weak displacement introduced by a test cavity can be amplified for measurement, and the measured signal-to-noise ratio is better than that of both conventional photon shot-noise limited and squeezed-light assisted interferometers. We further confirm its superior loss-tolerant performance by varying the external losses and comparing with both conventional photon shot-noise limited and squeezed-light assisted configurations, illustrating the potential application in gravitational wave detection.

Sugemalimab versus placebo, in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy, as first-line treatment of metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (GEMSTONE-302): interim and final analyses of a double-blind, randomised, phase 3 clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: PD-1 inhibitor plus chemotherapy had been shown to be an effective first-line treatment for patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, there was no robust evidence showing a PD-L1 inhibitor combined with chemotherapy benefited patients with squamous and non-squamous NSCLC. GEMSTONE-302 aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a PD-L1 inhibitor, sugemalimab, plus chemotherapy for patients with metastatic squamous or non-squamous NSCLC. METHODS: This randomised, double-blind, phase 3 trial was done in 35 hospitals and academic research centres in China. Eligible patients were aged 18-75 years, had histologically or cytologically confirmed stage IV squamous or non-squamous NSCLC without known EGFR sensitising mutations, ALK, ROS1, or RET fusions, no previous systemic treatment for metastatic disease, and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1. Patients were randomly assigned (2:1) to receive sugemalimab (1200 mg, intravenously, every 3 weeks) plus platinum-based chemotherapy (carboplatin [area under the curve (AUC) 5 mg/mL per min, intravenously] and paclitaxel [175 mg/m2, intravenously] for squamous NSCLC, or carboplatin [AUC 5 mg/mL per min, intravenously] and pemetrexed [500 mg/m2, intravenously] for non-squamous NSCLC; sugemalimab group) or placebo plus the same platinum-based chemotherapy regimens for squamous or non-squamous NSCLC as in the sugemalimab group; placebo group) for up to four cycles, followed by maintenance therapy with sugemalimab or placebo for squamous NSCLC, and intravenous sugemalimab 500 mg/m2 or matching placebo plus pemetrexed for non-squamous NSCLC. Randomisation was done by an interactive voice-web-response system via permuted blocks (block size was a mixture of three and six with a random order within each stratum) and stratified by ECOG performance status, PD-L1 expression, and tumour pathology. The investigators, patients, and the sponsor were masked to treatment assignment. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed progression-free survival in the intention-to-treat population. Safety was analysed in all patients who received at least one treatment dose. Results reported are from a prespecified interim analysis (ie, when the study met the primary endpoint) and an updated analysis (prespecified final analysis for progression-free survival) with a longer follow-up. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03789604), is closed to new participants, and follow-up is ongoing. FINDINGS: Between Dec 13, 2018, and May 15, 2020, 846 patients were assessed for eligibility; 367 were ineligible, and the remaining 479 patients were randomly assigned to the sugemalimab group (n=320) or placebo group (n=159). At the preplanned interim analysis (data cutoff June 8, 2020; median follow-up 8·6 months [IQR 6·1-11·4]), GEMSTONE-302 met its primary endpoint, with significantly longer progression-free survival in the sugemalimab group compared with the placebo group (median 7·8 months [95% CI 6·9-9·0] vs 4·9 months [4·7-5·0]; stratified hazard ratio [HR] 0·50 [95% CI 0·39-0·64], p<0·0001]). At the final analysis (March 15, 2021) with a median follow-up of 17·8 months (IQR 15·1-20·9), the improvement in progression-free survival was maintained (median 9·0 months [95% CI 7·4-10·8] vs 4·9 months [4·8-5·1]; stratified HR 0·48 [95% CI 0·39-0·60], p<0·0001). The most common grade 3 or 4 any treatment-related adverse events were neutrophil count decreased (104 [33%] of 320 with sugemalimab vs 52 [33%] of 159 with placebo), white blood cell count decreased (45 [14%] vs 27 [17%]), anaemia (43 [13%] vs 18 [11%]), platelet count decreased (33 [10%] vs 15 [9%]), and neutropenia (12 [4%] vs seven [4%]). Any treatment-related serious adverse events occurred in 73 (23%) patients in the sugemalimab group and 31 (20%) patients in the placebo group. Any treatment-related deaths were reported in ten (3%) patients in the sugemalimab group (pneumonia with respiratory failure in one patient; myelosuppression with septic shock in one patient; pneumonia in two patients; respiratory failure, abdominal pain, cardiac failure, and immune-mediated pneumonitis in one patient each; the other two deaths had an unspecified cause) and in two (1%) patients in the placebo group (pneumonia and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome). INTERPRETATION: Sugemalimab plus chemotherapy showed a statistically significant and clinically meaningful progression-free survival improvement compared with placebo plus chemotherapy, in patients with previously untreated squamous and non-squamous metastatic NSCLC, regardless of PD-L1 expression, and could be a newfirst-line treatment option for both squamous and non-squamous metastatic NSCLC. FUNDING: CStone Pharmaceuticals. TRANSLATION: For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Adebrelimab or placebo plus carboplatin and etoposide as first-line treatment for extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (CAPSTONE-1): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) is associated with poor prognosis and treatment options are scarce. Immunotherapy has shown robust clinical activity in ES-SCLC in previous phase 3 trials. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of adebrelimab (SHR-1316), a novel anti-PD-L1 antibody, with standard chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for ES-SCLC. METHODS: The CAPSTONE-1 study was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial, done in 47 tertiary hospitals in China. Key inclusion criteria were patients aged 18-75 years, with previously untreated histologically or cytologically confirmed ES-SCLC and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-1. Eligible patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive four to six cycles of carboplatin (area under the curve of 5 mg/mL per min, day 1 of each cycle) and etoposide (100 mg/m2 of body-surface area, on days 1-3 of each cycle) with either adebrelimab (20 mg/kg, day 1 of each cycle) or matching placebo, followed by maintenance therapy with adebrelimab or placebo. All treatments were given intravenously in 21-day cycles. Randomisation was done using a centralised interactive web response system with a block size of four, stratified by liver metastases, brain metastases, and lactate dehydrogenase concentration. The primary endpoint was overall survival in patients who received at least one dose of study medication. Safety was analysed in the as-treated population. This study is complete and registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03711305. FINDINGS: Between Dec 26, 2018, and Sept 4, 2020, 462 eligible patients were enrolled and randomly assigned: 230 (50%) patients received adebrelimab plus chemotherapy (adebrelimab group) and 232 (50%) patients received placebo plus chemotherapy (placebo group). At data cutoff (Oct 8, 2021), median follow-up was 13·5 months (IQR 8·9-20·1). Median overall survival was significantly improved in the adebrelimab group (median 15·3 months [95% CI 13·2-17·5]) compared with the placebo group (12·8 months [11·3-13·7]; hazard ratio 0·72 [95% CI 0·58-0·90]; one-sided p=0·0017). The most common treatment-related grade 3 or 4 adverse events were decreased neutrophil count (174 [76%] patients in the adebrelimab group and 175 [75%] patients in the placebo group), decreased white blood cell count (106 [46%] and 88 [38%]), decreased platelet count (88 [38%] and 78 [34%]), and anaemia (64 [28%] and 66 [28%]). Treatment-related serious adverse events occurred in 89 (39%) patients in the adebrelimab group and 66 (28%) patients in the placebo group. Four treatment-related deaths were reported: two each in the adebrelimab group (respiratory failure and interstitial lung disease and pneumonia) and placebo group (multiple organ dysfunction and unknown cause of death). INTERPRETATION: Adding adebrelimab to chemotherapy significantly improved overall survival with an acceptable safety profile in patients with ES-SCLC, supporting this combination as a new first-line treatment option for this population. FUNDING: Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals.

On-treatment blood TMB as predictors for camrelizumab plus chemotherapy in advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma: biomarker analysis of a phase III trial.

BACKGROUND: Camrelizumab plus chemotherapy significantly prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared to chemotherapy alone as first-line treatment in advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) in the phase III trial (CameL-sq), which has become an option of standard-of-cares for Chinese patients with advanced LUSC. However, the predictive biomarkers remain unknown. METHODS: Tumor tissue samples at baseline, and peripheral blood samples at baseline (pretreatment) and after two cycles of treatment (on-treatment) were prospectively collected from 270 LUSC patients from the CameL-sq study. Blood tumor mutation burden (bTMB) and its dynamics were analyzed to explore their predictive values. RESULTS: Pretreatment bTMB was not associated with objective response, PFS and OS in camrelizumab or placebo plus chemotherapy groups. Low on-treatment bTMB was associated with significantly better objective response (73.8% vs 27.8%, P < 0.001), PFS (median, 9.1 vs 4.1 months; P < 0.001) and OS (median, not reached vs 8.0 months; P < 0.001) in camrelizumab plus chemotherapy group whereas it did not correlate with objective response and PFS in chemotherapy alone group. Importantly, on-treatment bTMB level could discriminate patients of initially radiological stable disease who would long-term benefit from camrelizumab plus chemotherapy (low vs high, median OS, 18.2 vs 7.8 months; P = 0.001). Combing on-treatment bTMB and its dynamics improved the ability for predicting the efficacy of camrelizumab plus chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: On-treatment bTMB together with its dynamics could serve as a predictive biomarker for camrelizumab plus chemotherapy in patients with advanced LUSC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03668496.

Rapid titration with oral sustained-release morphine plus subcutaneous morphine in a multi-center, randomized control study of cancer patients with moderate to severe cancer pain.

BACKGROUND: Pain is one of the most common concomitant symptoms among cancer patients. Pharmacologic agents are regarded as a cornerstone of cancer pain management. 'Dose titration' with short-acting morphine is widely accepted. Such a titration method is very complicated. The analgesic background establishment is often delayed. Titration based on sustained-release opioids is also recommended, but the onset of analgesic effect requires hours, whereas the rescue analgesia is always needed. This study evaluated the optimized morphine titration scheme with a simultaneous combination of sustained-release morphine and subcutaneous morphine. METHODS: In a multicenter, 7-day, randomized controlled study, patients with moderate to severe cancer pain were assigned to receive either sustained-release morphine and subcutaneous morphine simultaneously (rapid titration) or only subcutaneous morphine to dose titration. The primary outcome was the safety and the number of times of rescue therapy as needed in the first 24 h. RESULTS: A total of 108 patients with moderate to severe cancer pain were included in the study. The number of times of rescue analgesics in the first 24 h significantly reduced in the rapid titration group (0.4 ± 0.48 vs. 2.3 ± 0.78, P = 0.000). No differences in the intensity of opioid-related symptoms were found between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Rapid titration is safe and efficient, which could significantly decrease rescue analgesics in the first 24 h and achieve better analgesic efficacy for cancer pain patients.

Circ_0047921 acts as the sponge of miR-1287-5p to stimulate lung cancer progression by regulating proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis of lung cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is a common respiratory system disease caused by multiple factors. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play vital roles in tumorigenesis, including lung cancer. This study aimed to clarify the role and underlying molecular mechanisms of circ_0047921 in lung cancer. METHODS: Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to assess the expression levels of circ_0047921, La-related protein 1 (LARP1), and miR-1287-5p. Cell proliferation was analyzed by CCK-8 and EdU assays. Transwell assay was used to assess migration and invasion. Western blot assay was employed to quantify protein expression. Glycolysis ability of cell was determined by measuring glucose consumption and lactate production with matched kits. The relationship between miR-1287-5p and circ_0047921 or LARP1 was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. In addition, a xenograft model was established to clarify the functional role of circ_0047921 in vivo. RESULTS: Circ_0047921 was highly expressed in lung cancer tissues and cells. Circ_0047921 downregulation repressed proliferation, migration, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and glycolysis in lung cancer cells. Circ_0047921 targeted miR-1287-5p to deplete miR-1287-5p expression. The effects caused by circ_0047921 downregulation were reversed by miR-1287-5p inhibition. In addition, LARP1 was a target of miR-1287-5p, and circ_0047921 could directly interact with miR-1287-5p to increase the expression of LARP1. The effects caused by circ_0047921 downregulation were also reversed by LARP1 overexpression. Circ_0047921 silencing impeded the growth of tumor in vivo. CONCLUSION: Circ_0047921 was overexpressed in lung cancer, and circ_0047921 targeted miR-1287-5p to modulate LARP1 expression, thereby facilitating the development of lung cancer. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The present study was approved by the ethical review committee of The First People's Hospital of Chenzhou, Southern Medical University with reference no. 20210106.

BRAF V600E Mediates Crizotinib Resistance and Responds to Dabrafenib and Trametinib in a ROS1-Rearranged Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Case Report.

Crizotinib, a multitargeted MET/ALK/ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been approved for the treatment of ROS1 fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). However, "on-target" or "off-target" resistance alterations often emerge that confer the drug resistance. Patients with ROS1-rearranged NSCLC who develop crizotinib resistance, especially those acquiring "off-target" resistance mutations, still lack effective therapeutic options for after crizotinib treatment. Herein, we reported a patient with stage IVb lung adenocarcinoma harboring ROS1 fusion, who acquired a BRAF V600E and lost the ROS1 fusion after progression on crizotinib. It was deduced that the V600E may originate from a subclone with an extremely low fraction that was independent of ROS1 fusion-positive cells. The patient was subsequently treated with dabrafenib and trametinib combination and achieved a partial response lasting for more than 6 months. Our study revealed that BRAF V600E can confer the crizotinib resistance in ROS1 fusion-positive NSCLC and presented the first case showing that the treatment with dabrafenib and trametinib can serve as an effective option for later-line treatment for this molecular-defined subgroup. KEY POINTS: Patients with ROS1-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who acquire "off-target" resistance mutations to crizotinib still lack effective therapeutic options for after crizotinib treatment. This report describes the case of a patient with ROS1-rearranged NSCLC who acquired a BRAF V600E and lost the ROS1 fusion after crizotinib failure. The case was subsequently treated with dabrafenib and trametinib combination and achieved a partial response lasting for more than 6 months. This is the first article reporting that treatment with dabrafenib and trametinib may serve as an effective option for later-line treatment for patients harboring resistant BRAF V600E.

All-trans retinoic acid reduces cancer stem cell-like cell-mediated resistance to gefitinib in NSCLC adenocarcinoma cells.

BACKGROUND: The enrichment of cancer stem cell-like cells (CSCs) has been considered to be responsible for tumor progression after an initial response to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in patients with non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma (NSCLC/ADC). CSCs with ALDH1A1bright /CD44high expression contribute to the TKIs resistance in NSCLC/ADC cells. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has been shown to be a potential targeted therapy against CSCs due to its ability to inhibit ALDH1A1 activity. We therefore investigated whether ATRA could circumvent the resistance to improve the response to gefitinib in NSCLC/ADC cells. METHODS: Treatment of NSCLC/ADC A549 and H1650 cells with gefitinib enriched the gefitinib surviving cells (GSCs). The expression of ALDH1A1 and CD44 and the IC50 values for gefitinib were determined by flow cytometry (FCM) and crystal violet assay in GSCs and ATRA-treated GSCs, respectively. Using DEAB as the positive control, direct inhibitory effect of ATRA on ALDH1A1 activity was determined by ALDEFLUOR assay, RESULTS: GSCs showed higher expression of ALDH1A1 and CD44 and IC50 values for gefitinib than their respective parental cells, suggesting that gefitinib can lead to propagation of CSC-enriched gefitinib-resistant cells. Treatment with ATRA was found to significantly reduce the increased expression of ALDH1A1 and CD44 and the IC50 values for gefitinib in A549GSC and H1650GSC cells, and ATRA could directly inhibit active ALDH1A1 as compared to DEAB. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that combination treatment with ATRA prevents gefitinib-induced enrichment of ALDH1A1bright/CD44high CSCs and enhances gefitinib-induced growth inhibition of NSCLC/ADC cells.

Realizing a high-efficiency 426nm laser with PPKTP by reducing mode-mismatch caused by the thermal effect.

We report on a high conversion efficiency tunable laser at 426 nm by adopting an external frequency-doubling cavity pumped by a diode laser. For the frequency-doubling process at 426 nm, the major challenge of increasing the conversion efficiency is mode-match degradation originating from the severely thermal effect. Here, we find that the center of the equivalently thermal lens is not at the center of the nonlinear crystal. We minimize the variation of beam parameters of the Gaussian beam in the external cavity by optimizing the center of the thermal lens to beam waist. As a result, the mode-match degradation is reduced as the incident power is increased. Finally, a 405 mW blue light is obtained with the conversion efficiency of 81%.

Clinical analysis of 1629 newly diagnosed malignant lymphomas in current residents of Sichuan province, China.

Previous studies in other provinces of China (Beijing, Xinjiang, Shanxi, Jiangxi, Shanghai, Guangdong, and Taiwan) suggest that the distributions of lymphoma subtypes differ compared with Western populations. In order to evaluate the characteristics of malignant lymphoma in Sichuan, China, we analyzed case series data from incident lymphoma patients diagnosed in 2008 from three hospitals, including a total of 1629 cases and including only current residents of Sichuan. The median age of diagnosis for cases was 54 years, with a higher proportion of male cases compared with female cases. The most commonly diagnosed subtypes included diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (40.4%), NK/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL; 11.8%), mixed cellularity Hodgkin lymphoma (7.0%), mantle cell lymphoma (4.8%), and marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (3.9%). Differences in demographic characteristics between Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) cases were apparent for median age at diagnosis (HL: 34 years; NHL: 57 years), and NHLs accounted for nearly all (99.3%) of the 931 cases of extranodal lymphoma. These findings indicate a higher proportion of NKTCL cases and a lower proportion of follicular lymphoma cases (2.3%) in these hospitals in Sichuan, relative to reports from some other provinces within China (e.g., Shanghai and Shanxi) and the USA. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Physicians' Practice, Attitudes Toward, and Knowledge of Cancer Pain Management in China.

SUBJECT: To evaluate physicians' current practice, attitudes toward, and knowledge of cancer pain management in China. METHODS: We conducted a face-to-face survey of physicians (oncologists, internists, hematologists) who are responsible for the care of cancer patient of 11 general hospitals in Sichuan, China between December 2011 and December 2013. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (SPSS, Chicago, IL) software. SETTING AND DESIGN: A 23-item questionnaire was designed and distributed to 550 physicians in 11 medical facilities in China. RESULTS: Five hundred (90.90%) physicians responded. About one-third (32.6%) of physicians assessed patients' pain rarely, and 85.5% never or occasionally treated patients' cancer pain together with psychologists. More than half of physicians indicated that opioid dose titration in patients with poor pain control and assessment of the cause and severity of pain were urgently needed knowledge for cancer pain management. Inadequate assessment of pain and pain management (63.0%), patients' reluctance to take opioids (62.2%), and inadequate staff knowledge of pain management (61.4%) were the three most frequently cited barriers to physicians' pain management. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians' positive attitudes toward cancer pain management need to be encouraged, and active professional analgesic education programs are needed to improve pain management in China.

Survey on Chinese breast cancer patients' husbands toward breast conserving surgery.

PURPOSE: Husband, as an important member of the family, greatly impacts the treatment decision. In this study, we sought to evaluate the attitudes toward breast conserving surgery (BCS) in Chinese breast cancer patients' husbands and explore the influencing factors. METHODS: A self-structured questionnaire was distributed to the husbands of 1600 wives with breast cancer, eliciting information on their general information, the level of understanding of BCS, attitudes toward BCS and affecting reasons. RESULTS: In all, 1468 (91.8%) husbands completed the questionnaire. Collation of the responses showed that only 3.0% had a good understanding of BCS and 81.5% did not favor BCS. Patients' husbands perception were associated with their age, religion, occupation, educational background, method of payment of medical expenses, understanding the disease condition and doctor's recommendations (p<0.05). The top reason was "fear of incomplete resection, which could easily lead to recurrence and metastasis". CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that Chinese husbands have skepticism and lack comprehensive and correct understanding for BCS. Meanwhile, their desire of obtaining knowledge was not strong. The results suggest a need for fundamental changes in husbands' education to ensure that they are able to obtain enough information so that they can help their wives make educated decisions.

Novel PEI/Zein core-shell composite as mixed-mode stationary phase for high performance liquid chromatography.

Based on the adhesion of polyethyleneimine (PEI), a novel PEI/zein co-modified core-shell stationary phase (PEI/Zein@SiO2) was prepared by doping zein to form a composite modification layer. The stationary phase achieved effective separation of nucleosides, bases and antibiotics in hydrophilic interaction mode on account of the hydrophilic groups of composite coating. With the hydrophobicity of zein, the flavones could be separated in reversed-phase mode. In short, the separation and analysis of hydrophilic/hydrophobic compounds were accomplished excellently by the PEI/Zein@SiO2 column with mixed double mode. The prepared chromatographic stationary phase not only avoided the dissolution of zein, but also covered the strong adsorption of some analytes caused by silica hydroxyl groups on the surface of silica spheres. The morphological structure and specific surface area of the material were reflected by various characterization techniques. Hydrophilic/hydrophobic compounds were used as tested analytes to research separation performance and retention mechanisms of PEI/Zein@SiO2 column. The stability and reproducibility of the PEI/Zein@SiO2 stationary phase were satisfied. Therefore, the modification of zein could improve the separation selectivity of stationary phase effectively for complex samples, which had the potential to be one of the significant potential application materials in stationary phase packing.

Myeloprotection with trilaciclib in Chinese patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer receiving chemotherapy: Results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III study (TRACES).

INTRODUCTION: Trilaciclib is a transient cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor that decreases the incidence of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). TRACES study was designed to assess the safety, efficacy and pharmacokinetics (PK) of trilaciclib before chemotherapy in Chinese patients with ES-SCLC. METHODS: The study included an open-label safety run-in part (Part 1) and double-blinded, placebo-controlled part (Part 2) where patients received trilaciclib or placebo before chemotherapy. Treatment-naïve or previously treated ES-SCLC patients received intravenous trilaciclib (240 mg/m2) or placebo before etoposide/carboplatin or topotecan, respectively. Primary endpoints were PK, safety and duration of severe neutropenia (DSN) in Cycle 1 in Part 1 and Part 2. Exploratory endpoints included the effect of trilaciclib on other myeloprotection endpoints, safety and antitumor efficacy. RESULTS: Overall, 95 Chinese patients were enrolled, of which 12 and 83 patients were in Part 1 and Part 2, respectively. In Part 1, trilaciclib was well tolerated. Non-compartmental analysis results revealed no substantial differences in the main exposure parameters. In Part 2, 41 patients received trilaciclib, and 42 received placebo. Patients in trilaciclib arm vs placebo arm had a clinically and statistically significant decrease in DSN (mean [SD]) in Cycle 1 (0 [1.7] vs 2 [3.0] days; P = 0.0003), with improvements in additional neutrophil, red blood cell, and platelet measures. After a median follow-up of 14.1 months, the median overall survival was 12.0 months in trilaciclib arm and 8.8 months in placebo arm (HR, 0.69; 95 % CI: 0.40-1.22). Median progression-free survival was 4.8 months and 4.3 months, respectively (HR, 0.86; 95 % CI: 0.53-1.39). Trilaciclib had a well-tolerated safety profile. CONCLUSIONS: Trilaciclib in the Chinese population demonstrated a similar PK and safety profile as seen in other global trials. There was significant reduction of DSN in Cycle 1, thereby substantiating the myeloprotective effects of trilaciclib in Chinese ES-SCLC patients.

[Clinicopathological features and multivariate analysis of prognostic factors for patients with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinicopathologic characteristics of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm(GEP-NET) and explore the prognostic factors for patients with GEP-NET. METHODS: Retrospectively reviews were conducted for the charts of 68 patients diagnosed pathologically with GEP-NET and treated at Sichuan Cancer Hospital during January 2001 to June 2012. The information of prognostic factors was retrieved and analyzed. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival rates and plot patient survival curves of patients at different levels of predictive factors. The association between clinicopathologic characteristic and prognosis in GEP-NET patients was assessed with Log-rank test. Meanwhile Cox proportional hazard model was used to select independent risk factors of patient survival. RESULTS: Stomach (20/68,29.41%) and cardia (16/68,23.53%) were mostly involved. Frequent tumor sites for males were stomach and cardia (34/52,65.38%) while the most common site was intestinal canal for female (12/16) . Ages of disease onset were different significantly among patient groups of different sites (P = 0.023). The average age of intestinal NET was the highest while gastric NET had the lowest. During a median follow-up duration of 49 (3-120)months, there were 37 deaths (54.41%), including 30 from postoperative relapses. Postoperative survival time ranged from 4-115 months. The mean survival periods were (46 ± 7) months respectively. The 1, 3, and 5-year survival rates were 65.1%, 41.5% and 28.7% respectively. Univariate analyses showed that the risk factors of survival time were patient age over 60 years, tumor size > 2 cm, T2-4 stage of tumor, vascular invasion, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, positive surgical margin and pathological grades of neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) and mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (MANEC). Multivariate analysis indicated independent risk factors were tumor size > 2 cm and pathological grades of NEC and MANEC. CONCLUSIONS: GEP-NET may occur at multiple sites of digestive system and lack specific clinical manifestations. Tumor size, distant metastasis and pathological grades were independent prognostic factors for GEP-NET patients.

Cancer department nurses' attitudes and practices in response to the sexual issues of pelvic radiation patients: a survey in Sichuan, China.

Our aim was to investigate cancer department nurses' attitudes and practices in response to pelvic radiation patients' sexual issues in Sichuan, China. A self-made questionnaire survey was conducted with 150 registered nurses of six hospitals in China. Nurses were asked about their experiences regarding consultation about sexual issues and attitudes toward the sex-related statements of pelvic radiation patients. We analyzed the correlation factors for the attitudes about dealing with patients' sexual issues by using the χ(2)-test. Of the survey sample, 128 nurses (85.33%) responded. Of the respondents, 46.88% had been consulted about sexual issues by patients or families. In addition, 87.5% of the nurses believed that 'reliable information on sexual in pelvic radiotherapy is lacking', and 77.34% reported having 'an interest in undertaking education of knowledge about pelvic radiation patients' sexual issues'; yet only 4.69% had completed professional sexual education about pelvic radiation patients. The hospital type and bed number as well as nurse age and seniority also affected the responses. This study shows that discussing sexuality is still repressed in the patient-nurse relationship, and most nurses' in Chinese cancer departments lack knowledge about pelvic radiation patients' sexual problems.

HLA-I Evolutionary Divergence Confers Response to PD-1 Blockade plus Chemotherapy in Untreated Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

PURPOSE: PD-1 blockade plus chemotherapy has become the new standard of care in patients with untreated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), whereas predictive biomarkers remain undetermined. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We integrated clinical, genomic, and survival data of 427 NSCLC patients treated with first-line PD-1 blockade plus chemotherapy or chemotherapy from two phase III trials (CameL and CameL-sq) and investigated the predictive and prognostic value of HLA class I evolutionary divergence (HED). RESULTS: High HED could predict significantly improved objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) in those who received PD-1 blockade plus chemotherapy [in the CameL trial, ORR: 81.8% vs. 53.2%; P = 0.032; PFS: hazard ratio (HR), 0.47; P = 0.012; OS: HR, 0.40; P = 0.014; in the CameL-sq trial, ORR: 89.2% vs. 62.3%; P = 0.007; PFS: HR, 0.49; P = 0.005; OS: HR, 0.38; P = 0.002], but not chemotherapy. In multivariate analysis adjusted for PD-L1 expression and tumor mutation burden, high HED was independently associated with markedly better ORR, PFS, and OS in both trials. Moreover, the joint utility of HED and PD-L1 expression showed better performance than either alone in predicting treatment benefit from PD-1 blockade plus chemotherapy. Single-cell RNA sequencing of 58,977 cells collected from 11 patients revealed that tumors with high HED had improved antigen presentation and T cell-mediated antitumor immunity, indicating an inflamed tumor microenvironment phenotype. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that high HED could portend survival benefit in advanced NSCLC treated with first-line PD-1 blockade plus chemotherapy. See related commentary by Dimou, p. 4706.

Interim survival analysis of the randomized phase III GEMSTONE-302 trial: sugemalimab or placebo plus chemotherapy as first-line treatment for metastatic NSCLC.

The randomized, double-blinded, multi-center, phase III GEMSTONE-302 ( NCT03789604 ) study evaluated the efficacy and safety of sugemalimab versus placebo in combination with chemotherapy as first-line treatment for metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, 479 treatment-naive patients with stage IV squamous or non-squamous NSCLC without known EGFR sensitizing mutations, ALK, ROS1 or RET fusions were randomized (2:1) to receive 1,200 mg of sugemalimab (n = 320) or placebo (n = 159) every 3 weeks in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy for up to four cycles, followed by maintenance therapy with sugemalimab or placebo for squamous NSCLC and sugemalimab or placebo plus pemetrexed for non-squamous NSCLC. Placebo-treated patients could cross over to receive sugemalimab monotherapy on disease progression. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) and the secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS) and objective response rate. Sugemalimab plus chemotherapy has demonstrated significant PFS prolongation in the primary analysis as reported previously. As of 22 November 2021, the prespecified interim OS analysis showed significant improvement with the addition of sugemalimab to chemotherapy (median OS = 25.4 versus 16.9 months; hazard ratio = 0.65; 95% confidence interval = 0.50-0.84; P = 0.0008). Sugemalimab plus chemotherapy provided superior PFS and OS compared to placebo plus chemotherapy, supporting the use of sugemalimab as a first-line treatment option for metastatic NSCLC.