Prognostic significance of initial tumor shrinkage in patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer treated with durvalumab following chemoradiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Baseline tumor size (BTS) is one of the prognostic factors of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with immunotherapy. However, its prognostic value in patients with locally advanced NSCLC receiving durvalumab maintenance therapy remains unclear. METHODS: The present study retrospectively reviewed 136 patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC who underwent CRT and durvalumab at two institutions in Japan. The maximum diameter of the target lesion (max BTS) before CRT was measured, the best response to CRT before durvalumab was evaluated, and the impact of the response on durvalumab was explored. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were defined as the time from the day of starting durvalumab. RESULTS: Of the total cohort, 133 (97.8%) patients had at least one measurable lesion. The best response to CRT resulting in CR, PR, and SD was seen in 0 (0%), 69 (51.9%), and 64 (48.1%) patients, respectively. PFS was significantly longer in the patients with PR than in those with SD after CRT (median not reached vs. 20.0 months; HR: 0.51; P = 0.023). Moreover, the absence of a massive lesion (max BTS < 50 mm) was associated with a superior CRT response (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The best response to induction CRT was associated with better PFS in patients with stage III NSCLC receiving durvalumab following chemoradiotherapy. Although the absence of a massive lesion was associated with a better response to induction CRT in this cohort, this was not translated into PFS and OS benefit.

Nivolumab-induced radiation recall pneumonitis in non-small-cell lung cancer patients with thoracic radiation therapy.

The role of previous thoracic radiation therapy as a risk factor of immune-related pneumonitis is unclear. Furthermore, some patients develop radiation recall pneumonitis, which is characterized by a radiation pneumonitis-like imaging pattern with consolidation progressing within a previous radiation field. In this multicenter retrospective study, we analyzed the relationship of previous thoracic radiation therapy with immune-related pneumonitis and the characteristics of radiation recall pneumonitis. The medical records of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer who had received nivolumab between December 2015 and March 2017 at five institutions were retrospectively reviewed. Incidence, imaging patterns, clinical course, and risk factors of immune-related pneumonitis and radiation recall pneumonitis were evaluated. A total of 669 patients were evaluated, and the incidences of all-grade and grade 3 or higher immune-related pneumonitis were 8.8% and 2.6%, respectively. The incidences of immune-related pneumonitis were 13.2% (34/257) and 6.1% (25/412) in patients with and those without previous thoracic radiation therapy, respectively. A history of previous thoracic radiation therapy was associated with immune-related pneumonitis (odds ratio, 2.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-3.69 in multivariate analysis). Among the patients with previous thoracic radiation therapy, 6.2% (16/257) showed radiation recall pattern. This study found an increased risk of nivolumab-induced immune-related pneumonitis associated with a history of thoracic radiation therapy. Radiation recall pattern was one of the major patterns of immune-related pneumonitis among the patients with previous thoracic radiation therapy. Incidence, risk factors, and clinical outcome of radiation recall pneumonitis were elucidated.

First-line osimertinib in EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer patients with poor performance status.

Background: The efficacy of osimertinib as a first-line treatment for patients with poor performance status (PS) remains unclear. Patients & methods: This multicenter retrospective study evaluated patients treated with osimertinib between 2018 and 2020, with PS 2-4. Results: Among 36 patients with PS 2, the median progression-free survival (PFS), 1-year PFS, median overall survival (OS) and 1-year OS were 14.5 months, 65.4%, 18.1 months and 72.7%, respectively. Among 20 patients with PS 3-4, the median PFS, 1-year PFS, median OS and 1-year OS were 3.0 months, 27.1%, 5.0 months and 46.1%, respectively. Conclusion: Osimertinib was not as efficacious as other EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Lay abstract Osimertinib is a first-line pharmacotherapy for patients with EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer. However, the efficacy of osimertinib as a first-line treatment for patients with poor performance status (PS) remains unclear. This study evaluated 56 patients classified as PS 2, 3 and 4 (36, 14 and 6 patients, respectively) treated with osimertinib between 2018 and 2020. Osimertinib efficacy was lower than that of other EGFR­tyrosine kinase inhibitors. This study is the first to report using osimertinib as a first-line treatment in patients with poor PS.

Medical management of older patients with lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death globally. In addition, its incidence increases with age, with approximately half of all cases diagnosed in patients aged ≥70. Molecular targeted therapies and immunotherapies for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer have markedly improved outcomes over the past two decades. Despite the high incidence of lung cancer in older people, most trials excluded such patients from enrollment. Therefore, the optimal treatment strategies for older patients remain unclear. The present review summarizes the published literature and provides guidance on the treatment of older patients with lung cancer within three broad stages: (i) early-stage lung cancer, (ii) locally advanced lung cancer and (iii) metastatic lung cancer. We also discuss the use of the latest evidence for older patients.

A case series on the safety of immunotherapy with reduced blood testing frequency in lung cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: The necessity of regular blood tests with the administration of immune checkpoint inhibitors has not been investigated. This study examined the safety of omitting a blood test every 2 weeks for patients with lung cancer who were injected an immune checkpoint inhibitor. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of 201 patients diagnosed with lung cancer and administered with nivolumab or durvalumab between December 1, 2015, and February 30, 2020, in a single hospital. We extracted 16 patients who had treatments without blood testing every 2 weeks. RESULTS: Adverse events that resulted in discontinued treatment included two cases of interstitial pneumonia, one case of creatinine increase, and one infection. All four cases were detected by chest X-ray or their symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that immune checkpoint inhibitor administration without a blood test every 2 weeks did not subject patients to more adverse side effects.

Radiographic Assessment of Objective Responses Using the ITMIG-Modified Criteria in Thymic Carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Pleural metastases are common among patients with thymic carcinoma. Accurate and consistent measurement of pleural lesions is often difficult because of their unique locations and growth patterns. To minimize intraobserver variability, the International Thymic Malignancies Interest Group (ITMIG) proposed modified criteria for measurement of tumor response for thymic epithelial tumors. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of advanced or recurrent thymic carcinoma patients treated with chemotherapy between 1980 and 2016 in our institution. The best objective responses were assessed using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumor version 1.1 (RECIST 1.1) and the ITMIG-modified criteria. RESULTS: A total of 26 patients were included in the present study. According to the RECIST criteria, 1 (3.8%) patient showed complete response (CR), and 13 (50.0%), 10 (38.5%), and 2 (7.7%) showed partial response (PR), stable disease (SD), and progressive disease (PD), respectively. All 26 patients had the same best overall response using the ITMIG criteria. The median time to progression (TTP) according to the RECIST criteria and the ITMIG-modified criteria was 5.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.8-8.6) and 7.0 months (95% CI 3.8-9.3), respectively (p = 0.993). CONCLUSION: The ITMIG-modified criteria showed a high concordance rate with RECIST 1.1 criteria in response assessment of thymic carcinoma.

Re-challenging immune checkpoint inhibitor in a patient with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Currently, immune checkpoint (ICP) inhibitors are essential drugs for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, in patients previously treated with ICP inhibitors, the efficacy and safety of re-challenging the same or another ICP inhibitor remain unclear. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a patient treated with nivolumab for advanced NSCLC who was previously treated with an ICP inhibitor as the first-line chemotherapy along with heavy cytotoxic chemotherapy. After the failure of five lines of chemotherapy, 3 cycles of nivolumab, as the ICP inhibitor re-challenge, the patient achieved a partial response. CONCLUSIONS: This case might suggest that re-challenging an ICP inhibitor could be clinically active in selected patients with advanced NSCLC who progress after achieving an initial clinical benefit with an ICP inhibitor.

Brief Report: Clinical Outcomes by Infusion Timing of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Patients With Locally Advanced NSCLC.

Introduction: Previous studies reported an association between immune checkpoint inhibitor infusion timing and the treatment effect in metastatic NSCLC. The present study assessed the association between durvalumab infusion timing and survival outcomes in patients with locally advanced NSCLC. Methods: Patients receiving durvalumab after chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced NSCLC at a single institution were retrospectively analyzed, and the association of the proportion of durvalumab infusions greater than or equal to 20% versus less than 20% after 3 PM with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival was assessed. Results: A total of 82 patients were included, with a median age of 69 years (interquartile range, 62-74 years); of these, 67 patients (82%) were of male sex, and 78 patients (95%) had a history of smoking. The median number of durvalumab infusions per patient was 16 (interquartile range, 8-24). Patients with at least 20% of their durvalumab infusions after 3 PM (n = 12/82, 15%) had a significantly shorter PFS than those who did not (median: 7.4 mo versus not available [NA]; hazard ratio [HR], 2.43; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.11-5.34, p = 0.027), whereas overall survival was shorter among the former compared with the latter group (median: 22.4 versus NA; HR, 1.80; 95% CI: 0.73-4.42, p = 0.20). In addition, both backward stepwise multivariable analysis and propensity score-matching analysis revealed that receiving at least 20% of durvalumab infusions after 3 PM was significantly associated with worse PFS (HR, 2.54; 95% CI: 1.03-5.67, p = 0.047; and HR, 4.64; 95% CI: 1.95-11.04; p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: The time of day of durvalumab infusions may impact survival outcomes in patients with locally advanced NSCLC.

Osimertinib plus local treatment for brain metastases versus osimertinib alone in patients with EGFR-Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Osimertinib is a standard treatment for patients with EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and is highly effective for brain metastases (BMs). However, it is unclear whether local treatment (LT) for BMs prior to osimertinib administration improves survival in EGFR-mutant NSCLC. We aimed to reveal the survival benefit of upfront local treatment (LT) for BMs in patients treated with osimertinib. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This multicenter retrospective study included consecutive patients with EGFR mutation (19del or L858R)-positive NSCLC who had BMs before osimertinib initiation between August 2018 and October 2021. We compared overall survival (OS) and central nervous system progression-free survival (CNS-PFS) between patients who received upfront LT for BMs (the upfront LT group), and patients who received osimertinib only (the osimertinib-alone group). Inverse-probability treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis was performed to adjust for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: Of the 121 patients analyzed, 57 and 64 patients had 19del and L858R, respectively. Forty-five and 76 patients were included in the upfront LT group and the osimertinib-alone groups, respectively. IPTW-adjusted Kaplan-Meier curves showed that the OS of the upfront LT group was significantly longer than that of the osimertinib-alone group (median, 95 % confidence intervals [95 %CI]: Not reached [NR], NR-NR vs. 31.2, 21.7-33.2; p = 0.021). The hazard ratio (HR) for OS and CNS-PFS was 0.37 (95 %CI, 0.16-0.87) and 0.36 (95 %CI, 0.15-0.87), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The OS and CNS-PFS of patients who received upfront LT for BMs followed by osimertinib were significantly longer than those of patients who received osimertinib alone. Upfront LT for BMs may be beneficial in patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC treated with osimertinib.

The Gut Microbiome from a Biomarker to a Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Immunotherapy Response in Patients with Lung Cancer.

The gastrointestinal microbiome has been shown to play a key role in determining the responses to cancer immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy and CAR-T. In patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), increasing evidence suggests that a microbiome composition signature is associated with clinical response to ICIs as well as with the development of immune-related adverse events. In support of this, antibiotic (ATB)-related dysbiosis has been consistently linked with the deleterious impact of ICI response, shortening the overall survival (OS) among patients on ATBs prior to ICI initiation. In parallel, several preclinical experiments have unravelled various strategies using probiotics, prebiotics, diet, and fecal microbiota transplantation as new therapeutic tools to beneficially shift the microbiome and enhance ICI efficacy. These approaches are currently being evaluated in clinical trials and have achieved encouraging preliminary results. In this article, we reviewed the recent studies on the gut microbiome as a potential biomarker and an adjuvant therapy to ICIs in NSCLC patients.

Lenvatinib rechallenge in a patient with advanced thymic carcinoma: A case report.

Advanced thymic carcinomas have limited treatment options. Recently, lenvatinib was approved for advanced thymic carcinoma treatment. However, the clinical benefit of lenvatinib re-administration in patients with advanced thymic carcinoma who developed prior lenvatinib treatment resistance (lenvatinib rechallenge) remains unclear. Here, we present a case treated with lenvatinib rechallenge for advanced thymic carcinoma who was previously treated with lenvatinib as the second-line treatment followed by multiple cytotoxic agents. Disease control rapidly deteriorated after the eighth line of treatment because of uncontrollable right pleural and pericardial effusion, which required repeated thoracic and pericardial drainage. Shortly after lenvatinib re-administration, rapid pleural and pericardial effusion reduction was observed. Thereafter, the patient achieved sustained clinical response with good pleural and pericardial effusion control for approximately 7 months. Our case might suggest lenvatinib rechallenge as a treatment option for patients with advanced thymic carcinoma, especially those with poor pleural and pericardial effusion control.

Efficacy of first-line immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with advanced NSCLC with KRAS, MET, FGFR, RET, BRAF, and HER2 alterations.

BACKGROUND: In patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring driver alterations, the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) remains uncertain. Our study aimed to examine the first-line ICI efficacy in patients with NSCLC harboring KRAS, MET, FGFR, RET, BRAF, and HER2 alterations in a real-world setting. METHODS: This single-center, retrospective cohort study included patients with advanced NSCLC harboring KRAS, MET, FGFR, RET, BRAF, HER2 alterations or driver-negative, and were treated with first-line ICI therapy. Best overall response, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were evaluated. RESULTS: Seventy-eight patients with NSCLC were included (median age, 72 years): 67% were men, 15% were never-smokers, and 83% had adenocarcinoma. The driver alterations involved KRAS (n = 21), MET (n = 6), FGFR (n = 3), RET (n = 2), BRAF (n = 2), HER2 (n = 1), and driver-negative (n = 43). The partial responses for KRAS, MET, FGFR, RET, BRAF, HER2, and driver-negative were 57%, 50%, 100%, 50%, 100%, 0%, and 47%, respectively. The median PFS (months) was 16.2 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.3- not reached [NR]) for KRAS, 2.8 (95% CI: 2.7-NR) for MET, 11.7 (95% CI: 5.9-NR) for other alterations (FGFR, RET, BRAF, and HER2), and 10.0 (95% CI: 3.7-14.3) for driver-negative, respectively. The median OS (months) was 31.3 (95% CI: 9.0-NR) for KRAS, not reached for MET, 23.5 (95% CI: 18.3-NR) for other alterations, and 21.1 (95% CI: 15.2-NR) for driver-negative, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The benefit of the first-line ICI was similar in advanced NSCLC regardless of the driver alterations, except for MET alterations.

A Multicenter, Randomized Phase III Study Comparing Platinum Combination Chemotherapy Plus Pembrolizumab With Platinum Combination Chemotherapy Plus Nivolumab and Ipilimumab for Treatment-Naive Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Without Driver Gene Alterations: JCOG2007 (NIPPON Study).

BACKGROUND: First-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has undergone a paradigm shift to platinum combination chemotherapy together with an immune checkpoint inhibitor, regardless of the expression level of the programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) ligand PD-L1 on tumor cells. Moreover, such chemotherapy plus nivolumab (antibody to PD-1) and ipilimumab (antibody to cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein-4) prolonged survival in advanced NSCLC patients compared with chemotherapy alone. We have now designed a randomized, controlled phase III trial (NIPPON, JCOG2007) to confirm that platinum combination chemotherapy plus nivolumab and ipilimumab is superior to such chemotherapy plus pembrolizumab (antibody to PD-1) for treatment-naive patients with advanced NSCLC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Chemotherapy-naïve patients aged 20 years or older with a performance status of 0 or 1 are randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive platinum combination chemotherapy and either pembrolizumab or nivolumab plus ipilimumab. Patients with known genetic driver alterations such as those affecting EGFR or ALK are excluded. Enrollment of 422 patients over 3 years at 55 oncology facilities throughout Japan is planned. The primary endpoint is overall survival. In addition, as ancillary research, metagenomic analysis of the gut microbiota will be performed with fecal samples collected before treatment onset, and the results will be examined for their association to therapeutic effect and adverse events. CONCLUSION: If the primary endpoint is met, platinum combination chemotherapy together with nivolumab plus ipilimumab will be established as a new, more effective standard treatment for advanced NSCLC.

Association between the baseline tumor size and outcomes of patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with first-line immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy.

Background: The baseline tumor size (BTS) is a prognostic factor for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy (ICI-mono). However, this relationship is not yet known in patients treated with ICI in combination with chemotherapy (ICI-chemo). Methods: This single-center retrospective study evaluated 159 patients with advanced NSCLC who received first-line ICI-mono or ICI-chemo from January 2016 to April 2021. Their BTS values were estimated using the maximum BTS (max BTS) (maximum target lesions' longest diameter) and total BTS (sum of target lesions' longest diameters) in a radiological assessment according to the Response Evaluation Criteria for Solid Tumors. Results: Based on a multivariable analysis, the large max BTS group had worse progression-free survival (PFS) in patients treated with ICI-mono (P=0.009), but it was not associated with worse PFS in patients treated with ICI-chemo (P=0.132). The group treated with ICI-mono had worse PFS compared to the group treated with ICI-chemo in patients with max BTS ≥50 mm (P=0.004), and the group treated with ICI-mono was not associated with worse PFS compared to the group treated with ICI-chemo in patients with max BTS <50 mm (P=0.107). Conclusions: While a large max BTS was identified as a prognostic factor for worse PFS in patients treated with ICI-mono, it was not identified as such in patients treated with ICI-chemo. The max BTS may have different predicting efficacy for patients with NSCLC treated with ICI-mono and ICI-chemo.

Cancer Cachexia among Patients with Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer on Immunotherapy: An Observational Study with Exploratory Gut Microbiota Analysis.

Cancer cachexia exerts a negative clinical influence on patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). The prognostic impact of body weight change during ICI treatment remains unknown. The gut microbiota (GM) is a key contributor to the response to ICI therapy in cancer patients. However, the association between cancer cachexia and GM and their association with the response to ICIs remains unexplored. This study examined the association of cancer cachexia with GM composition and assessed the impact of GM on clinical outcomes in patients with NSCLC treated with ICIs. In this observational, prospective study, which included 113 Japanese patients with advanced NSCLC treated with ICIs, the prevalence of cachexia was 50.4% (57/113). The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were significantly shorter in the cachexia group than in the non-cachexia group (4.3 vs. 11.6 months (p = 0.003) and 12.0 months vs. not reached (p = 0.02), respectively). A multivariable analysis revealed that baseline cachexia was independently associated with a shorter PFS. Moreover, a gain in body weight from the baseline (reversible cachexia) was associated with a significantly longer PFS and OS compared to irreversible cachexia. Microbiome profiling with 16S rRNA analysis revealed that the cachexia group presented an overrepresentation of the commensal bacteria, Escherichia-Shigella and Hungatella, while the non-cachexia group had a preponderance of Anaerostipes, Blautia, and Eubacterium ventriosum. Anaerostipes and E. ventriosum were associated with longer PFS and OS. Moreover, a cachexia status correlated with the systemic inflammatory marker-derived-neutrophil-to-lymphocytes ratio (dNLR) and Lung Immune Prognostic Index (LIPI) indexes. Our study demonstrates that cachexia and longitudinal bodyweight change have a prognostic impact on patients with advanced NSCLC treated with ICI therapy. Moreover, our study demonstrates that bacteria associated with ICI resistance are also linked to cachexia. Targeted microbiota interventions may represent a new type of treatment to overcome cachexia in patients with NSCLC.

Clinicopathologic characteristics and diagnostic methods of RET rearrangement in Chinese non-small cell lung cancer patients.

Background: Rearranged during transfection (RET) rearrangement has been identified as one of the crucial oncogenic drivers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Recently, two highly selective RET inhibitors have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and demonstrated remarkable responses. However, the clinical characteristics, outcomes and optimal diagnostic method of RET-rearrangements are not well understood. This study sought to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of RET rearrangement, identify an effective diagnostic method for it, and correlate its presence with outcomes. Methods: A total of 9,431 Chinese NSCLCs from two cancer centers who have undertaken targeted DNA-NGS were enrolled and 167 RET-positive cases were screened. Non-canonical RET rearrangements were confirmed by targeted RNA-NGS. If material was sufficient, positive cases were analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) (n=30) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) (n=57). Clinicopathologic characteristics, molecular profiling and treatment outcomes of RET rearrangement were evaluated. Results: The prevalence of RET rearrangement was 1.52% (138/9,101) in unfiltered cases and 8.79% (29/330) in EGFR/KRAS/BRAF/ALK-negative cases. RET rearrangement was common in females, never smokers, and lung adenocarcinoma patients. Additionally, 40.3% of stage IV RET-rearranged NSCLC patients developed brain metastases. TP53 was the most common concurrent mutation, and 8 patients harbored concurrent driver oncogenic alterations, including EGFR (N=5), KRAS (N=2), and ALK (N=1). Non-canonical fusion partners were identified in 13.8% (23/167) of cases by DNA-based NGS, and RNA-based NGS identified 3 new partners (EPS8, GOLGA5, and TNIP1). The concordance of FISH and NGS was 83.3% (25/30), while the concordance of IHC and NGS was only 28.1% (16/57). Both IHC and FISH demonstrated lower sensitivity for NCOA4-/other-RET fusions. The CCDC6-RET subgroup had significantly longer progression-free survival than the KIF5B-RET subgroup, both after chemotherapy (23 vs. 9.7 months; P=0.014). Conclusions: RET rearrangement occurs in 1.52% of Chinese NSCLCs and has identifiable clinicopathologic characteristics. RET IHC has a low sensitivity, disavowing its use in routine practice. While NGS and FISH has good performance in identifying RET rearrangement. Both IHC and FISH demonstrated lower sensitivity for NCOA4-/others-RET fusions. Clinical benefit with chemotherapy is different between CCDC6-RET and KIF5B-RET fusion patients, optimal treatment should be considered when selecting therapies for patients with RET-rearranged lung cancers.

Safety and efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer patients with preexisting antinuclear antibodies: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) predicting the safety and efficacy of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are still a matter of debate considering previous studies showed quite different results based on different ANA cut-off values. Thus, we investigated the associations between different ANA titers and the safety and efficacy of ICIs. Moreover, we also briefly discussed the effects of anti-thyroglobulin (ATG) and anti-thyroid peroxidase (ATPO) on the safety of ICIs. Methods: A total of 159 Chinese patients confirmed to have locally-advanced or metastatic NSCLC given ICIs or chemoimmunotherapy in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2015 to December 2020 were analyzed retrospectively and were followed up until December 2020 or death or loss to follow-up. Patients' characteristics were retrieved from medical records. ANAs were detected by the indirect immunofluorescence assay, ATG and ATPO by the electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. The severity of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) was graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE 5.0) and the efficacy was evaluated by the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST 1.1). Results: The incidence of irAEs, median progression-free survival (mPFS) of the ANA negative and positive groups were 26.0% vs. 31.4% (P=0.457), 17.7 vs. 10 months (P=0.603) for the cut-off value of 1:80; 26.2% vs. 33.9% (P=0.305), 11.9 vs. 10.6 months (P=0.957) for 1:160; and 25.9% vs. 45.8% (P=0.047), and 11.9 vs. 7.7 months (P=0.471) for 1:320, separately. Besides, ANA titer ≥1:320 was associated with irAEs [odds ratio (OR) =4.9, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.45-16.52, P=0.01] and the incidence of adverse skin reactions differed greatly between the negative and positive groups (9.7% vs. 32%, P=0.003). Moreover, a total of 52 out of 159 patients were tested for ATG and ATPO. 46 patients were negative and 6 were positive, with the incidence of abnormal thyroid function being 4.3% vs. 50% (P=0.005), respectively. Conclusions: Preexisting ANAs may not correlate with the clinical benefit of immunotherapy in patients with NSCLC but may be associated with adverse skin reactions. Besides, ATG or ATPO has the potential to predict thyroid dysfunction.

Tolerability, safety, and preliminary antitumor activity of fuzuloparib in combination with SHR-1316 in patients with relapsed small cell lung cancer: a multicenter, open-label, two-stage, phase Ib trial.

Background: Second-line treatment options for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) are limited. Preclinical research shows that inhibition of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) could upregulate programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), and thus render cancer cells more sensitive to immune checkpoint inhibitors. This study investigated the tolerability, safety, and preliminary antitumor activity of fuzuloparib (a PARP inhibitor) plus SHR-1316 (a PD-L1 inhibitor) for relapsed SCLC. Methods: Patients with SCLC who failed previous first-line platinum-based therapy were enrolled in this two-stage phase Ib trial. In stage 1, 2 dose levels were designed: fuzuloparib 100 mg or 150 mg twice daily plus SHR-1316 600 mg every 2 weeks, with 6 patients in each dose level. Based on the tolerability during the first 28-day cycle and the preliminary antitumor activity in stage 1, a recommended phase II dose (RP2D) was determined and introduced in the stage 2 expansion phase. The primary endpoints were safety and RP2D in stage 1 and objective response rate (ORR) in stage 2. Results: A total of 23 patients were enrolled, with 16 receiving fuzuloparib 100 mg plus SHR-1316 and 7 receiving fuzuloparib 150 mg plus SHR-1316. At data cutoff on April 23, 2021, the median follow-up duration was 6.4 months (IQR, 3.0-9.7 months). All patients discontinued study treatment. One patient receiving fuzuloparib 150 mg plus SHR-1316 had clinically significant toxicities, and fuzuloparib 100 mg plus SHR-1316 was considered as the RP2D. In the RP2D cohort, the confirmed ORR was 6.3% (95% CI: 0.2-30.2%), and the disease control rate was 37.5% (95% CI: 15.2-64.6%). The median progression-free survival was 1.4 months (95% CI: 1.3-2.8 months), and the median overall survival was 5.6 months (95% CI: 3.0-16.7 months). Grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events (TRAE) occurred in 8 patients (34.8%). No treatment-related death occurred, and no patients discontinued treatment due to TRAEs. Conclusions: Fuzuloparib combined with SHR-1316 failed to improve the outcomes in unselected patients with relapsed SCLC. Future studies with biomarker analysis are warranted to select patients most likely to benefit from this combination treatment. Fuzuloparib 100 and 150 mg plus SHR-1316 were both tolerable with no new signals observed.

Polypharmacy among older advanced lung cancer patients taking EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

OBJECTIVE: Polypharmacy (PP) is a common problem among the older adults and has a potential effect on health-related problems. However, the significance of PP in older advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and those on oral molecular-targeted anticancer agents is unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective, nonrandomized study reviewed the records of 334 advanced NSCLC patients who underwent epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) treatment. PP was defined as ≥ 5 concomitant medications. Potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use was measured using the updated screening tool of older people's prescriptions (STOPP) ver. 2 criteria. We also estimated survival distributions using the Kaplan-Meier method, compared between-group differences using the log-rank test, explored potential predictors of survival using Cox regression, and performed cluster analysis to identify factors affecting multiple-medication use. RESULTS: The PP and PIM use prevalence was 38.4% and 31.9%, respectively. The median overall survival (OS) for PP(+) and PP(-) patients was 19.4 and 27.3 months, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant correlation between PP and OS. The frequency of unexpected hospitalization during EGFR-TKI treatment was higher in PP(+) patients compared to PP(-) patients (49.4% vs. 29.4%; odds ratio = 2.34). CONCLUSION: PP is an independent prognostic factor in older advanced NSCLC patients taking EGFR-TKIs. PP can be used as a simple indicator of such patients' comorbidities and symptoms or as a predictive marker of unexpected hospitalization during treatment.

Cisplatin and Irinotecan as First-Line Chemotherapy for Previously Untreated Metastatic Thymic Carcinoma: Updated Analysis.

Platinum-based chemotherapy is the de facto standard treatment for metastatic or unresectable thymic carcinoma. The optimal chemotherapy regimen has not yet been determined, including whether this should be combined with a second- or third-generation anti-cancer agent. We retrospectively evaluated the data of patients with metastatic or unresectable thymic carcinoma who were treated with a combination of cisplatin and irinotecan as first-line chemotherapy between 2002 and 2021 (trial registration UMIN000012175). The primary endpoint was response rate according to the RECIST criteria version 1.1. Secondary endpoints were disease control rate, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity (adverse events). Some patients analyzed in this study were also included in the previous trial, which was terminated early. For this analysis, we included 18 patients with a median age of 56 years and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1. All patients had clinical stage IVa or IVb thymic carcinoma according to the Masaoka-Koga staging system. The response rate was 44% and the disease control rate was 89%. The median PFS was 8.4 months (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.7-11.6 months) and the median OS was 45.6 months (95% CI: 15.7-69.1 months). Grade 3 or worse hematological toxicity was observed in 5 patients and grade 3 or worse non-hematological toxicity was observed in 3 patients. None of the patients developed febrile neutropenia, and no treatment-related deaths occurred. Thus, the combination of cisplatin and irinotecan as first-line chemotherapy for metastatic thymic carcinoma showed efficacy and acceptable toxicity.