Long-term responders to nivolumab in previously treated advanced renal cell carcinoma: a sub-analysis of meet-URO15 study.

BACKGROUND: Although nivolumab prolongs overall survival (OS) in pretreated patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), underlining clinical and biological features of long-term responses are still to be determined. This study aims to investigate clinical and pathological characteristics of mRCC patients who achieved long-term responses during nivolumab treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on mRCC patients receiving nivolumab as second or further therapy line between May 2016 and January 2019 in 34 Italian Oncology Centres. Outcome assessments and logistic regression were performed to evaluate factors influencing long-term responses. RESULTS: A total of 571 patients with a median age of 61 years (range 17-85) were included in the analysis. With a median follow-up of 22.1 (1.0-89.0) months, 23.1% of patients were 2-year progression-free on treatment with nivolumab, hence they were categorized as long-term responders. Baseline characteristics, including age, gender, and histology, were similar between long- and short-term responders. Karnofsky Performance Status ≥ 80% was significantly associated with long-term response (p = 0.02), while bone metastases (p = 0.03), International mRCC Database Consortium intermediate-poor risk (p < 0.01) and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio ≥ 3.2 (p = 0.02) were associate with short-term responses. Long-term responders exhibited a median progression-free survival of 55.0 months versus 4.0 months of the short-term responders. The median OS was not reached in long-term responders while it was 17.0 months for short*term responders. CONCLUSION: This retrospective analysis sheds light on factors associated with long-term response to nivolumab in mRCC. Understanding these clinical features will be essential for selecting patients who may mostly benefit from immunotherapy.

The prognostic value of the previous nephrectomy in pretreated metastatic renal cell carcinoma receiving immunotherapy: a sub-analysis of the Meet-URO 15 study.

BACKGROUND: Nephrectomy is considered the backbone of managing patients with localized and selected metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). The prognostic role of nephrectomy has been widely investigated with cytokines and targeted therapy, but it is still unclear in the immunotherapy era. METHODS: We investigated the Meet-URO-15 study dataset of 571 pretreated mRCC patients receiving nivolumab as second or further lines about the prognostic role of the previous nephrectomy (received in either the localized or metastatic setting) in the overall population and according to the Meet-URO score groups. RESULTS: Patients who underwent nephrectomy showed a significantly reduced risk of death (HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.32-0.60, p < 0.001) with a longer median overall survival (OS) (35.9 months vs 12.1 months), 1-year OS of 71.6% vs 50.5% and 2-years OS of 56.5% vs 22.0% compared to those who did not. No significant interaction between nephrectomy and the overall five Meet-URO score risk groups was observed (p = 0.17). It was statistically significant when merging group 1 with 2 and 3 and group 4 with 5 (p = 0.038) and associated with a longer OS for the first three prognostic groups (p < 0.001), but not for groups 4 and 5 (p = 0.54). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests an overall positive impact of the previous nephrectomy on the outcome of pretreated mRCC patients receiving immunotherapy. The clinical relevance of cytoreductive nephrectomy, optimal timing and patient selection deserves further investigation, especially for patients with Meet-URO scores of 1 to 3, who are the once deriving benefit in our analyses. However, that benefit is not evident for IMDC poor-risk patients (including the Meet-URO score groups 4 and 5) and a subgroup of IMDC intermediate-risk patients defined as group 4 by the Meet-URO score.

A meta-analysis on overall survival and safety outcomes in patients with nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treated with novel hormonal agents.

Several novel androgen receptor (AR)-inhibitors have been introduced for nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) treatment, with the improvement of survival outcomes which need to be balanced against the risk of adverse events. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating enzalutamide, apalutamide and darolutamide in nmCRPC patients, to assess overall survival (OS), incidence and risk of adverse drug events, adverse-events-related death and adverse-events-related treatment discontinuation. We selected three RCTs (SPARTAN, PROSPER and ARAMIS). New hormonal agents administration resulted in better OS, despite the increased risk of several any grade and grade 3-4 adverse events. In the decision-making process, careful evaluation of expected adverse events, patients' comorbidities and maintenance of quality of life are mandatory.

Management of Germ Cell Tumors During the Outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus Disease-19 Pandemic: A Survey of International Expertise Centers.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become a public health emergency affecting frail populations, including patients with cancer. This poses the question of whether cancer treatments can be postponed or modified without compromising their efficacy, especially for highly curable cancers such as germ cell tumors (GCTs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: To depict the state-of-the-art management of GCTs during the COVID-19 pandemic, a survey including 26 questions was circulated by e-mail among the physicians belonging to three cooperative groups: (a) Italian Germ Cell Cancer Group; (b) European Reference Network-Rare Adult Solid Cancers, Domain G3 (rare male genitourinary cancers); and (c) Genitourinary Medical Oncologists of Canada. Percentages of agreement between Italian respondents (I) versus Canadian respondents (C), I versus European respondents (E), and E versus C were compared by using Fisher's exact tests for dichotomous answers and chi square test for trends for the questions with three or more options. RESULTS: Fifty-three GCT experts responded to the survey: 20 Italian, 6 in other European countries, and 27 from Canada. Telemedicine was broadly used; there was high consensus to interrupt chemotherapy in COVID-19-positive patients (I = 75%, C = 55%, and E = 83.3%) and for use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor primary prophylaxis for neutropenia (I = 65%, C = 62.9%, and E = 50%). The main differences emerged regarding the management of stage I and stage IIA disease, likely because of cultural and geographical differences. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights the common efforts of GCT experts in Europe and Canada to maintain high standards of treatment for patients with GCT with few changes in their management during the COVID-19 pandemic. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Despite the chaos, disruptions, and fears fomented by the COVID-19 illness, oncology care teams in Italy, other European countries, and Canada are delivering the enormous promise of curative management strategies for patients with testicular cancer and other germ cell tumors. At the same time, these teams are applying safe and innovative solutions and sharing best practices to minimize frequency and intensity of patient contacts with thinly stretched health care capacity.

Activity and safety of metronomic cyclophosphamide in the modern era of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

AIM: To evaluate activity of metronomic cyclophosphamide (mCTX) in heavily pretreated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients. PATIENTS & METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated a consecutive series of 74 mCRPC patients treated with at least one new agent after docetaxel failure, who received once-daily oral mCTX treatment at a fixed dose of 50 mg. RESULTS: The treatment was well tolerated. Sixteen percent of the patients experienced a major biochemical response. Median progression-free survival was 4.0 months, and median overall survival was 8.1 months. CONCLUSIONS: In the modern context of mCRPC, mCTX may represent a valuable and inexpensive alternative to new agents, which have shown similar activity in heavily pretreated patients.

Real-life clinical practice results with vinflunine in patients with relapsed platinum-treated metastatic urothelial carcinoma: an Italian multicenter study (MOVIE-GOIRC 01-2014).

BACKGROUND: Vinflunine is the only chemotherapeutic agent shown to improve survival in platinum-refractory patients with metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium (TCCU) in a phase III clinical trial, which led to product registration for this indication in Europe. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of vinflunine and to evaluate the prognostic significance of risk factors in a large, unselected cohort of patients with metastatic TCCU treated according to routine clinical practice. METHODS: This was a retrospective multicenter study. Italian cancer centers were selected if, according to the Registry of the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA), at least four patients had been treated with vinflunine between February 2011 and June 2014, after first- or second-line platinum-based chemotherapy. The primary objective was to test whether the efficacy measured by overall survival (OS) in the registration study could be confirmed in routine clinical practice. Multivariate analysis was carried out using Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: A total of 217 patients were treated in 28 Italian centers. Median age was 69 years (IQR 62-76) and 84% were male; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) was ≥ 1 in 53% of patients. The median number of cycles was 4 (IQR 2-6); 29%, 35%, and 36% received an initial dose of 320 mg/m2, 280 mg/m2 or a lower dose, respectively. Median progression-free survival (PFS) and OS for the entire population was 3.2 months (2.6-3.7) and 8.1 months (6.3-8.9). A complete response was observed in six patients, partial response in 21, stable disease in 60, progressive disease in 108, with a disease control rate of 40%. Multivariate analysis showed that ECOG PS, number of metastatic sites and liver involvement were unfavorable prognostic factors for OS. Toxicity was mild, and grade 3-4 adverse effects were mainly: neutropenia (9%), anemia (6%), asthenia/fatigue (7%) and constipation (5%). CONCLUSIONS: In routine clinical practice the results obtained with VFL seem to be better than the results of the registration trial and reinforce evidence supporting its use after failure of a platinum-based chemotherapy.

Sorafenib as first- or second-line therapy in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma in a community setting.

AIM: The Italian Retrospective Analysis of Sorafenib as First or Second Target Therapy study assessed the efficacy and safety of sorafenib in metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients treated in the community. PATIENTS & METHODS: Patients receiving first- or second-line single-agent sorafenib between January 2008 and December 2010 were eligible. Retrospective data collection started in 2012 and covers at least 1-year follow-up. The primary end point was overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Median OS was 17.2 months (95% CI: 15.5-19.6): 19.9 months (95% CI: 15.9-25.3) in patients treated with first-line sorafenib and 16.3 months (95% CI: 13.1-18.2) with second-line sorafenib. Overall median (95% CI) progression-free survival was 5.9 months (95% CI: 4.9-6.7): 6.6 (95% CI: 4.9-9.3) and 5.3 months (95% CI: 4.3-6.0) in first- and second-line patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: The efficacy and safety of sorafenib in routine community practice was generally good, especially in relation to OS in patients treated in the second line, where results were similar to those seen in recent prospective clinical trials.

Clinical utility of Next Generation Sequencing of plasma cell-free DNA for the molecular profiling of patients with NSCLC at diagnosis and disease progression.

BACKGROUND: The present study evaluates the utility of NGS analysis of circulating free DNA (cfDNA), which incorporates small amounts of tumor DNA (ctDNA), at diagnosis or at disease progression (PD) in NSCLC patients. METHODS: Comprehensive genomic profiling on cfDNA by NGS were performed in NSCLC patients at diagnosis (if tissue was unavailable/insufficient) or at PD to investigate potential druggable molecular aberrations. Blood samples were collected as routinary diagnostic procedures, DNA was extracted, and the NextSeq 550 Illumina platform was used to run the Roche Avenio ctDNA Expanded Kit for molecular analyses. Gene variants were classified accordingly to the ESCAT score. RESULTS: A total of 106 patients were included in this study; 44 % of cases were requested because of tissue unavailability at the diagnosis and 56 % were requested at the PD. At least one driver alteration was observed in 62 % of cases at diagnosis. Driver druggable variants classified as ESCAT level I were detected in 34 % of patients, including ALK-EML4, ROS1-CD74, EGFR, BRAF, KRAS p.G12C, PI3KCA. In the PD group, most patients were EGFR-positive, progressing to a first line-therapy. Sixty-three percent of patients had at least one driver alteration detected in blood and 17 % of patients had a known biological mechanism of resistance allowing further therapeutic decisions. CONCLUSIONS: The present study confirms the potential of liquid biopsy to detect tumour molecular heterogeneity in NSCLC patients at the diagnosis and at PD, demonstrating that a significant number of druggable mutations and mechanisms of resistance can be detected by NGS analysis on ctDNA.

Sodium levels and immunotherapy efficacy in mRCC patients with bone metastases: sub analysis of Meet-Uro 15 study.

Background: Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have significantly improved metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) prognosis, although their efficacy in patients with bone metastases (BMs) remains poorly understood. We investigated the prognostic role of natremia in pretreated RCC patients with BMs receiving immunotherapy. Materials and methods: This retrospective multicenter study included RCC patients with BMs receiving nivolumab as second-line therapy or beyond. Inclusion criteria involved baseline sodium levels (pre-ICI) and sodium levels after 4 weeks of nivolumab initiation (post-ICI). The population was divided into two groups based on the median value, and response rates, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were assessed. Results: Among 120 eligible patients, those with pre-treatment sodium levels ≥140 mEq/L showed longer OS (18.7 vs. 12.0 months, p=0.04). Pre-treatment sodium levels ≥140 mEq/L were associated with better OS compared to levels <140 mE/L (18.7 vs. 12.0, p=0.04). Post-treatment sodium levels ≥140 mEq/L were associated with improved PFS (9.6 vs. 3.2 months) and OS (25.1 vs. 8.8 months) (p=0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). Patients with consistent sodium levels ≥140 mEq/L at both time points exhibited the best outcomes compared to those with lower values (PFS 11.5 vs. 3.3 months and OS 42.2 vs. 9.0 months, respectively, p<0.01). Disease control rate was significantly higher in the latter group (p<0.01). Multivariate analysis confirmed the prognostic significance of sodium levels. Conclusion: Elevated sodium levels (≥140 mEq/L) pre- and post-ICI treatment correlate with better survival outcomes in mRCC patients with BMs. This finding suggests sodium level assessment as a potential prognostic factor in these patients and warrants further investigation, particularly in combination immunotherapy settings.

Time to strategy failure and treatment beyond progression in pretreated metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients receiving nivolumab: post-hoc analysis of the Meet-URO 15 study.

Background: Immunotherapies exhibit peculiar cancer response patterns in contrast to chemotherapy and targeted therapy. Some patients experience disease response after initial progression or durable responses after treatment interruption. In clinical practice, immune checkpoint inhibitors may be continued after radiological progression if clinical benefit is observed. As a result, estimating progression-free survival (PFS) based on the first disease progression may not accurately reflect the actual benefit of immunotherapy. Methods: The Meet-URO 15 study was a multicenter retrospective analysis of 571 pretreated metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients receiving nivolumab. Time to strategy failure (TSF) was defined as the interval from the start of immunotherapy to definitive disease progression or death. This post-hoc analysis compared TSF to PFS and assess the response and survival outcomes between patients treatated beyond progression (TBP) and non-TBP. Moreover, we evaluated the prognostic accuracy of the Meet-URO score versus the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC) score based on TSF and PFS. Results: Overall, 571 mRCC patients were included in the analysis. Median TSF was 8.6 months (95% CI: 7.0 - 10.1), while mPFS was 7.0 months (95% CI: 5.7 - 8.5). TBP patients (N = 93) had significantly longer TSF (16.3 vs 5.5 months; p < 0.001) and overall survival (OS) (34.8 vs 17.9 months; p < 0.001) but similar PFS compared to non-TBP patients. In TBP patients, a median delay of 9.6 months (range: 6.7-16.3) from the first to the definitive disease progression was observed, whereas non-TBP patients had overlapped median TSF and PFS (5.5 months). Moreover, TBP patients had a trend toward a higher overall response rate (33.3% vs 24.3%; p = 0.075) and disease control rate (61.3% vs 55.5%; p = 0.31). Finally, in the whole population the Meet-URO score outperformed the IMDC score in predicting both TSF (c-index: 0.63 vs 0.59) and PFS (0.62 vs 0.59). Conclusion: We found a 2-month difference between mTSF and mPFS in mRCC patients receiving nivolumab. However, TBP patients had better outcomes, including significantly longer TSF and OS than non-TBP patients. The Meet-URO score is a reliable predictor of TSF and PFS.

Sodium Levels and Outcomes in Patients With Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Receiving Nivolumab.

Importance: Low sodium levels have been associated with negative outcomes among patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) receiving therapies other than immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Objective: To investigate the role of natremia in patients with mRCC receiving nivolumab as a second-line or subsequent therapy. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this retrospective cohort study, the clinical and biochemical data of patients with mRCC receiving nivolumab were collected from October 2015 to November 2019 as part of a multicenter Italian study. Data analysis was performed from February to March 2023. Exposure: Nivolumab was administered intravenously at a dose of 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks and, since May 2018, at a fixed dose of 240 mg every 2 weeks or 480 mg every 4 weeks. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to their median serum sodium value (<140 or ≥140 mEq/L). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcomes were the associations of pre-ICI and post-ICI sodium levels with overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate, and disease control rate (DCR). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate PFS and OS, and differences between groups were compared using the log-rank test. Results: A total of 401 patients with mRCC receiving nivolumab as second-line therapy were evaluated, and 355 eligible patients (median [range] age, 76 [44-84] years; 258 male patients [72.7%]) were included in the final cohort. Among patients with pre-ICI sodium greater than or equal to 140 mEq/L compared with those with sodium less than 140 mEq/L, the median PFS was 9.3 months (95% CI, 6.5-11.5 months) vs 7.4 months (95% CI, 4.6-10.1 months; P = .90), and the median OS was 29.2 months (95% CI, 21.8-35.9 months) vs 20.0 months (95% CI, 14.1-26.8 months; P = .03). Patients with post-ICI sodium values greater than or equal to 140 mEq/L had longer PFS (11.1 months [95% CI, 8.5-1.5 months] vs 5.1 months [95% CI, 4.1-7.5 months]; P = .01) and OS (32.9 months [95% CI, 25.1-42.6 months] vs 17.1 months [95% CI, 12.6-24.5 months]; P = .006) compared with patients with sodium values less than 140 mEq/L. Patients with both pre-ICI and post-ICI sodium values greater than or equal to 140 mEq/L exhibited a significant improvement in clinical outcomes compared with those with a value less than 140 mEq/L (PFS, 11.5 months [95% CI, 8.8-16.4 months] vs 5.8 months [95% CI, 4.4-8.3 months]; P = .008); OS, 37.6 months [95% CI, 29.0-49.9 months] vs 19.4 months [95% CI, 14.1-24.5 months]; P = .01). Moreover, sodium levels greater than or equal to 140 mEq/L were associated with significantly better DCR than lower sodium levels. Conclusions and Relevance: In this retrospective cohort study of patients with mRCC receiving nivolumab, sodium values greater than or equal to 140 mEq/L, both before and/or after ICI, were associated with better OS and PFS, as well as a higher DCR, compared with levels less than 140 mEq/L. These findings suggest that sodium levels may be associated with survival outcomes in patients with mRCC and may have potential use as variables to consider in patients' risk scores.

Incidence of grade 3-4 adverse events, dose reduction, and treatment discontinuation in castration-resistant prostate cancer patients receiving PARP inhibitors: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: PARP inhibitors (PARPi) have recently emerged as a new treatment option for several solid tumors, including metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). However, several grade 3-4 adverse events have been reported during PARPi administration, leading to limitations in treatment adherence. METHODS: Herein, we conducted a meta-analysis aimed at analyzing the incidence rate of commonly reported grade 3-4 adverse events, dose reduction, and treatment discontinuation in mCRPC patients treated with PARPi monotherapy. RESULTS: Incidence rate with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of grade 3-4 toxicities, dose reduction, and treatment discontinuation were calculated. Six trials involving 752 mCRPC patients were available for the meta-analysis. According to our results, anemia was the most frequently observed grade 3-4 toxicity (24.1%), and dose reduction (26.9%) and treatment discontinuation (14.1%) were common events during PARPi treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should carefully consider these risks, especially taking into account that the use of PARPi in mCRPC patients is expected to rise in the near future.

Safety and Efficacy of a First-Line Chemotherapy Tailored by G8 Score in Elderly Metastatic or Locally Advanced Gastric and Gastro-Esophageal Cancer Patients: A Real-World Analysis.

Introduction: Gastric (GC) and gastro-esophageal cancer (GEC) are common neoplasms in the elderly. However, in clinical practice, the correct strategy for elderly patients who might benefit from chemotherapy (CT) is unknown. Prospective data are still poor. In this context, we performed a retrospective analysis of GC patients aged ≥75 years and treated at our institutions. Material and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 90 patients with confirmed metastatic GC or GEC, treated with an upfront CT. Inclusion criteria were patients aged ≥75 years, PS 0−2, normal bone marrow/liver/renal function and no major comorbidities. All patients received a G8 score, and some patients with G8 ≤14 received a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA). The primary goal was to perform a safety evaluation based on the incidence of adverse events (AE), and the secondary goal was to determine the efficacy (PFS and OS). The chi-square test and the Kaplan−Meier method were used to estimate the outcomes. The statistical significance level was set at p < 0.05. Results: Toxicity rates were quite low: G1/G2 (51.1%) and G3/G4 (25.5%). No toxic deaths were reported. The median PFS was 6.21 months and the median OS 11 months. The G8 score and PS ECOG significantly influenced both PFS and OS. A statistically significant correlation among G8, weight loss, hypoalbuminemia and risk of G3/G4 adverse events was also found. Conclusion: Our research on selected elderly patients did not detect broad differences of efficacy and tolerability compared to a young population. Our study, although retrospective and small-sized, showed that G8 score might be an accurate tool to identify elderly GC/GEC patients who could be safely treated with CT, further recognizing patients who could receive a doublet CT and who may require a single agent chemotherapy or a baseline dose reduction.

Nivolumab in Combination with Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy in Pretreated Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma. Results of the Phase II NIVES Study.

BACKGROUND: Nivolumab showed an overall survival (OS) benefit in pretreated metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). The role of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in mRCC remains to be defined. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SBRT in combination with nivolumab in second- and third-line mRCC patients. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The NIVES study was a phase II, single-arm, multicenter trial in patients with mRCC with measurable metastatic sites who progressed after antiangiogenic therapy, of whom at least one was suitable for SBRT. INTERVENTION: The patients received SBRT to a lesion at a dose of 10 Gy in three fractions for 7 d from the first infusion of nivolumab. Nivolumab was given at an initial dose of 240 mg every 14 d for 6 mo and then 480 mg q4-weekly in responding patients. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: We hypothesized that nivolumab plus SBRT improves the objective response rate (ORR) compared with nivolumab alone from 25% (derived from historical controls) to 40%. Secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), OS, disease control rate (DCR) of irradiated and nonirradiated metastases, and safety. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Sixty-nine patients were enrolled from July 2017 to March 2019. The ORR was 17% and the DCR was 55%. The median PFS was 5.6 mo (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.9-7.1) and median OS 20 mo (95% CI, 17-not reached). After 1.5 yr of follow-up, 23 patients died. The median time to treatment response was 2.8 mo and median duration of response was 14 mo. No new safety concerns arose. CONCLUSIONS: We did not find sufficient evidence to suggest that nivolumab in combination with SBRT provides an added benefit in pretreated mRCC patients; it should however be evaluated in patients with oligometastatic or oligoprogressive disease. PATIENT SUMMARY: Nivolumab in combination with stereotactic body radiotherapy does not provide evidence of increased outcomes in metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients. However this approach was safe and showed a good response of the irradiated lesions.

The prognostic value of baseline and early variations of peripheral blood inflammatory ratios and their cellular components in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with nivolumab: The Δ-Meet-URO analysis.

Background: Treatment choice for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients is still based on baseline clinical and laboratory factors. Methods: By a pre-specified analysis of the Meet-URO 15 multicentric retrospective study enrolling 571 pretreated mRCC patients receiving nivolumab, baseline and early dynamic variations (Δ) of neutrophil, lymphocyte, and platelet absolute cell counts (ACC) and their inflammatory ratios (IR) were evaluated alongside their association with the best disease response and overall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Multivariable analyses on OS and PFS between baseline and Δ ACC and IR values were investigated with receiving operating curves-based cut-offs. Results: The analysis included 422 mRCC patients. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) increased over time due to consistent neutrophil increase (p < 0.001). Higher baseline platelets (p = 0.044) and lower lymphocytes (p = 0.018), increasing neutrophil Δ (p for time-group interaction <0.001), higher baseline IR values (NLR: p = 0.012, SII: p = 0.003, PLR: p = 0.003), increasing NLR and systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII) (i.e., NLR x platelets) Δ (p for interaction time-group = 0.0053 and 0.0435, respectively) were associated with disease progression. OS and PFS were significantly shorter in patients with baseline lower lymphocytes (p < 0.001 for both) and higher platelets (p = 0.004 and p < 0.001, respectively) alongside early neutrophils Δ (p = 0.046 and p = 0.033, respectively). Early neutrophils and NLR Δ were independent prognostic factors for both OS (p = 0.014 and p = 0.011, respectively) and PFS (p = 0.023 and p = 0.001, respectively), alongside baseline NLR (p < 0.001 for both) and other known prognostic variables. Conclusions: Early neutrophils and NLR Δ may represent new dynamic prognostic factors with clinical utility for on-treatment decisions.

The leader peptide of a human rec. MnSOD as molecular carrier which delivers high amounts of Cisplatin into tumor cells inducing a fast apoptosis in vitro.

The leader peptide of a recombinant MnSOD (rMnSOD-Lp) constitutes the carrier that allows rMnSOD to penetrate tumor cells. A synthetic preparation of rMnSOD-Lp was 68Ga labeled (rMnSOD-Lp- 68Ga) and injected into animals bearing spontaneous mammary cancers, followed by PET examinations, which demonstrated unambiguously the tumor sites in all the animals, suggesting that if rMnSOD-Lp was able to transport the radioisotope into tumor cells, it would also be able to deliver cytotoxic molecules. The rMnSOD-Lp was, therefore, conjugated to cisplatin (rMnSOD-Lp-CC) and added to cultured tumor cells. Equal concentrations of cisplatin were used for the tests. After treating the ovarian cancer cells with 11.1 µg of cisplatin alone, analysis by atomic absorbance spectrophotometry was able to detect only 6 ng of platinum, whereas when the same cells were treated with the same amount of cisplatin conjugated to leader peptide rMnSOD, 387 ng of platinum were detected, i.e., an amount 80 times greater. Only the tumor cells died following treatment with rMnSOD-Lp-CC; molecular analysis revealed that its addition generated an increasing expression of Erk-2 and Bax products, which could be inhibited only by a selective MAP/ERK kinase inhibitor (PD98059), revealing that rMnSOD-Lp-CC has an apoptotic function, exactly as occurs when using the cisplatin alone. Data are statistically significant and indicate that by using rMnSOD-Lp-CC, the cisplatin can be transformed from an agent with antireplicative activity into a specific and selective antitumor molecule, increasing its therapeutic index. We think that rMnSOD-Lp-CC deserves to be considered as a new antitumor agent.

A CT-Based Radiomic Signature Can Be Prognostic for 10-Months Overall Survival in Metastatic Tumors Treated with Nivolumab: An Exploratory Study.

Baseline clinical prognostic factors for recurrent and/or metastatic (RM) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treated with immunotherapy are lacking. CT-based radiomics may provide additional prognostic information. A total of 85 patients with RM-HNSCC were enrolled for this study. For each tumor, radiomic features were extracted from the segmentation of the largest tumor mass. A pipeline including different feature selection steps was used to train a radiomic signature prognostic for 10-month overall survival (OS). Features were selected based on their stability to geometrical transformation of the segmentation (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC > 0.75) and their predictive power (area under the curve, AUC > 0.7). The predictive model was developed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) in combination with the support vector machine. The model was developed based on the first 68 enrolled patients and tested on the last 17 patients. Classification performance of the radiomic risk was evaluated accuracy and the AUC. The same metrics were computed for some baseline predictors used in clinical practice (volume of largest lesion, total tumor volume, number of tumor lesions, number of affected organs, performance status). The AUC in the test set was 0.67, while accuracy was 0.82. The performance of the radiomic score was higher than the one obtainable with the clinical variables (largest lesion volume: accuracy 0.59, AUC = 0.55; number of tumoral lesions: accuracy 0.71, AUC 0.36; number of affected organs: accuracy 0.47; AUC 0.42; total tumor volume: accuracy 0.59, AUC 0.53; performance status: accuracy 0.41, AUC = 0.47). Radiomics may provide additional baseline prognostic value compared to the variables used in clinical practice.

Docetaxel and prednisone with or without enzalutamide as first-line treatment in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: CHEIRON, a randomised phase II trial.

BACKGROUND: Pre-clinical data suggest that docetaxel and enzalutamide interfere with androgen receptor translocation and signalling. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of their concurrent administration in the first-line treatment for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). METHODS: In this open-label, randomised, phase II trial, previously untreated mCRPC patients were randomised 1:1 to receive eight 21-d courses of docetaxel 75 mg/m2, oral prednisone 5 mg twice daily and oral enzalutamide 160 mg/d (arm DE), or the same treatment without enzalutamide (arm D). The primary end-point was the percentage of patients without investigator-assessed disease progression 6 months after the first docetaxel administration. RESULTS: The 246 eligible patients were randomly assigned to receive docetaxel, prednisone and enzalutamide (n = 120) or docetaxel and prednisone (n = 126). The 6-month progression rate was 12.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 8.1-20.6) in arm DE and 27.8% (95% CI 22.8-39.4) in arm D (chi-squared test 10.01; P = 0.002). The most frequent grade III-IV adverse events were fatigue (12.5% in arm DE versus 5.6% in arm D), febrile neutropenia (9.3% versus 4.0%) and neutropenia (7.6% versus 5.6%). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of enzalutamide and docetaxel appears to be more clinically beneficial than docetaxel alone in previously untreated mCRPC patients, although serious adverse events were more frequent. Our findings suggest that first-line treatment with this combination could lead to an additional clinical benefit when prompt and prolonged disease control is simultaneously required. Clearly, these results should be considered cautiously because of the study's phase II design and the absence of an overall survival benefit. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS: EudraCT 2014-000175-43 - NCT02453009.

GU-CA-COVID: a clinical audit among Italian genitourinary oncologists during the first COVID-19 outbreak.

BACKGROUND: Considering the growing genitourinary (GU) cancer population undergoing systemic treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, we planned a clinical audit in 24 Italian institutions treating GU malignancies. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective was investigating the clinical impact of COVID-19 in GU cancer patients undergoing ICI-based therapy during the first outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 contagion in Italy. DESIGN SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: The included centers were 24 Oncology Departments. Two online forms were completed by the responsible Oncology Consultants, respectively, for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) patients receiving at least one administration of ICIs between 31 January 2020 and 30 June 2020. RESULTS AND LIMITATION: In total, 287 mRCC patients and 130 mUC patients were included. The COVID-19 incidence was, respectively, 3.5%, with mortality 1%, in mRCC patients and 7.7%, with mortality 3.1%, in mUC patients. In both groups, 40% of patients developing COVID-19 permanently discontinued anticancer treatment. The pre-test SARS-CoV-2 probability in the subgroup of patients who underwent nasal/pharyngeal swab ranged from 14% in mRCC to 26% in mUC. The main limitation of the work was its nature of audit: data were not recorded at the single-patient level. CONCLUSION: GU cancer patients undergoing active treatment with ICIs have meaningful risk factors for developing severe events from COVID-19 and permanent discontinuation of therapy after the infection. Treatment delays due to organizational issues during the pandemic were unlikely to affect the treatment outcome in this population.

Assessment of Total, PTEN-, and AR-V7+ Circulating Tumor Cell Count by Flow Cytometry in Patients with Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Receiving Enzalutamide.

INTRODUCTION: Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is a deadly disease. Enzalutamide is an oral second-generation anti-androgen that is active in mCRPC. Circulating tumor cells (CTC) count correlates with overall survival (OS) in mCRPC, whereas detection of the androgen-receptor splice variant 7 (AR-V7) in CTC predicts poor response to oral second-generation anti-androgens. Also, loss of PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog) in CTC is a biomarker of poor prognosis in mCRPC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this translational study, we employed flow cytometry to assess total, PTEN-, and AR-V7+ CTC count per 7.5 mL of whole blood in a prospective cohort of patients with mCRPC receiving enzalutamide. RESULTS: CTCs were assessed in a total of 45 men with mCRPC at baseline and at 12 weeks. Overall, CTC, PTEN- CTC, and AR-V7+ CTC detection rate was high, at baseline, with 84.4%, 71.1%, and 51.1% of samples showing at least 1 cell/7.5-mL blood, respectively, and after 3 months, with 93.3%, 64.4%, and 77.7% of samples showing at least 1 cell/7.5-mL blood, respectively. Median radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) and OS were 6 (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.6-9) and 14.3 (95% CI, 12.8-20.3) months, respectively. Median (interquartile range) total CTC count at baseline was 5 (3; 8), whereas median (interquartile range) PTEN- CTC count was 2 (0; 4) and median (interquartile range) AR-V7+ CTC count was 1 (0; 3). At baseline, ≥ 5 versus < 5 total CTC count was associated with worse rPFS (hazard ratio [HR], 2.35; 95% CI, 1.14-4.84; P= .021) and OS (HR, 3.08; 95% CI, 1.45-6.54; P = .003), whereas ≥ 2 versus < 2 PTEN- CTC count was associated with worse rPFS (HR, 3.96; 95% CI, 1.8-8.72; P= .001) and OS (HR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.12-5; P= .025). Finally, ≥ 1 versus < 1 AR-V7+ CTC count was also associated with worse rPFS (HR, 5.05; 95% CI, 2.4-10.64; P< .001) and OS (HR, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.1-4.58; P= .026). CONCLUSIONS: Despite multiple limitations, including the small sample size, our preliminary study suggests that assessment of CTC via flow cytometry may provide potentially useful prognostic and predictive information in advanced prostate cancer. Further studies are warranted. Micro-Abstract: In this study, men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, scheduled to start enzalutamide, were assessed for circulating tumor cell count and molecular characterization (total, PTEN-, and AR-V7+ circulating tumor cell count) by the use of flow cytometry. We found that flow cytometry could be used to enumerate circulating tumor cells, but also to assess molecular biomarkers on their surface.