Antibody drug conjugates in older patients: State of the art.

More than half of cancer cases occur in patients aged 65 years or older. The efficacy and safety of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) in older patients remains an unclear subject as available evidence is limited. Geriatric population is underrepresented in clinical trials. Consequently, most of our knowledge regarding innovative therapeutics was studied on a younger population. In this review of published literature, we report the available information on efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of FDA approved ADCs for hematologic malignancies and solid tumors in the geriatric population. We explore the results of clinical trials dedicated for older individuals as well as subgroup analyses of the geriatric population in major trials evaluating these drugs. Available data suggest a similar efficacy in older adults as compared to general population. However, older patients might be prone to a higher rate of adverse events in incidence with a potential impact on quality of life. We lack data to support primary dose reductions or schedule modifications in this category of patients. No pharmacokinetic differences were reported between age groups. It is crucial to encourage the development of clinical trials dedicated to older patients with geriatric parameters (G8 score, G-CODE…) so that results can be more representative of this population outside of clinical trials.

TROP-2 directed antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs): The revolution of smart drug delivery in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

BACKGROUND: Antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) represent a revolutionary drug class in cancer therapy, combining the precision of targeted therapy with the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy. Promising activity of novel ADCs, namely Trastuzumab Deruxtecan and Patritumab Deruxtecan, has been observed in hard-to treat molecular subtypes, such as HER2-positive and heavily pretreated EGFR-mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). However, therapeutic advances are expected in certain subgroups of lung cancer patients, including non-oncogene-addicted NSCLC after failure of current standard of care (e.g., immunotherapy with or without chemotherapy, chemo-antiangiogenic treatment). Trophoblastic Cell Surface Antigen 2 (TROP-2) is a surface transmembrane glycoprotein member of the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) family. TROP-2 represents a promising therapeutic target in refractory non-oncogene-addicted NSCLC. METHODOLOGY: We performed a systematic literature search of the clinical trials about TROP-2 directed ADCs in NSCLC referenced in the pubmed.gov database, Cochrane Library database and clinicaltrial.gov database. RESULTS: First-in-humans ADCs targeting TROP-2, namely Sacituzumab Govitecan (SN-38) and Datopotamab Deruxtecan (Dxd), yielded promising activity signals in NSCLC with a manageable safety profile. Most common grade ≥ 3 adverse events (AEs) of Sacituzumab Govitecan included neutropenia (28 %), diarrhea (7 %), nausea (7 %), fatigue (6 %), and febrile neutropenia (4 %). Nausea and stomatitis were the most common all grade AEs with Datopotamab Deruxtecan; dyspnea, amylase increase, hyperglycemia and lymphopenia were reported as grade ≥ 3 AEs in less than 12 % of patients. CONCLUSION: As more effective strategies are needed for patients with refractory non-oncogene-addicted NSCLC, the design of novel clinical trials with ADCs targeting TROP-2 is encouraged as both a monotherapy or combination strategy with existing agents (e.g., monoclonal antibodies targeting immune checkpoint inhibitors or chemotherapy).

Monitoring tumor growth rate to predict immune checkpoint inhibitors' treatment outcome in advanced NSCLC.

INTRODUCTION: Radiological response assessment to immune checkpoint inhibitor is challenging due to atypical pattern of response and commonly used RECIST 1.1 criteria do not take into account the kinetics of tumor behavior. Our study aimed at evaluating the tumor growth rate (TGR) in addition to RECIST 1.1 criteria to assess the benefit of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). METHODS: Tumor real volume was calculated with a dedicated computed tomography (CT) software that semi-automatically assess tumor volume. Target lesions were identified according to RECIST 1.1. For each patient, we had 3 measurement of tumor volume. CT-1 was performed 8-12 weeks before ICI start, the CT at baseline for ICI was CT0, while CT + 1 was the first assessment after ICI. We calculated the percentage increase in tumor volume before (TGR1) and after immunotherapy (TGR2). Finally, we compared TGR1 and TGR2. If no progressive disease (PD), the group was disease control (DC). If PD but TGR2 < TGR1, it was called LvPD and if TGR2 ⩾ TGR1, HvPD. RESULTS: A total of 61 patients who received ICIs and 33 treated with chemotherapy (ChT) were included. In ICI group, 18 patients were HvPD, 22 LvPD, 21 DC. Median OS was 4.4 months (95% CI: 2.0-6.8, reference) for HvPD, 7.1 months (95% CI 5.4-8.8) for LvPD, p = 0.018, and 20.9 months (95% CI: 12.5-29.3) for DC, p < 0.001. In ChT group, 7 were categorized as HvPD, 17 as LvPD and 9 as DC. No difference in OS was observed in the ChT group (p = 0.786). CONCLUSION: In the presence of PD, a decrease in TGR may result in a clinical benefit in patients treated with ICI but not with chemotherapy. Monitoring TGR changes after ICIs administration can help physician in deciding to treat beyond PD.

Transient asymptomatic pulmonary opacities and interstitial lung disease in EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer treated with osimertinib.

INTRODUCTION: Osimertinib is a third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) approved as first-line therapy for advanced EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Some osimertinib-related interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) were shown to be transient, called transient asymptomatic pulmonary opacities (TAPO)-clinically benign pulmonary opacities that resolve despite continued osimertinib treatment-and are not associated with the clinical manifestations of typical TKI-associated ILDs. METHODS: In this multicentric study, we retrospectively analyzed 92 patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC treated with osimertinib. Computed tomography (CT) examinations were reviewed by two radiologists and TAPO were classified according to radiologic pattern. We also analyzed associations between TAPO and patients' clinical variables and compared clinical outcomes (time to treatment failure and overall survival) for TAPO-positive and TAPO-negative groups. RESULTS: TAPO were found in 18/92 patients (19.6%), with a median follow-up of 114 weeks. Median onset time was 16 weeks (range 6-80) and median duration time 14 weeks (range 8-37). The most common radiologic pattern was focal ground-glass opacity (54.5%). We did not find any individual clinical variable significantly associated with the onset of TAPO or significant difference in clinical outcomes between TAPO-positive and TAPO-negative groups. CONCLUSIONS: TAPO are benign pulmonary findings observed in patients treated with osimertinib. TAPO variability in terms of CT features can hinder the differential diagnosis with either osimertinib-related mild ILD or tumor progression. However, because TAPO are asymptomatic, it could be reasonable to continue therapy and verify the resolution of the CT findings at follow-up in selected cases.

Modulation of pancreatic cancer cell sensitivity to FOLFIRINOX through microRNA-mediated regulation of DNA damage.

FOLFIRINOX, a combination of chemotherapy drugs (Fluorouracil, Oxaliplatin, Irinotecan -FOI), provides the best clinical benefit in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients. In this study we explore the role of miRNAs (MIR) as modulators of chemosensitivity to identify potential biomarkers of response. We find that 41 and 84 microRNA inhibitors enhance the sensitivity of Capan1 and MiaPaCa2 PDAC cells respectively. These include a MIR1307-inhibitor that we validate in further PDAC cell lines. Chemotherapy-induced apoptosis and DNA damage accumulation are higher in MIR1307 knock-out (MIR1307KO) versus control PDAC cells, while re-expression of MIR1307 in MIR1307KO cells rescues these effects. We identify binding of MIR1307 to CLIC5 mRNA through covalent ligation of endogenous Argonaute-bound RNAs cross-linking immunoprecipitation assay. We validate these findings in an in vivo model with MIR1307 disruption. In a pilot cohort of PDAC patients undergoing FOLFIRONX chemotherapy, circulating MIR1307 correlates with clinical outcome.

Programmed Cell Death Protein-1 Inhibitors Versus Programmed Death-Ligand 1 Inhibitors in Addition to Chemotherapy for the First-Line Treatment of Advanced NSCLC: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The addition of programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) or programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors to first-line chemotherapy (CT) improved the outcomes of advanced NSCLC. Nonetheless, no direct comparison exists between these combination treatments. METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials to evaluate and compare the efficacy and safety of PD-(L)1 inhibitors in combination with first-line CT for advanced NSCLC. RESULTS: A total of eight randomized clinical trials were included. The addition of a PD-(L)1 inhibitor to CT improved progression-free survival, overall survival, and objective response rate compared with CT alone. The risk of grade greater than or equal to 3 treatment-related adverse events was slightly higher with the addition of a PD-(L)1 inhibitor to CT as compared with CT alone. A subgroup analysis according to the targeted receptor (PD-1 versus PD-L1) revealed that the addition of a PD-1 inhibitor to CT led to better objective response rate (p = 0.0001), progression-free survival (p = 0.006), and overall survival (p = 0.002) compared with that of a PD-L1 inhibitor. The risk of grade greater than or equal to 3 treatment-related adverse events was significantly increased with the addition of a PD-L1 inhibitor to CT, but not with the addition of a PD-1 inhibitor. A direct comparison using the meta-regression analysis confirmed the statistical significance of all previous findings. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of this meta-analysis, the addition of a PD-1 inhibitor to first-line CT revealed statistically significant better outcomes and less additional toxicity compared with that of a PD-L1 inhibitor, as compared with CT alone, in advanced NSCLC, regardless of PD-L1 status.

STK11/LKB1 and KEAP1 mutations in non-small cell lung cancer: Prognostic rather than predictive?

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), either alone or combined with chemotherapy, represent the cornerstone of the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without targetable gene alterations. Programmed death ligand-1 expression currently represents the only available biomarker to predict response to ICI, although its reliability is debated. However, most patients still do not derive benefit from immunotherapy, making the identification of further predictive biomarkers extremely needed. Serine/threonine kinase 11 (STK11)/liver kinase B1 (LKB1) and Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1) mutations occur in 25-30% and 11-27% of advanced NSCLC, respectively. Several studies associated their presence with poor outcomes in patients treated with ICI. However, more recent evidence showed poor outcomes among NSCLC with STK11/LKB1 and/or KEAP1 mutations regardless of the treatment received. We reviewed the literature to provide a comprehensive, timely and structured overview of the role of STK11/LKB1 and KEAP1 mutations in NSCLC. Although conflicting outcomes have been reported by studies evaluating their impact in KRAS wild-type patients or regardless of KRAS mutation, the correlation between STK11/LKB1 and KEAP1 mutations and poor outcomes with ICI appears to be consistent in presence of concurrent KRAS mutations. The main limitations of most studies are represented by the inclusion of other gene mutations (e.g. TP53) together with STK11 and KEAP1 mutations as a group and by the lack of comparison arms including patients who received other treatments (e.g. chemotherapy). Studies evaluating the impact of STK11 and KEAP1 mutations on the outcomes with ICI and other therapies showed a similar effect regardless of the treatment received, suggesting a prognostic, rather than predictive, value.

Hacking Pancreatic Cancer: Present and Future of Personalized Medicine.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a recalcitrant disease characterized by high incidence and poor prognosis. The extremely complex genomic landscape of PC has a deep influence on cultivating a tumor microenvironment, resulting in the promotion of tumor growth, drug resistance, and immune escape mechanisms. Despite outstanding progress in personalized medicine achieved for many types of cancer, chemotherapy still represents the mainstay of treatment for PC. Olaparib was the first agent to demonstrate a significant benefit in a biomarker-selected population, opening the doors for a personalized approach. Despite the failure of a large number of studies testing targeted agents or immunotherapy to demonstrate benefits over standard chemotherapy regimens, some interesting agents, alone or in combination with other drugs, have achieved promising results. A wide spectrum of therapeutic strategies, including immune-checkpoint inhibitors tyrosine kinase inhibitors and agents targeting metabolic pathways or the tumor microenvironment, is currently under investigation. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the current landscape and future directions of personalized medicine for patients affected by PC.

An Overview on Molecular Characterization of Thymic Tumors: Old and New Targets for Clinical Advances.

Thymic tumors are a group of rare mediastinal malignancies that include three different histological subtypes with completely different clinical behavior: the thymic carcinomas, the thymomas, and the rarest thymic neuroendocrine tumors. Nowadays, few therapeutic options are available for relapsed and refractory thymic tumors after a first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. In the last years, the deepening of knowledge on thymus' biological characterization has opened possibilities for new treatment options. Several clinical trials have been conducted, the majority with disappointing results mainly due to inaccurate patient selection, but recently some encouraging results have been presented. In this review, we summarize the molecular alterations observed in thymic tumors, underlying the great biological differences among the different histology, and the promising targeted therapies for the future.

PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy as upfront treatment for advanced NSCLC with PD-L1 expression ≥ 50%: Selecting the best strategy.

Treatment strategies for advanced NSCLC patients without driver molecular alterations are influenced by PD-L1 expression. If PD-L1 is <50 %, the preferred upfront treatment is the association of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, while immunotherapy alone is an additional option if PD-L1 ≥ 50 %. Both treatments demonstrated their superiority over chemotherapy in this subset of NSCLC patients, with comparable efficacy outcomes but less safety concerns for immunotherapy alone. Nevertheless, a significant difference in terms of early progression-free survival rate emerges by analyzing and comparing the survival curves of the two strategies, reflecting a non-negligible loss of patients due to early disease progression at 3 and 6 months from treatment initiation with immunotherapy alone as compared to its association with chemotherapy. We deeply analyzed efficacy similarities and differences of the two approaches in advanced NSCLC with PD-L1 expression ≥50 %, trying to suggest clinical and biologic aspects to be considered when facing the treatment choice.

Immunobiology of Thymic Epithelial Tumors: Implications for Immunotherapy with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) are a group of rare thoracic malignancies, including thymic carcinomas (TC) and thymomas (Tm). Autoimmune paraneoplastic diseases are often observed in TETs, especially Tms. To date, chemotherapy is still the standard treatment for advanced disease. Unfortunately, few therapeutic options are available for relapsed/refractory TETs. In the last few years, the deepening of knowledge on thymus' immunobiology and involved altered genetic pathways have laid the foundation for new treatment options in these rare neoplasms. Recently, the immunotherapy revolution has landed in TETs, showing both a dark and light side. Indeed, despite the survival benefit, the occurrence of severe autoimmune treatment-related adverse events has risen crescent uncertainty about the feasibility of immunotherapy in these patients, prone to autoimmunity for their cancer biology. In this review, after summarizing immunobiology and immunopathology of TETs, we discuss available data on immune-checkpoint inhibitors and future perspectives of this therapeutic strategy.

Evolution of cystic airspaces lung lesions on immune checkpoint inhibition in non-small cell lung cancer.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can be associated with pulmonary cystic airspaces (pCAs). pCAs are radiologically classified into four types based on whether the nodule or mass extrudes the wall of the pCAs. In most cases, response evaluation of these lesions by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) V.1.1 is challenging. Based on the observation of a case of morphological evolution of pCAs associated with NSCLC in a patient receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI), we reviewed retrospectively imaging scans of 92 consecutive advanced patients with NSCLC treated at our institution. Overall, three cases of pCAs associated with NSCLC obtained a remarkable change following ICI. Of note, these changes were not always seen in the context of a clear radiological objective response. The morphological changes observed may reflect a novel pattern of response to immunotherapy agents that clinicians should be aware of. This pattern of response, not reported before, warrants further investigation and, if confirmed, we believe that it should be considered in future version of immune RECIST.

Beyond EGFR, ALK and ROS1: Current evidence and future perspectives on newly targetable oncogenic drivers in lung adenocarcinoma.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. In the past decade EGFR, ALK and ROS1 TKIs lead to an unprecedented survival improvement of oncogene-addicted NSCLC patients, with better toxicity profile compared to chemotherapy. In recent years the implementation of high-throughput sequencing platforms led to the identification of uncommon molecular alterations in oncogenic drivers, such as BRAF, MET, RET, HER2 and NTRK. Moreover, newly developed drugs have been found to be active against hard to target drivers, such as KRAS. Specific TKIs targeting these genomic alterations are currently in clinical development and showed impressive activity and survival improvement, leading to FDA-accelerated approval for some of them. However, virtually all patients develop resistance to TKIs by on-target or off-target mechanisms. Here we review the clinicopathological features, the emerging targeted therapies and mechanisms of resistance and strategies to overcome them of KRAS, BRAF, MET, RET, HER2 and NTRK-addicted advanced NSCLCs.

Development of a bioeconomy monitoring framework for the European Union: An integrative and collaborative approach.

The EU Bioeconomy Strategy, updated in 2018, in its Action Plan pledges an EU-wide, internationally coherent monitoring system to track economic, environmental and social progress towards a sustainable bioeconomy. This paper presents the approach taken by the European Commission's (EC) Joint Research Centre (JRC) to develop such a system. To accomplish this, we capitalise on (1) the experiences of existing indicator frameworks; (2) stakeholder knowledge and expectations; and (3) national experiences and expertise. This approach is taken to ensure coherence with other bioeconomy-related European monitoring frameworks, the usefulness for decision-making and consistency with national and international initiatives to monitor the bioeconomy. We develop a conceptual framework, based on the definition of a sustainable bioeconomy as stated in the Strategy, for a holistic analysis of the trends in the bioeconomy sectors, following the three pillars of sustainability (economy, society and environment). From this conceptual framework, we derive an implementation framework that aims to highlight the synergies and trade-offs across the five objectives of the Bioeconomy Strategy in a coherent way. The EU Bioeconomy Monitoring System will be publicly available on the web platform of the EC Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy.

Efficacy and safety of flash glucose monitoring in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Flash glucose monitoring (FGM) is a factory-calibrated sensor-based technology for the measurement of interstitial glucose. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess its efficacy and safety in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: PubMed, CENTRAL, Scopus and Web of Science were searched in July 2019. Twelve studies with a follow-up longer than 8 weeks, evaluating 2173 patients on prandial insulin, multiple daily insulin injections or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion were included. The following data were extracted: HbA1c, time in range, time above 180 mg/dL, time below 70 mg/dL, frequency of hypoglycemic events, number of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) measurements, total daily insulin dose, patient-reported outcomes, adverse events, and discontinuation rate. A comparison with SMBG was conducted. RESULTS: FGM use was associated with a reduction in HbA1c (-0.26% (-3 mmol/mol); p=0.002) from baseline to the last available follow-up, which correlated with HbA1c levels at baseline (-0.4% (-4 mmol/mol) for each 1.0% (11 mmol/mol) of HbA1c above 7.2% (55 mmol/mol)). Also, a decrease in time below 70 mg/dL was found (-0.60 hours/day; p=0.04). Favorable findings in patient-reported outcomes and no device-related serious adverse events were reported. When compared with SMBG, FGM was characterized by no statistically different change in HbA1c (p=0.09), with lower number of SMBG measurements per day (-3.76 n/day; p<0.001) and risk of discontinuation (relative risk=0.42; p=0.001). A limited number of studies, with a heterogeneous design and usually with a short-term follow-up and without specific training, were found. CONCLUSIONS: The present review provides evidence for the use of FGM as an effective strategy for the management of diabetes.

Detection of EGFR-Activating and T790M Mutations Using Liquid Biopsy in Patients With EGFR-Mutated Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Whose Disease Has Progressed During Treatment With First- and Second-Generation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors: A Multicenter Real-Life Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: In advanced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients whose disease has progressed during treatment with first- and second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), liquid biopsy (LB) is routinely used to evaluate the presence of EGFR T790M as an acquired resistance mechanism. The objective of this study was to assess a real-life picture of EGFR T790M detection in LB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Liquid biopsies performed between June 2016 and October 2018 for advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC at disease progression during treatment with first- and second-generation TKIs were retrospectively evaluated in 5 Italian centers. Circulating tumor DNA was extracted from plasma and tested with different commercial kits. The detection rate in LBs and the patients' characteristics were correlated. RESULTS: We enrolled 120 consecutive patients. The overall T790M detection rate observed using LB was 25.8%. Fifty-four of 89 (60.7%) patients with negative LB results underwent tissue rebiopsy, and 56% were positive for T790M. The overall rate of T790M positivity in the study cohort was 49.2%. LB performed before formal tumor progression according to Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors criteria was negative for T790M in all patients (n = 21; P = .012). T790M positivity was statistically significantly higher in cases of disease progression at extrathoracic metastatic sites (P = .008) and, specifically, in the case of worsening bone disease (P = .003). CONCLUSION: Our study shows that the detection of T790M-positive patients whose disease progressed during treatment with first- and second-generation TKIs in real life was according to the literature. However, this result was obtained with a specific clinical course (repeat LBs and tissue rebiopsy), thus implying the necessity for multidisciplinary management.

Association between Growth Differentiation Factor-15 (GDF-15) Serum Levels, Anorexia and Low Muscle Mass among Cancer Patients.

The pathophysiology of cancer anorexia is complex and serum biomarkers, including growth and differentiation factor(s) (GDF), may be modulated. We explored the association(s) between GDF-15 serum levels and anorexia and, secondarily, with low muscle mass and body weight loss in cancer patients. We considered gastrointestinal and lung cancer patients (CP) and healthy BMI-matched controls. The FAACT-questionnaire was administered to diagnose anorexia and we calculated the L3-SMI by CT scan to assess low muscularity, setting their cutoff values at the lowest tertile. GDF-15 serum levels were assessed by ELISA. We enrolled 59 CP and 30 controls; among CP, 25 were affected by gastrointestinal and 34 by lung cancer. Anorexia was present in 36% of CP. Gastrointestinal CP resulted more anorexic compared to lung CP (p = 0.0067). Low muscle mass was present in 33.9% of CP and L3-SMI was lower in gastrointestinal compared to lung CP (p = 0.049). The GDF-15 levels were higher in CP vs. controls (p = 0.00016), as well as in anorexic vs. non-anorexic CP (p = 0.005) and vs. controls (p < 0.0001). Gastrointestinal CP showed higher GDF-15 levels vs. lung CP (p = 0.0004). No difference was found in GDF-15 between CP with low muscle mass and those with moderate/high muscularity and between patients with body weight loss and those with stable weight. Our data support the involvement of GDF-15 in the pathogenesis of cancer anorexia. The mechanisms of action of GDF-15 in cancer should be further clarified also regarding the changes in muscularity.

The evolving landscape of immunotherapy in small-cell lung cancer: A focus on predictive biomarkers.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) was defined as a "recalcitrant cancer" because of its dismal prognosis and lack of outcome improvements in the last 30 years. Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors revolutionized treatment in many cancer types and results from the IMpower133 study, a double-blind placebo-controlled phase III trial, showed overall survival benefit for atezolizumab when added to standard platinum-etoposide chemotherapy in first-line SCLC setting for the first time since years. Trials with other checkpoint inhibitors, e.g. pembrolizumab, durvalumab, nivolumab and ipilimumab, are ongoing in various settings, but, to date, there are no defined factors to identify patients who are more likely to benefit from such treatments. This review summarizes results of immunotherapy trials in SCLC for first-line, maintenance and further-line therapies for single-agents and combinations with checkpoint inhibitors. Predictive factors from these trials are reviewed in order to identify their clinical value, with particular emphasis on PD-L1 expression on both tumor cells and in stroma, especially in pembrolizumab-treated patients, and tumor mutational burden, for patients treated with the ipilimumab and nivolumab combination.

Effective treatment of a platinum-resistant cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma case by EGFR pathway inhibition.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common type of non-melanoma skin cancer. Platinum-based regimens have been an integral part of palliative care for patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease. There is no evidence of efficacy for later lines of chemotherapy and no targeted therapy has been introduced as 'standard of care'. Here we report on the case of an elderly cSCC patient, resistant to conventional therapy, however successfully treated with anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) agent (Cetuximab) in addition to a daily dose of Curcumin phospholipid. The patient responded to treatment and experienced no recurrence for 11 months with only minor skin-related toxicity. To our knowledge, this is the first report of clinical evidence that an anti EGFR targeted therapy with a daily oral dose of Curcumin phospholipid is well tolerated and results in a highly effective disease control in a heavily pretreated cSCC patient.

[Sinus bradycardia and syncope: what pathophysiological mechanism and what management of the patient?] / Bradicardia sinusale e sincope: quale fisiopatologia e quale gestione del paziente?

Sick sinus syndrome (SSS) can be diagnosed only when there is a clear correlation between symptoms and sinus node dysfunction. In the absence of such correlation, the mechanism of undocumented intermittent symptoms such as syncopal spells in patients with permanent mild sinus bradycardia remains uncertain. Some clinical data suggest that a reflex mechanism is likely to be involved in many patients with syncope and sinus bradycardia: the course of syncopal recurrences is very variable from patient to patient and transient loss of consciousness does not recur in more than half of unpaced patients during an observation period of several years. The results of some studies seem to confirm a reflex mechanism as the cause of syncope in most cases: in patients with SSS and syncope the prevalence of positive response to tilt testing was high (~60%) and significantly higher than in patients with SSS without syncope and in other control groups. However, a depressed sinus node automaticity, roughly expressed by very prolonged sinus node recovery time, suggests a role of sinus node dysfunction in the origin of syncope. Patients with permanent mild sinus bradycardia and syncope as an isolated symptom should undergo tilt testing and electrophysiological study. In the presence of positive tilt test without very prolonged sinus node recovery time, the patient should be managed as the patients with neurally mediated syncope and normal sinus rate.