Pemigatinib for metastatic or surgically unresectable urothelial carcinoma with FGF/FGFR genomic alterations: final results from FIGHT-201.

BACKGROUND: Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) alterations are oncogenic drivers of urothelial carcinoma (UC). Pemigatinib is a selective, oral inhibitor of FGFR1-3 with antitumor activity. We report the efficacy and safety of pemigatinib in the open-label, single-arm, phase II study of previously treated, unresectable or metastatic UC with FGFR3 alterations (FIGHT-201; NCT02872714). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients ≥18 years old with FGFR3 mutations or fusions/rearrangements (cohort A) and other FGF/FGFR alterations (cohort B) were included. Patients received pemigatinib 13.5 mg once daily continuously (CD) or intermittently (ID) until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was centrally confirmed objective response rate (ORR) as per RECIST v1.1 in cohort A-CD. Secondary endpoints included ORR in cohorts A-ID and B, duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. RESULTS: Overall, 260 patients were enrolled and treated (A-CD, n = 101; A-ID, n = 103; B, n = 44; unconfirmed FGF/FGFR status, n = 12). All discontinued treatment, most commonly due to progressive disease (68.5%). ORR [95% confidence interval (CI)] in cohorts A-CD and A-ID was 17.8% (10.9% to 26.7%) and 23.3% (15.5% to 32.7%), respectively. Among patients with the most common FGFR3 mutation (S249C; n = 107), ORR was similar between cohorts (A-CD, 23.9%; A-ID, 24.6%). In cohorts A-CD/A-ID, median (95% CI) DOR was 6.2 (4.1-8.3)/6.2 (4.6-8.0) months, PFS was 4.0 (3.5-4.2)/4.3 (3.9-6.1) months, and OS was 6.8 (5.3-9.1)/8.9 (7.5-15.2) months. Pemigatinib had limited clinical activity among patients in cohort B. Of 36 patients with samples available at progression, 6 patients had 8 acquired FGFR3 secondary resistance mutations (V555M/L, n = 3; V553M, n = 1; N540K/S, n = 2; M528I, n = 2). The most common treatment-emergent adverse events overall were diarrhea (44.6%) and alopecia, stomatitis, and hyperphosphatemia (42.7% each). CONCLUSIONS: Pemigatinib was generally well tolerated and demonstrated clinical activity in previously treated, unresectable or metastatic UC with FGFR3 mutations or fusions/rearrangements.

TROPHY-U-01, a phase II open-label study of sacituzumab govitecan in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma progressing after platinum-based chemotherapy and checkpoint inhibitors: updated safety and efficacy outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Sacituzumab govitecan (SG) is a Trop-2-directed antibody-drug conjugate containing cytotoxic SN-38, the active metabolite of irinotecan. SG received accelerated US Food and Drug Administration approval for locally advanced (LA) or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy and a checkpoint inhibitor, based on cohort 1 of the TROPHY-U-01 study. Mutations in the uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) gene are associated with increased adverse events (AEs) with irinotecan-based therapies. Whether UGT1A1 status could impact SG toxicity and efficacy remains unclear. PATIENTS AND METHODS: TROPHY-U-01 (NCT03547973) is a multicohort, open-label, phase II registrational study. Cohort 1 includes patients with LA or mUC who progressed after platinum- and checkpoint inhibitor-based therapies. SG was administered at 10 mg/kg intravenously on days 1 and 8 of 21-day cycles. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) per central review; secondary endpoints included progression-free survival, overall survival, and safety. Post hoc safety analyses were exploratory with descriptive statistics. Updated analyses include longer follow-up. RESULTS: Cohort 1 included 113 patients. At a median follow-up of 10.5 months, ORR was 28% (95% CI 20.2% to 37.6%). Median progression-free survival and overall survival were 5.4 months (95% CI 3.5-6.9 months) and 10.9 months (95% CI 8.9-13.8 months), respectively. Occurrence of grade ≥3 treatment-related AEs and treatment-related discontinuation were consistent with prior reports. UGT1A1 status was wildtype (∗1|∗1) in 40%, heterozygous (∗1|∗28) in 42%, homozygous (∗28|∗28) in 12%, and missing in 6% of patients. In patients with ∗1|∗1, ∗1|∗28, and ∗28|∗28 genotypes, any grade treatment-related AEs occurred in 93%, 94%, and 100% of patients, respectively, and were managed similarly regardless of UGT1A1 status. CONCLUSIONS: With longer follow-up, the ORR remains high in patients with heavily pretreated LA or mUC. Safety data were consistent with the known SG toxicity profile. AE incidence varied across UGT1A1 subgroups; however, discontinuation rates remained relatively low for all groups.

MTAP protein status is highly concordant with CDKN2A fluorescent in situ hybridization and allows stratification of the luminal subtype in muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

AIMS: Loss of heterozygosity in chromosome 9p21, common in urothelial carcinoma (UC), typically involves deletion of CDKN2A and MTAP genes. MTAP loss is emerging as a promising therapeutic target and predictive biomarker in UC. This single-centrre retrospective study examined the incidence of CDKN2A deletions and MTAP loss in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC), investigating their correlations with clinical, pathological, and genomic features, as well as patient outcomes. METHODS: Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were performed on 302 MIBC specimens and 63 biopsy-proven metachronous urothelial metastases to assess CDKN2A deletions and MTAP protein expression. RESULTS: CDKN2A homozygous deletion (HD), identified in 30.3% of MIBCs, and MTAP loss, found in 28.8% of MIBCs, were both significantly associated with the luminal-URO subtype, FGFR3 mutations, and normal/wildtype p53 IHC (P < 0.05). Loss of MTAP expression was significantly correlated with CDKN2A HD, with 84.0% sensitivity, 92.3% negative predictive value (NPV), 96.3% specificity, and 91.9% positive predictive value (PPV). MTAP expression was 100% concordant between primary tumours and nodal metastases. Patients with MTAP loss had a higher incidence of visceral metastases (50%) compared to bone/soft tissue (35.7%) and nodes (14.3%). Mean progression-free survival and overall survival were shorter for patients with MTAP loss, although not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight CDKN2A HD and MTAP loss as prevalent genetic alterations in MIBC and mUC, particularly within the luminal-URO subtype and FGFR3-mutated, p53-normal/wildtype tumours. MTAP IHC can serve as a surrogate marker for 9p21.3 HD, highlighting its clinical relevance and potential as a therapeutic target and predictive biomarker in MIBC.

Experience and Prognostic Analysis with Avelumab Switch Maintenance Treatment in Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Avelumab (Ave) is approved for metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) maintenance therapy and prolongs overall survival (OS). We explored trends related to Ave treatment of mUC patients. METHODS: A total of 72 patients with mUC treated with first-line chemotherapy, from January 2019 to November 2022, at our affiliated institutions, were analyzed. We compared clinical parameters and the prognosis of patients treated with Ave (n = 43) because of progression during first-line chemotherapy, with untreated patients (Ave-untreated; n = 29). Among the Ave-treated group, we classified patients showing a complete or partial response or stable disease in their best response to Ave maintenance therapy as Ave-suitable patients; these were retrospectively analyzed. Potential prognostic factors, including the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) for determining patients suitable for Ave, were evaluated. RESULTS: The basic clinical parameters of patients when first-line treatment was initiated were not statistically different between the two groups. The Ave-suitable group (median 26.6 months, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 19.4-not reached [NR]) showed significantly longer median OS after first-line treatment than the Ave-untreated group (median 12.0 months, 95% CI: 7.5-NR) with tolerable adverse events. The cut-off values of prognostic factors were set by the receiver operating characteristic curve. Low age and GNRI sustainability were revealed as significant prognostic factors for being Ave-suitable both in univariate and multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: In mUC, Ave maintenance prolonged OS within tolerable safety profiles. GNRI sustainability may be used as a biomarker to predict being Ave-suitable.

Plain language summary of erdafitinib in locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma: a phase 2 study with long-term follow-up.

WHAT IS THIS SUMMARY ABOUT?: This is a plain language summary of two articles describing the results from a study called BLC2001. The study examined the effect of a medication called erdafitinib on participants with a type of cancer known as urothelial carcinoma that had either spread beyond the bladder or urinary tract into surrounding organs and/or nearby muscles (locally advanced) and was not removable by surgery (unresectable) or had spread to other parts of the body (metastatic). In this study, researchers wanted to learn if erdafitinib was safe and effective at stopping or reducing tumor growth in participants with locally advanced and unresectable or metastatic urothelial carcinoma with certain genetic alterations (changes in DNA sequence) in two related genes called fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) and 3 (FGFR3). Treatment options for people with this disease are very limited; some may not have responded to other therapies, or their tumors continued to grow after they received other treatments. 212 participants took part in the study. 111 participants were treated with oral (by mouth) erdafitinib at different doses to find a recommended dose regimen. 101 additional participants then received the recommended starting dose of erdafitinib at 8 mg daily with possible increase to 9 mg daily, these participants make up the 8 mg regimen group. WHAT WERE THE RESULTS OF THE BLC2001 STUDY IN THE 8 MG REGIMEN GROUP?: Researchers found that tumors decreased in size or completely disappeared in 40% of participants. With approximately 1 year of follow-up, an estimated 55% of participants were still alive, and after 2 years, an estimated 31% of participants were still alive. Common side effects of erdafitinib included high phosphate levels in the blood (hyperphosphatemia), an inflamed and sore mouth, diarrhea, and dry mouth. WHAT DO THE RESULTS MEAN?: Participants had locally advanced and unresectable or metastatic urothelial carcinoma with certain FGFR gene alterations that had been treated with erdafitinib after previous chemotherapy and/or a type of medicine that uses the immune system to help the body fight cancer (immunotherapy). The BLC2001 study found that some participants treated with 8 mg erdafitinib had the benefit of a longer period without their cancer growing or spreading to other parts of the body. About 80% of participants achieved some level of disease control where their tumor shrank or remained stable.

Treatment patterns and clinical outcomes in metastatic urothelial carcinoma: a German retrospective real-world analysis.

Aim: This study assessed real-world treatment in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) in Germany. Materials & methods: Patients diagnosed with mUC from 2015 to 2019 were identified in two claims databases: AOK PLUS and GWQ. Results: 3226 patients with mUC were analyzed; 1286 (39.9%) received systemic treatment within 12 months of diagnosis (platinum-based chemotherapy: 64.2%). Factors associated with receiving treatment were: younger age, male sex, less comorbidity and recent diagnosis. In AOK PLUS and GWQ populations, unadjusted median overall survival (interquartile range) from diagnosis in treated patients was 13.7 (6.8-32.9) and 13.8 (7.1-41.7) months, and in untreated patients was 3.0 (1.2-10.8) and 3.6 (1.2-18.8) months, respectively. Conclusion: A significant proportion of patients with mUC in Germany receive no systemic treatment.

What is this article about? This article reports the results from a study in Germany between 2015 and 2019 that investigated how advanced bladder cancer that has spread to other organs was treated and how long people lived after diagnosis. The study looked at systemic therapies, which means treatments that affect the entire body.What were the results? Only 40% of people diagnosed with advanced bladder cancer received systemic treatment within the first 12 months. Of those who did receive systemic treatment, the majority received combination therapy that included a chemotherapy drug containing platinum (64%). Systemic treatment was more likely to be given to people who were younger, less sick, male, or more recently diagnosed. After 12 months, 56% of treated people were still alive, compared with 26% of people without treatment. On average, people who received systemic treatment lived for about 14 months, while people without systemic treatment lived for only 3 to 4 months.What do the results of the study mean? Many people with advanced bladder cancer in Germany do not receive systemic treatment. People who receive treatment are likely to live longer than those who do not receive treatment.

Trend in overall survival from the start of first-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma.

New approaches involving immune checkpoint inhibitors and antibody-drug conjugates prolong overall survival in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma. However, the access to such systemic therapy in clinical practice is suboptimal, and whether these agents improve overall survival in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma over time remains unclear. Hence, we investigated the overall survival trend from the initiation of first-line therapy with these agents to identify changes due to the medication and time of treatment initiation. We retrospectively evaluated 195 patients from a single center. They were treated with chemotherapy, pembrolizumab, or avelumab or enfortumab vedotin. The treatment was categorized into chemotherapy, pembrolizumab or avelumab/enfortumab vedotin period. The new agents prolonged overall survival from the start of first-line therapy. Furthermore, sequential treatment with these agents in real-world clinical practice has been reported to prolong overall survival. These study results will have major implications when a new first-line therapy is approved in the future.

Therapeutic efficacy and safety of biweekly administration of enfortumab vedotin for urothelial carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Enfortumab vedotin (EV) is an established pharmacotherapy for metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC); however, its adverse events (AEs) cannot be overlooked. The study investigated the efficacy and safety of biweekly EV administration. METHODS: Patients with mUC who received EV at our institution were included in the study. Eligible patients were classified into two groups as follows: those who received EV on a standard schedule (standard group) and those who received EV on a biweekly schedule (biweekly group); the treatment outcomes and AEs between the two groups were compared. RESULTS: Nine and 19 patients were in the standard group and biweekly groups, respectively. The progression-free survival, overall survival, and overall response rate were not significantly different between the two groups. AEs following EV administration, such as decreased appetite (P < .01), pruritus (P < .01), rash maculopapular (P < .01), anemia (P = .04), and liver dysfunction (P = .04), were significantly more frequent in the standard group. Grade 3 or higher AEs, such as pruritus (P = .03) and rash maculopapular (P < .01), were significantly more frequent in the standard group. Furthermore, significantly more patients in the standard group had to be given a reduced dose due to adverse events (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Biweekly administration of EV may be safer without compromising therapeutic efficacy than the standard schedule.

Phase 3 THOR Japanese subgroup analysis: erdafitinib in advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer and fibroblast growth factor receptor alterations.

BACKGROUND: In the THOR trial (NCT03390504) Cohort 1, erdafitinib demonstrated significantly prolonged overall survival (OS) (median 12.1 versus 7.8 months) and reduced risk of death by 36% (hazard ratio 0.64, P = 0.005) compared with chemotherapy in metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) patients with FGFR alterations who progressed after ≥ 1 prior treatments, including anti-PD-(L)1. There have been no reports of the Japanese subgroup results yet. METHODS: THOR Cohort 1 randomized patients to erdafitinib once daily or docetaxel/vinflunine once every 3 weeks. Primary endpoint was OS. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS) and objective response rate (ORR). No specific statistical power was set for this Japanese subgroup analysis. RESULTS: Of 266 patients randomized, 27 (14 erdafitinib; 13 chemotherapy) were Japanese. Baseline characteristics were generally similar between treatments and to the overall population, except for more males, lower body weight, and more upper tract primary tumors among Japanese patients. Compared with chemotherapy, erdafitinib showed improved OS (median 25.4 versus 12.4 months), PFS (median 8.4 versus 2.9 months) and ORR (57.1% versus 15.4%). Any grade treatment-related adverse events (AEs) occurred in all patients from both arms but Grade 3/4 AEs and AEs leading to discontinuation were lower in the erdafitinib arm. No new safety signals were observed in the Japanese subgroup. CONCLUSION: In the Japanese subgroup, erdafitinib showed improved survival and response compared to chemotherapy, with no new safety concerns. These results support erdafitinib as a treatment option for Japanese mUC patients with FGFR alterations, and early FGFR testing after diagnosis of mUC should be considered.

Anti-PD-1 immunotherapy for the treatment of metastatic urothelial carcinoma in a kidney transplant recipient: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has been widely investigated in urothelial carcinoma; however, the utility of ICI therapy in the treatment of organ transplant recipients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) is unclear. We herein report the first case of a first-line anti-programmed cell death-1 (anti-PD-1) monotherapy for a kidney transplant patient with mUC. CASE PRESENTATION: A 71-year-old woman who received a kidney transplant in 2003 was diagnosed with urothelial carcinoma in 2018. After operation of the tumor, the patient developed local recurrence at the site of the right kidney and bladder and multiple distant metastases in May 2020. Considering the intolerance of chemotherapy and high tumor mutation burden, we administered the anti-PD-1 agent tislelizumab (200 mg every three weeks). Partial response was achieved after two cycles of therapy and sustained until 18th cycles. There were no signs of kidney graft rejection. The immunotherapy was temporarily stopped after the 18th course because of a suspicious immune-related pneumonitis and was continued in December 2021. CONCLUSIONS: This case demonstrates the feasibility of safely achieving stable cancer control in a kidney transplant patient with mUC without encountering graft rejection by using single-agent anti-PD-1 treatment.

Real-World Evidence of Tumor and Patient Characteristics and Survival with Avelumab Maintenance after Chemotherapy for Advanced and Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the prospective randomized controlled JAVELIN Bladder 100 trial, no real-world evidence exists regarding tumor characteristics, adverse events (AEs), and survival of avelumab maintenance (AVM)-treated patients with partial/complete response or stable disease after previous platinum-based chemotherapy for advanced/metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). METHODS: We relied on our institutional database to identify mUC patients who received AVM between January, 2021 and December, 2023. The main outcomes consisted of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) and were computed by Kaplan-Meier estimates. Stratification was performed according to programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) status. RESULTS: Overall, 24 AVM patients were identified at a median age of 71 (interquartile range [IQR]: 67-76) years, of which 67% were males. Of these, 63%, 21%, and 17% received AVM therapy for bladder cancer and upper tract urothelial carcinoma or both, respectively. PD-L1 status was positive in 45% of patients. During AVM treatment, AEs were observed in 33% of patients; however, they were limited to ≤2 grade AEs. At a median follow-up of eight (IQR 4-20) months, 71% of patients had progressed under AVM with median PFS of 6.2 months (confidence interval [CI]: 3.2-18.2). Median OS was 13.4 (CI: 6.9 - not reached [NR]) months. One-year OS after AVM was 52%. In PD-L1-positive patients, median PFS and OS were 6.4 (CI: 2.7 - NR) months and 13.4 (CI: 7.7 months - NR), respectively. CONCLUSION: AVM is associated with moderate AE rates. Despite similarities in baseline characteristics compared to trial-selected JAVELIN Bladder 100 mUC patients, AVM resulted in longer/similar PFS but significantly shorter OS in real-world setting.

Enfortumab vedotin prolongs overall survival in metastatic urothelial carcinoma following pembrolizumab therapy in real-world data.

OBJECTIVE: In December 2021, enfortumab vedotin (EV), an antibody-drug conjugate directed against nectin-4, was approved in Japan as a new treatment after platinum-containing chemotherapy and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. This study evaluated, using real-world data, the efficacy and safety of EV therapy in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-five patients with mUC who discontinued pembrolizumab therapy due to disease progression between June 2018 and April 2023 at Yokohama City University Hospital were evaluated retrospectively. Of the 55 patients, 25 received EV therapy (EV group) and 30 did not (non-EV group). All patients who underwent EV therapy were diagnosed with disease progression after the approval of EV in Japan. RESULTS: The median (range) follow-up period after pembrolizumab discontinuation was 6.3 (0.7-31.1) months. There were eight (32.0%) deaths due to cancer in the EV group and 27 (90.0%) in the non-EV group. The overall survival (OS) after pembrolizumab discontinuation was not reached in the EV group versus 2.6 months in the non-EV group (p < 0.001). A multivariate analysis revealed that EV therapy (EV vs. non-EV group; hazard ratio 0.26; 95% confidence interval 0.16-0.41; p < 0.001) was an independent prognostic factor for OS. CONCLUSION: EV prolonged OS in mUC following pembrolizumab therapy in real-world data.

Real-world epidemiology and treatment patterns of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma: Retrospective analysis of Diagnosis Procedure Combination claims data in Japan.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate real-world epidemiologic trends and treatment patterns in newly diagnosed patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (la/mUC) in Japan. METHODS: This retrospective analysis included adults with newly diagnosed la/mUC in Japan (January 2015-December 2019) from a nationwide-linked electronic medical record Diagnostic Procedure Combination claims dataset. Outcomes included epidemiologic trends (incidence and prevalence), baseline demographics, clinical characteristics, and treatment patterns in newly diagnosed patients with la/mUC before (2015-2017) and after (2018-2019) approval of pembrolizumab in Japan. RESULTS: Of 975 patients included, 76.4% were men; 71.6% were aged 70 years or older. Most cases (70.5%) were of the bladder. Between 2015 and 2019, the annual age-adjusted incidence increased from 6.8 to 12.4 per 100 000; the annual age-adjusted period prevalence increased from 13.0 to 25.2 per 100 000; and 307 (31.5%) and 668 (68.5%) patients were diagnosed from 2015 to 2017 and 2018 to 2019, respectively. Overall, 731 (75%) patients received systemic anticancer therapy; all received 1 line and 50.2% received 2 lines of therapy; 78.3% of patients received gemcitabine plus platinum-based therapy and 2.2% received pembrolizumab as first-line treatment. First-line treatment rates increased from 69.4% to 77.5% after pembrolizumab approval. Of 367 patients who received second-line treatment, 22.3% received gemcitabine plus platinum-based therapy; 14.7% received pembrolizumab. CONCLUSIONS: In the Japanese regions considered, incidence and prevalence of newly diagnosed la/mUC increased over time and first-line treatment with pembrolizumab increased after approval.

Clinical and Economic Outcomes in Patients With Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma Receiving First-Line Systemic Treatment (the IMPACT UC I Study).

BACKGROUND: The IMPACT UC I study assessed real-world treatment patterns, outcomes, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), and costs in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) receiving first-line (1L) systemic treatment after the FDA approval of 1L immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) monotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study used 100% Medicare fee-for-service claims from 1/1/2015 to 6/30/2019 to identify patients aged ≥18 years diagnosed with UC with evidence of metastatic disease, continuously enrolled for 6 months before and after initial diagnosis. Patients were grouped by 1L treatment: cisplatin-containing chemotherapy, carboplatin-containing chemotherapy, ICI monotherapy, or nonplatinum-containing therapy. Unadjusted time on 1L treatment (TOT), overall survival (OS), HCRU, and total healthcare costs were analyzed. RESULTS: Of 18 888 patients with mUC, 8630 (45.7%) had received identified 1L systemic treatment; platinum-containing chemotherapy was the most common (cisplatin-containing chemotherapy, 37.6%; carboplatin-containing chemotherapy, 30.2%). Cisplatin- and carboplatin-containing chemotherapy had the shortest time-to-treatment initiation (median, 1.7-3.0 months) and longest TOT (median, 4.0-4.3 months). Median OS was longest with cisplatin-containing chemotherapy (20.0 months) and shortest with ICI monotherapy (7.6 months). Cisplatin- and carboplatin-containing chemotherapy were associated with highest HCRU; total healthcare costs were approximately 2-fold higher with ICI monotherapy vs other 1L treatments ($10 359 vs $5042-$5709 per patient per month). CONCLUSION: 1L platinum-containing chemotherapy resulted in the longest median OS and highest HCRU, whereas 1L ICI treatment had the shortest median OS and the highest costs. Over 50% of patients diagnosed with advanced UC (aUC) received no systemic therapy, highlighting the importance of optimal 1L treatment decisions in aUC.

HER2-targeting antibody-drug conjugate RC48 alone or in combination with immunotherapy for locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma: a multicenter, real-world study.

BACKGROUND: Phase II trials showed the efficacy of anti-HER2 RC48-ADC (disitamab vedotin) for HER2-positive metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC). This study evaluated RC48 alone verses in combination with immunotherapy for locally advanced or metastatic UC using real-world data. METHODS: This retrospective, multicenter, real-world study included patients with locally advanced or metastatic UC who received RC48 in five hospitals in China between July 2021 and April 2022. The outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and adverse events. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients were included. The patients were 47-87 years, and 26 (72.2%) were male. Eighteen patients received RC48 alone, and 18 received RC48 combined with a programmed death-1 antibody. The median PFS was 5.4 months. The median OS was not reached. The 6-month and 1-year PFS rates were 38.8% and 15.5%, respectively. The 1-year OS rate was 79.6%. Fourteen (38.9%) patients achieved a partial response, and the ORR was 38.9%. Eleven patients had stable disease, and the DCR was 69.4%. The median PFS for patients who received RC48 combined with immunotherapy and those who received RC48 alone was 8.5 and 5.4 months, respectively. The main treatment-related adverse events included anemia, hypoesthesia, fatigue, and elevated transaminase. No treatment-related death occurred. CONCLUSION: RC48 alone or combined with immunotherapy might benefit patients with locally advanced or metastatic UC, regardless of impaired renal function.

The 27-gene IO score is associated with efficacy of PD-1/L1 inhibitors independent of FGFR expression in a real-world metastatic urothelial carcinoma cohort.

Multiple targeted therapeutics have been approved by the FDA for mUC, including immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and more recently targeted agents for both FGFR and Nectin-4. FGFR3-aberrant and Nectin-4 expressing cells have been associated with an immunosuppressed phenotype. Given that less than half of all patients respond to these agents as monotherapies and less than 20% are eligible to receive salvage therapy, effective personalized treatment plans are critical. Typical biomarkers for ICIs such as PD-L1 and TMB have not been definitive in mUC, yet a biomarker-driven optimization of first-line therapy and subsequent sequencing have the potential to achieve higher and more durable response rates. The IO score is a 27-gene tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) classifier that has been associated with the clinical benefits of ICIs in multiple cancer types, including mUC. This study demonstrates that the IO score was associated with both progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in a real-world cohort of mUC patients treated with ICIs. Furthermore, the IO score was independent of and provided information incremental to TMB. Interestingly, the IO score predicted benefit in patients with high FGFR expression, despite conflicting data regarding response rates among the FGFR aberrant population. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the IO score assessment of the TIME is associated with a clinical benefit from ICI therapy and that this novel biomarker may inform therapeutic sequencing decisions in mUC, potentially improving outcomes for this notoriously difficult-to-treat disease.

GNRI Sustainability during One Cycle of First-Line Chemotherapy as a Prognostic Indicator in Patients with Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: This study evaluated the prognostic value of a sustained high Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) during first-line chemotherapy for patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). METHODS: Between January 2018 and February 2022, 123 patients received platinum-based chemotherapy at Nagoya City University Hospital and affiliated institutions. Of these, 118 eligible patients who showed an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG-PS) between 0 and 2 were retrospectively examined. Based on body mass index and serum albumin levels, GNRI was calculated immediately before and after the first primary chemotherapy cycle. Patients were divided into two groups based on GNRI: GNRI sustained ≥92 in sustainable (n = 63) and GNRI <92 in unsustainable (n = 55) groups, respectively. Clinical outcomes were compared. RESULTS: No significant differences were noted between the two groups for age, gender, cycle of first-line treatment, and type of series of sequential treatments after failure of first-line therapy. Median overall survival from the start of first-line chemotherapy was 30.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 20.9-NA) for sustainable and 12.6 months (95% CI: 9.0-21.2) for unsustainable groups, respectively (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis identified ECOG-PS:2 and fatigue, an adverse event, as independent predictors of unsustainable GNRI transition (95% CI: 1.29-90.6, odds ratio [OR]: 10.8; 95% CI: 1.06-26.9, OR: 5.34, respectively). CONCLUSION: Sustaining a high level of GNRI was an important prognostic indicator in patients with mUC receiving first-line chemotherapy. Appropriate intervention for controlling adverse events, including fatigue, may enhance physical strength during cancer treatment.

The prognostic significance of histologic variant on survival outcomes in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

BACKGROUND: While the treatment guidelines have been established for pure urothelial carcinoma (pUC), patients with variant type urothelial carcinoma (vUC) face limited effective treatment options. The effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in patients with vUC remains uncertain and necessitates additional research. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective, multicenter study to explore the effectiveness of ICI in patients with pUC or vUC in Taiwan. We evaluated the overall response rate (ORR) through univariate logistic regression analysis and examined the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Additionally, we employed univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models to analyze the data. RESULT: A total of 142 patients (116 pUC, 26 vUC) were included in our final analysis. The ORR was marginally higher in patients with pUC compared to those with vUC (34.5% vs. 23.1%, p = 0.26). Among all patients, 12.9% with pUC achieved a complete response (CR) after ICI treatment, while no vUC cases achieved CR (p = 0.05). There were no significant differences in PFS (median 3.6 months vs. 4.1 months, p = 0.34) or OS (median 16.3 months vs. 11.0 months, p = 0.24) when comparing patients with pUC or vUC. In the subgroup analysis, patients with pUC who underwent first-line ICI treatment exhibited significantly improved OS compared to those with vUC (24.6 months vs. 9.1 months, p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: The use of ICI as monotherapy is a feasible and effective treatment approach for patients with metastatic vUC.

Gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel vs gemcitabine/carboplatin for advanced urothelial carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To compare in a phase III trial the efficacy and safety of nanoparticle albumin-bound (nab)-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine (GA) with that of carboplatin plus gemcitabine (GCb) as a first-line treatment for patients with cisplatin-ineligible metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Treatment-naive, cisplatin-ineligible patients with mUC were assigned randomly to either the GA (both nab-paclitaxel 125 mg/m2 and gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 on Days 1 and 8, every 21 days) or GCb group (carboplatin area under the free carboplatin plasma concentration versus time curve of 4.5 on Day 1, gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 on Days 1 and 8, every 21 days). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS), safety, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs). RESULTS: The trial was terminated early because of slow accrual after 54 patients were enrolled: 26 in in the GA group and 28 in the GCb groups. The median PFS was 6.7 vs 5.9 months for the GA and GCb groups, respectively (P = 0.248). The median OS time was 12.1 vs 10.7 months for the GA and GCb groups, respectively (P = 0.837). The ORR and DCR were 40% vs 46.4% (P = 0.637) and 72% vs 68% (P = 0.188) in the GA and GCb groups, respectively. Patients treated with GA showed significantly lower incidence of Grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia and does reduction and delay. Although peripheral sensory neuropathy was higher in the GA arm, no Grade 3 neuropathy occurred. There was no difference in the PROs between the two groups. CONCLUSION: While not powered for comparison, first-line GA showed similar efficacy and better tolerability and might be considered a rational alternative to GCb.

Prospective Evaluation of Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma Undergoing Immunotherapy with Pembrolizumab: Symptom Burden Can Predict Survival.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the fact that guidelines recommend monitoring of quality of life during all phases of treatment in urothelial carcinoma, prospective data about health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in metastatic urothelial carcinoma undergoing immunotherapy are sparse. Consequently, we performed a prospective clinical pilot study about HRQoL using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Immune Checkpoint Modulator (FACT-ICM) questionnaire. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Formally, this study is a prospective uni-centric noninterventional observation from January 2021 to December 2021. RESULTS: Fourteen patients with a mean age of 73.9 years (SD 8.8) participated in the study. The physical well-being subscale of FACT-G is most impaired during therapy with mean scores of 7.5, 6.2, and 4.0 followed by the emotional well-being. The FACT-G total score is stable during therapy with mean scores of 51.1, 50.4, and 48.0 and it is not significantly decreasing during therapy (p = 0.317). Furthermore, the symptom burden of these patients is low and not significantly changing over time (p = 0.500), but survival decreases significantly if symptom burden is high (FACT-ICM score over 40; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Physical and emotional needs have a strong impact on HRQoL and should be dealt with during treatment. If symptom burden is high, survival decreases. This needs further evaluation.