Custom scoring based on ecological topology of gut microbiota associated with cancer immunotherapy outcome.

The gut microbiota influences the clinical responses of cancer patients to immunecheckpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, there is no consensus definition of detrimental dysbiosis. Based on metagenomics (MG) sequencing of 245 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient feces, we constructed species-level co-abundance networks that were clustered into species-interacting groups (SIGs) correlating with overall survival. Thirty-seven and forty-five MG species (MGSs) were associated with resistance (SIG1) and response (SIG2) to ICIs, respectively. When combined with the quantification of Akkermansia species, this procedure allowed a person-based calculation of a topological score (TOPOSCORE) that was validated in an additional 254 NSCLC patients and in 216 genitourinary cancer patients. Finally, this TOPOSCORE was translated into a 21-bacterial probe set-based qPCR scoring that was validated in a prospective cohort of NSCLC patients as well as in colorectal and melanoma patients. This approach could represent a dynamic diagnosis tool for intestinal dysbiosis to guide personalized microbiota-centered interventions.

Adaptive radiotherapy (up to 74 Gy) or standard radiotherapy (66 Gy) for patients with stage III non-small-cell lung cancer, according to [18F]FDG-PET tumour residual uptake at 42 Gy (RTEP7-IFCT-1402): a multicentre, randomised, controlled phase 2 trial.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic radiation intensification is debated in patients with stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to assess the activity and safety of a boost radiotherapy dose up to 74 Gy in a functional sub-volume given according to on-treatment [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG)-PET results. METHODS: In this multicentre, randomised, controlled non-comparative phase 2 trial, we recruited patients aged 18 years or older with inoperable stage III NSCLC without EGFR mutation or ALK rearrangement with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-1, and who were affiliated with or a beneficiary of a social benefit system, with evaluable tumour or node lesions, preserved lung function, and who were amenable to curative-intent radiochemotherapy. Patients were randomly allocated using a central interactive web-response system in a non-masked method (1:1; minimisation method used [random factor of 0·8]; stratified by radiotherapy technique [intensity-modulated radiotherapy vs three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy] and by centre at which patients were treated) either to the experimental adaptive radiotherapy group A, in which only patients with positive residual metabolism on [18F]FDG-PET at 42 Gy received a boost radiotherapy (up to 74 Gy in 33 fractions), with all other patients receiving standard radiotherapy dosing (66 Gy in 33 fractions over 6·5 weeks), or to the standard radiotherapy group B (66 Gy in 33 fractions) over 6·5 weeks. All patients received two cycles of induction platinum-based chemotherapy cycles (paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 intravenously once every 3 weeks and carboplatin area under the curve [AUC]=6 once every 3 weeks, or cisplatin 80 mg/m2 intravenously once every 3 weeks and vinorelbine 30 mg/m2 intravenously on day 1 and 60 mg/m2 orally [or 30 mg/m2 intravenously] on day 8 once every 3 weeks). Then they concomitantly received radiochemotherapy with platinum-based chemotherapy (three cycles for 8 weeks, with once per week paclitaxel 40 mg/m2 intravenously and carboplatin AUC=2 or cisplatin 80 mg/m2 intravenously and vinorelbine 20 mg/m2 intravenously on day 1 and 40 mg/m2 orally (or 20 mg/m2 intravenously) on day 8 in 21-day cycles). The primary endpoint was the 15-month local control rate in the eligible patients who received at least one dose of concomitant radiochemotherapy. This RTEP7-IFCT-1402 trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02473133), and is ongoing. FINDINGS: From Nov 12, 2015, to July 7, 2021, we randomly assigned 158 patients (47 [30%] women and 111 [70%] men) to either the boosted radiotherapy group A (81 [51%]) or to the standard radiotherapy group B (77 [49%)]. In group A, 80 (99%) patients received induction chemotherapy and 68 (84%) received radiochemotherapy, of whom 48 (71%) with residual uptake on [18F]FDG-PET after 42 Gy received a radiotherapy boost. In group B, all 77 patients received induction chemotherapy and 73 (95%) received radiochemotherapy. At the final analysis, the median follow-up for eligible patients who received radiochemotherapy (n=140) was 45·1 months (95% CI 39·3-48·3). The 15-month local control rate was 77·6% (95% CI 67·6-87·6%) in group A and 71·2% (95% CI 60·8-81·6%) in group B. Acute (within 90 days from radiochemotherapy initiation) grade 3-4 adverse events were observed in 20 (29%) of 68 patients in group A and 33 (45%) of 73 patients in group B, including serious adverse events in five (7%) patients in group A and ten (14%) patients in group B. The most common grade 3-4 adverse events were febrile neutropenia (seven [10%] of 68 in group A vs 16 [22%] of 73 in group B), and anaemia (five [7%] vs nine [12%]). In the acute phase, two deaths (3%) occurred in group B (one due to a septic shock related to chemotherapy, and the other due to haemotypsia not related to study treatment), and no deaths occurred in group A. After 90 days, one additional treatment-unrelated death occurred in group A and two deaths events occurred in group B (one radiation pneumonitis and one pneumonia unrelated to treatment). INTERPRETATION: A thoracic radiotherapy boost, based on interim [18F]FDG-PET, led to a meaningful local control rate with no difference in adverse events between the two groups in organs at risk, in contrast with previous attempts at thoracic radiation intensification, warranting a randomised phase 3 evaluation of such [18F]FDG-PET-guided radiotherapy dose adaptation in patients with stage III NSCLC. FUNDING: Programme Hospitalier de Recherche Clinique National 2014.

Nivolumab plus Ipilimumab in Lung Cancer with a High Tumor Mutational Burden.

BACKGROUND: Nivolumab plus ipilimumab showed promising efficacy for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a phase 1 trial, and tumor mutational burden has emerged as a potential biomarker of benefit. In this part of an open-label, multipart, phase 3 trial, we examined progression-free survival with nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus chemotherapy among patients with a high tumor mutational burden (≥10 mutations per megabase). METHODS: We enrolled patients with stage IV or recurrent NSCLC that was not previously treated with chemotherapy. Those with a level of tumor programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression of at least 1% were randomly assigned, in a 1:1:1 ratio, to receive nivolumab plus ipilimumab, nivolumab monotherapy, or chemotherapy; those with a tumor PD-L1 expression level of less than 1% were randomly assigned, in a 1:1:1 ratio, to receive nivolumab plus ipilimumab, nivolumab plus chemotherapy, or chemotherapy. Tumor mutational burden was determined by the FoundationOne CDx assay. RESULTS: Progression-free survival among patients with a high tumor mutational burden was significantly longer with nivolumab plus ipilimumab than with chemotherapy. The 1-year progression-free survival rate was 42.6% with nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus 13.2% with chemotherapy, and the median progression-free survival was 7.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.5 to 13.2) versus 5.5 months (95% CI, 4.4 to 5.8) (hazard ratio for disease progression or death, 0.58; 97.5% CI, 0.41 to 0.81; P<0.001). The objective response rate was 45.3% with nivolumab plus ipilimumab and 26.9% with chemotherapy. The benefit of nivolumab plus ipilimumab over chemotherapy was broadly consistent within subgroups, including patients with a PD-L1 expression level of at least 1% and those with a level of less than 1%. The rate of grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events was 31.2% with nivolumab plus ipilimumab and 36.1% with chemotherapy. ical; CheckMate 227 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02477826 .). CONCLUSIONS: Progression-free survival was significantly longer with first-line nivolumab plus ipilimumab than with chemotherapy among patients with NSCLC and a high tumor mutational burden, irrespective of PD-L1 expression level. The results validate the benefit of nivolumab plus ipilimumab in NSCLC and the role of tumor mutational burden as a biomarker for patient selection. (Funded by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Ono Pharmaceut

First-line carboplatin plus pemetrexed with pemetrexed maintenance in HIV-positive patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer: the phase II IFCT-1001 CHIVA trial.

HIV infection is an exclusion criterion in lung cancer trials. This multicentre phase II trial aimed to assess feasibility, efficacy and safety of first-line carboplatin plus pemetrexed (CaP) followed by pemetrexed (P) maintenance in people living with HIV (PLHIV) with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NS-NSCLC).Four cycles of CaP were followed by P-maintenance therapy in patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≤2. The primary objective was a disease control rate (DCR) ≥30% after 12 weeks.Of the 61 PLHIV enrolled, 49 (80%) had a performance status of 0-1, and 19 (31%) had brain metastases. Median CD4 lymphocyte count was 418 cells·µL-1 (range 18-1230), median CD4 lymphocyte nadir was 169.5 cells·µL-1 (1-822); 48 (80%) patients were virologically controlled. Four-cycle inductions were achieved by 38 (62%) patients, and 31 (51%) started P-maintenance (median of 4.1 cycles (range 1-19)). The 12-week DCR was 50.8% (95% CI 38.3-63.4) and partial response rate 21.3%. Median progression-free survival and overall survival were 3.5 (95% CI 2.7-4.4) and 7.6 months (5.7-12.8), respectively. Patients with a performance status of 0-1 had the longest median progression-free survival (4.3 months, 95% CI 3.1-5.2) and overall survival (11.9 months, 95% CI 6.4-14.3). During induction, CaP doublet was well tolerated apart from grade 3-4 haematological toxicities (neutropenia 53.8%; thrombocytopenia 35.0%; anaemia 30.0%). Two fatal treatment-related sepses were reported. No opportunistic infections were experienced.In PLHIV with advanced NS-NSCLC, first-line four-cycle CaP induction followed by P-maintenance was effective and reasonably well-tolerated. Further studies should evaluate combination strategies of CaP with immunotherapy in PLHIV.

Nivolumab or nivolumab plus ipilimumab in patients with relapsed malignant pleural mesothelioma (IFCT-1501 MAPS2): a multicentre, open-label, randomised, non-comparative, phase 2 trial.

BACKGROUND: There is no recommended therapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma that has progressed after first-line pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy. Disease control has been less than 30% in all previous studies of second-line drugs. Preliminary results have suggested that anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody could be efficacious in these patients. We thus aimed to prospectively assess the anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody alone or in combination with anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte protein 4 (CTLA-4) antibody in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. METHODS: This multicentre randomised, non-comparative, open-label, phase 2 trial was done at 21 hospitals in France. Eligible patients were aged 18 years or older with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-1, histologically proven malignant pleural mesothelioma progressing after first-line or second-line pemetrexed and platinum-based treatments, measurable disease by CT, and life expectancy greater than 12 weeks. Patients were randomly allocated (1:1) to receive intravenous nivolumab (3 mg/kg bodyweight) every 2 weeks, or intravenous nivolumab (3 mg/kg every 2 weeks) plus intravenous ipilimumab (1 mg/kg every 6 weeks), given until progression or unacceptable toxicity. Central randomisation was stratified by histology (epithelioid vs non-epithelioid), treatment line (second line vs third line), and chemosensitivity to previous treatment (progression ≥3 months vs <3 months after pemetrexed treatment) and used a minimisation method with a 0·8 random factor. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who achieved 12-week disease control, assessed by masked independent central review; the primary endpoint would be met if disease control was achieved in at least 40% of patients. The primary endpoint was assessed in the first 108 eligible patients. Efficacy analyses were also done in the intention-to-treat population and safety analyses were done in all patients who received at least one dose of their assigned treatment. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02716272. FINDINGS: Between March 24 and August 25, 2016, 125 eligible patients were recruited and assigned to either nivolumab (n=63) or nivolumab plus ipilimumab (n=62). In the first 108 eligible patients, 12-week disease control was achieved by 24 (44%; 95% CI 31-58) of 54 patients in the nivolumab group and 27 (50%; 37-63) of 54 patients in the nivolumab plus ipilimumab group. In the intention-to-treat population, 12-week disease control was achieved by 25 (40%; 28-52) of 63 patients in the nivolumab group and 32 (52%; 39-64) of 62 patients in the combination group. Nine (14%) of 63 patients in the nivolumab group and 16 (26%) of 61 patients in the combination group had grade 3-4 toxicities. The most frequent grade 3 adverse events were asthenia (one [2%] in the nivolumab group vs three [5%] in the combination group), asymptomatic increase in aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase (none vs four [7%] of each), and asymptomatic lipase increase (two [3%] vs one [2%]). No patients had toxicities leading to death in the nivolumab group, whereas three (5%) of 62 in the combination group did (one fulminant hepatitis, one encephalitis, and one acute kidney failure). INTERPRETATION: Anti-PD-1 nivolumab monotherapy or nivolumab plus anti-CTLA-4 ipilimumab combination therapy both showed promising activity in relapsed patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, without unexpected toxicity. These regimens require confirmation in larger clinical trials. FUNDING: French Cooperative Thoracic Intergroup.

MST1/Hippo promoter gene methylation predicts poor survival in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma in the IFCT-GFPC-0701 MAPS Phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: The Mesothelioma Avastin Cisplatin Pemetrexed Study (MAPS/NCT00651456) phase 3 trial demonstrated the superiority of bevacizumab plus pemetrexed-cisplatin triplet over chemotherapy alone in 448 malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) patients. Here, we evaluated the prognostic role of Hippo pathway gene promoter methylation. METHODS: Promoter methylations were assayed using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction in samples from 223 MAPS patients, evaluating their prognostic value for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival in univariate and multivariate analyses. MST1 inactivation effects on invasion, soft agar growth, apoptosis, proliferation, and YAP/TAZ activation were investigated in human mesothelial cell lines. RESULTS: STK4 (MST1) gene promoter methylation was detected in 19/223 patients tested (8.5%), predicting poorer OS in univariate and multivariate analyses (adjusted HR: 1.78, 95% CI (1.09-2.93), p = 0.022). Internal validation by bootstrap resampling supported this prognostic impact. MST1 inactivation reduced cellular basal apoptotic activity while increasing proliferation, invasion, and soft agar or in suspension growth, resulting in nuclear YAP accumulation, yet TAZ cytoplasmic retention in mesothelial cell lines. YAP silencing decreased invasion of MST1-depleted mesothelial cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: MST1/hippo kinase expression loss is predictive of poor prognosis in MPM patients, leading to nuclear YAP accumulation and electing YAP as a putative target for therapeutic intervention in human MPM.

Bevacizumab for newly diagnosed pleural mesothelioma in the Mesothelioma Avastin Cisplatin Pemetrexed Study (MAPS): a randomised, controlled, open-label, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with poor prognosis, linked to occupational asbestos exposure. Vascular endothelial growth factor is a key mitogen for malignant pleural mesothelioma cells, therefore targeting of vascular endothelial growth factor might prove effective. We aimed to assess the effect on survival of bevacizumab when added to the present standard of care, cisplatin plus pemetrexed, as first-line treatment of advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma. METHODS: In this randomised, controlled, open-label, phase 3 trial, we recruited patients aged 18-75 years with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma who had not received previous chemotherapy, had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2, had no substantial cardiovascular comorbidity, were not amenable to curative surgery, had at least one evaluable (pleural effusion) or measurable (pleural tumour solid thickening) lesion with CT, and a life expectancy of >12 weeks from 73 hospitals in France. Exclusion criteria were presence of central nervous system metastases, use of antiaggregant treatments (aspirin ≥325 mg per day, clopidogrel, ticlopidine, or dipyridamole), anti-vitamin K drugs at a curative dose, treatment with low-molecular-weight heparin at a curative dose, and treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. We randomly allocated patients (1:1; minimisation method used [random factor of 0·8]; patients stratified by histology [epithelioid vs sarcomatoid or mixed histology subtypes], performance status score [0-1 vs 2], study centre, or smoking status [never smokers vs smokers]) to receive intravenously 500 mg/m(2) pemetrexed plus 75 mg/m(2) cisplatin with (PCB) or without (PC) 15 mg/kg bevacizumab in 21 day cycles for up to six cycles, until progression or toxic effects. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS) in the intention-to treat population. Treatment was open label. This IFCT-GFPC-0701 trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00651456. FINDINGS: From Feb 13, 2008, to Jan 5, 2014, we randomly assigned 448 patients to treatment (223 [50%] to PCB and 225 [50%] to PC). OS was significantly longer with PCB (median 18·8 months [95% CI 15·9-22·6]) than with PC (16·1 months [14·0-17·9]; hazard ratio 0·77 [0·62-0·95]; p=0·0167). Overall, 158 (71%) of 222 patients given PCB and 139 (62%) of 224 patients given PC had grade 3-4 adverse events. We noted more grade 3 or higher hypertension (51 [23%] of 222 vs 0) and thrombotic events (13 [6%] of 222 vs 2 [1%] of 224) with PCB than with PC. INTERPRETATION: Addition of bevacizumab to pemetrexed plus cisplatin significantly improved OS in malignant pleural mesothelioma at the cost of expected manageable toxic effects, therefore it should be considered as a suitable treatment for the disease. FUNDING: Intergroupe Francophone de Cancérologie Thoracique (IFCT).

Routine molecular profiling of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: results of a 1-year nationwide programme of the French Cooperative Thoracic Intergroup (IFCT).

BACKGROUND: The molecular profiling of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) for known oncogenic drivers is recommended during routine care. Nationally, however, the feasibility and effects on outcomes of this policy are unknown. We aimed to assess the characteristics, molecular profiles, and clinical outcomes of patients who were screened during a 1-year period by a nationwide programme funded by the French National Cancer Institute. METHODS: This study included patients with advanced NSCLC, who were routinely screened for EGFR mutations, ALK rearrangements, as well as HER2 (ERBB2), KRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA mutations by 28 certified regional genetics centres in France. Patients were assessed consecutively during a 1-year period from April, 2012, to April, 2013. We measured the frequency of molecular alterations in the six routinely screened genes, the turnaround time in obtaining molecular results, and patients' clinical outcomes. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01700582. FINDINGS: 18,679 molecular analyses of 17,664 patients with NSCLC were done (of patients with known data, median age was 64·5 years [range 18-98], 65% were men, 81% were smokers or former smokers, and 76% had adenocarcinoma). The median interval between the initiation of analysis and provision of the written report was 11 days (IQR 7-16). A genetic alteration was recorded in about 50% of the analyses; EGFR mutations were reported in 1947 (11%) of 17,706 analyses for which data were available, HER2 mutations in 98 (1%) of 11,723, KRAS mutations in 4894 (29%) of 17,001, BRAF mutations in 262 (2%) of 13,906, and PIK3CA mutations in 252 (2%) of 10,678; ALK rearrangements were reported in 388 (5%) of 8134 analyses. The median duration of follow-up at the time of analysis was 24·9 months (95% CI 24·8-25·0). The presence of a genetic alteration affected first-line treatment for 4176 (51%) of 8147 patients and was associated with a significant improvement in the proportion of patients achieving an overall response in first-line treatment (37% [95% CI 34·7-38·2] for presence of a genetic alteration vs 33% [29·5-35·6] for absence of a genetic alteration; p=0·03) and in second-line treatment (17% [15·0-18·8] vs 9% [6·7-11·9]; p<0·0001). Presence of a genetic alteration was also associated with improved first-line progression-free survival (10·0 months [95% CI 9·2-10·7] vs 7·1 months [6·1-7·9]; p<0·0001) and overall survival (16·5 months [15·0-18·3] vs 11·8 months [10·1-13·5]; p<0·0001) compared with absence of a genetic alteration. INTERPRETATION: Routine nationwide molecular profiling of patients with advanced NSCLC is feasible. The frequency of genetic alterations, acceptable turnaround times in obtaining analysis results, and the clinical advantage provided by detection of a genetic alteration suggest that this policy provides a clinical benefit. FUNDING: French National Cancer Institute (INCa).

EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors versus chemotherapy in EGFR wild-type pre-treated advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer in daily practice.

Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) are approved for second-line treatment of EGFR wild-type (EGFR-wt) nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, results from randomised trials performed to compare EGFR-TKIs with chemotherapy in this population did not show any survival benefit. In the era of immunotherapy, many drugs are approved for second-line treatment of EGFR-wt NSCLC and there is a need to reassess the role of EGFR-TKIs in this setting.The Biomarkers France study is a large nationwide cohort of NSCLC patients tested for EGFR mutations. We used this database to collect clinical, biological, treatment and outcome data on EGFR-wt patients who received second-line treatment with either EGFR-TKIs or chemotherapy.Among 1278 patients, 868 received chemotherapy and 410 received an EGFR-TKI. Median overall survival and progression-free survival were longer with chemotherapy than with an EGFR-TKI. Overall survival was 8.38 versus 4.99 months, respectively (hazard ratio 0.70, 95% CI 0.59-0.83; p<0.0001) and progression-free survival was 4.30 versus 2.83 months, respectively (hazard ratio 0.66, 95% CI 0.57-0.77; p<0.0001).This study is helpful to guide a multiline treatment strategy for EGFR-wt NSCLC patients. Immunotherapy is approved for second-line treatment. For third-line treatment, chemotherapy results in longer overall survival and progression-free survival, and should be preferred to EGFR-TKIs.

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors associated with interstitial lung disease in cancer patients.

Immunotherapy is becoming a standard of care for many cancers. Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) can generate immune-related adverse events. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) has been identified as a rare but potentially severe event.Between December 2015 and April 2016, we conducted a retrospective study in centres experienced in ICI use. We report the main features of ICI-ILD with a focus on clinical presentation, radiological patterns and therapeutic strategies.We identified 64 (3.5%) out of 1826 cancer patients with ICI-ILD. Patients mainly received programmed cell death-1 inhibitors. ILD usually occurred in males, and former or current smokers, with a median age of 59 years. We observed 65.6% grade 2/3 severity, 9.4% grade 4 severity and 9.4% fatal ILD. The median (range) time from initiation of immunotherapy to ILD was 2.3 (0.2-27.4) months. Onset tended to occur earlier in lung cancer versus melanoma: median 2.1 and 5.2 months, respectively (p=0.02). Ground-glass opacities (81.3%) were the predominant lesions, followed by consolidations (53.1%). Organising pneumonia (23.4%) and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (15.6%) were the most common patterns. Overall survival at 6 months was 58.1% (95% CI 37.7-73.8%).ICI-ILD often occurs early and displays suggestive radiological features. As there is no clearly identified risk factor, oncologists need to diagnose and adequately treat this adverse event.

STK11/LKB1 alterations worsen the poor prognosis of KRAS mutated early-stage non-squamous non-small cell lung carcinoma, results based on the phase 2 IFCT TASTE trial.

BACKGROUND: STK11/LKB1 mutations have been associated with primary resistance to PD-1 axis inhibitors and poor prognosis in advanced KRAS-mutant lung adenocarcinoma. This study aimed to assess the prognostic significance of STK11/LKB1 alterations in localized non-squamous non-small cell lung carcinoma (non-sq NSCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Surgical samples from patients undergoing complete resection for stage IIa, IIb, or IIIa (N2 excluded) non-sq NSCLC in the randomized adjuvant phase II trial (NCT00775385 IFCT-1801 TASTE trial) were examined. Patients received either standard chemotherapy (Pemetrexed Cisplatin) or personalized treatment based on EGFR mutation (Erlotinib) and ERCC1 expression. Tumor molecular profiles were analyzed using targeted NGS and correlated with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), adjusting for relevant clinical variables. Additionally, interactions between treatment groups and molecular alterations on OS, PD-L1 expression, and tumor-circulating DNA in post-operative plasma samples were evaluated. RESULTS: Among 134 patients (predominantly male smokers with adenocarcinoma), KRAS mutations were associated with shorter DFS (HR: 1.95, 95 % CI: 1.1-3.4, p = 0.02) and OS (HR: 2.32, 95 % CI: 1.2-4.6, p = 0.014). Isolated STK11/LKB1 mutations (n = 18) did not significantly impact DFS or OS. However, within KRAS-mutated samples (n = 53), patients with concurrent STK11/LKB1 mutations (n = 10) exhibited significantly shorter DFS (HR: 3.85, CI: 1.5-10.2, p = 0.006) and a trend towards shorter OS (HR: 1.80, CI: 0.6-5.3, p = 0.28). No associations were found between PD-L1 expression, other gene mutations, progression-free survival (PFS), or OS. CONCLUSION: This analysis reinforces KRAS mutations as predictive factors for relapse and poor survival in localized non-sq NSCLC. Furthermore, the presence of concomitant STK11/LKB1 mutations exacerbated the prognosis within the KRAS-mutated subset. These findings emphasize the clinical relevance of these molecular markers and their potential impact on treatment strategies in non-sq NSCLC.

Association Between Lung Immune Prognostic Index and Durvalumab Consolidation Outcomes in Patients With Locally Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: The LIPI, based on pretreatment derived neutrophils/[leukocytes-neutrophils] ratio (dNLR) and LDH, is associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) outcomes in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to assess baseline LIPI correlation with durvalumab consolidation outcomes in the locally advanced setting. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Multicentre retrospective study (330 patients) with stage III unresectable NSCLC treated with durvalumab after chemo-radiotherapy between April 2015 and December 2020; 65 patients treated with chemo-radiotherapy only. Baseline LIPI characterized 3 groups: good (dNLR≤3+LDH≤ULN), intermediate (dNLR>3/LDH>ULN) and poor (dNLR>3+LDH>ULN). Primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). RESULTS: In the durvalumab cohort, median age was 67 years, 95% smokers, 98% with a performance status of 0-1; 60% had nonsquamous histology and 16% a PD-L1 expression <1%. Radiotherapy was delivered concurrently in 81%. LIPI was evaluable in 216 patients: 66% good, 31% intermediate, 3% poor. LIPI significantly correlated with median OS (median follow-up: 19 months): 18.1 months vs. 47.0 months vs. not reached in poor, intermediate and good LIPI groups, respectively (P = .03). A trend between objective response rate and LIPI groups was observed: 0% vs. 41% vs. 45%, respectively (P = .05). The pooled intermediate/poor LIPI group was associated with shorter OS (HR 1.97; P = .03) and higher risk of progressive disease (OR 2.68; P = .047). Survivals and response were not influenced in the control cohort. CONCLUSION: Baseline LIPI correlated with outcomes in patients with locally advanced NSCLC treated with durvalumab consolidation, but not in those who only received chemo-radiotherapy, providing further evidence of its prognostic and potential predictive role of ICI benefit in NSCLC.

Real-World efficacy and safety of combination nivolumab plus ipilimumab for Untreated, Unresectable, pleural Mesothelioma: The Meso-Immune (GFPC 04-2021) trial.

BACKGROUND: First-line standard-of-care for unresectable, pleural mesothelioma (PM) changed with the phase 3 CheckMate 743 study results, showing that nivolumab plus ipilimumab (Nivo + Ipi) significantly extended overall survival (OS) versus platinum + pemetrexed chemotherapy for PM (median OS 18.1 versus 14.1 months; hazard ratio: 0.74; p = 0.002). Efficacy and safety data in real-world (rw) settings are needed to confirm these results. METHODS: This French multicenter, retrospective cohort study was undertaken to assess the outcomes of treatment-naïve PM patients given Nivo + Ipi via an early-access program (EAP). The primary objective was investigator-assessed real world -progression-free survival (PFS). The secondary objectives were the combination's -overall survival (OS) and safety. RESULTS: From 1 April 2021 to 15 Feb 2022, the analysis included 201 of the 305 EAP-enrolled patients treated in 63 centers (79.6 % men; median age: 75 years; 91.8 % Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG-PS) 0/1; 74.5 % epithelioid histology). With median (95 % CI) follow-up for all patients of 18.4 (17.7-19.2) months, -PFS and OS were 6.3 (5.3-7.5) and 18.9 (17.6-not reached (NR)) months, with 1-year OS at 66.4 % (60.1-73.3 %). Median OS and 1-year survival rates were 21.0 (18.7-NR) and 70.8 % (63.9 %-780.6 %), and 14.1 (10.9-21.0) months and 54.9 % (42.8 %-70.4 %) for epithelioid and non-epithelioid PM subgroups, respectively. PFS was equal between the two subgroups. Grade 3-4 adverse events occurred in 23.3 % of patients and three deaths were treatment-related. CONCLUSIONS: For this unselected PM population, efficacy and safety outcomes compared favorably with CheckMate 743 trial results.

Outcome of Patients With Resected Early-Stage Non-small Cell Lung Cancer and EGFR Mutations: Results From the IFCT Biomarkers France Study.

INTRODUCTION: Molecular profile of resected stage I-II non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) would help refine prognosis and personalize induction or adjuvant strategies. We sought to report the molecular profile of resected stage I-II NSCLC and analyzed the impact of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations on outcomes in a Western population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Surgical cases were identified from Biomarkers France study, a nationwide prospective study including NSCLC patients screened for EGFR, HER2, KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA, ALK alterations from 2012 to 2013. Among surgical patients, clinical charts of the largest centers were reviewed in order to analyze the prognostic impact of EGFR mutations. RESULTS: In the BMF database (n = 17.636), surgical patients (n = 854) were characterized by a higher proportion of EGFR mutations than nonsurgical patients (12.9% vs. 10.2%, P = .025), while the other molecular alterations did not differ. The proportion of EGFR mutations was 27% in women undergoing surgery. In the study group (n = 293; EGFR wild type, n = 235; usual mutation, n = 50; rare mutation, n = 8), after a median follow-up of 67 months, 215 patients (74.4%) had not relapsed. No difference was found between EGFR-mutant and EGFR-wt tumors regarding recurrence site, disease-free survival, and overall survival. The 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival after surgical resection of stage I-II EGFR-mutated tumors were 65% and 75%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In resected stage I to II NSCLC, EGFR mutations were found in 12.9% of cases, associated with a 5-year overall survival of 75%, with no impact on recurrence site, disease-free survival, and overall survival.

VEGFR2 and CD34 expression associated with longer survival in patients with pleural mesothelioma in the IFCT-GFPC-0701 MAPS phase 3 trial.

OBJECTIVES: VEGF/VEGFR autocrine loop is a hallmark of pleural mesothelioma (PM). We thus assayed the prognostic and predictive values of VEGFR-2 [vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 or Flk-1] and CD34, a marker of endothelial cells, in samples from patients accrued in the Mesothelioma Avastin Cisplatin Pemetrexed Study ('MAPS', NCT00651456). MATERIALS AND METHODS: VEGFR2 and CD34 expression were assayed using immunohistochemistry in 333 MAPS patients (74.3%), and their prognostic value was evaluated in terms of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in univariate and multivariate analyses, before validation by bootstrap methodology. RESULTS: Positive VEGFR2 or CD34 staining was observed in 234/333 (70.2%) and 322/323 (99.6%) of tested specimens, respectively. VEGFR2 and CD34 staining correlated weakly, yet significantly, with each other (r = 0.36, p < 0.001). High VEGFR2 expression or high CD34 levels were associated with longer OS in PM patients in multivariate analysis (VEGFR2: adjusted [adj.] hazard ratio [HR]: 0.91, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.88; 0.95], p < 0.001; CD34: adj. HR: 0.86, 95 %CI [0.76; 0.96], p = 0.010), with only high VEGFR2 expression resulting in significantly longer PFS (VEGFR2: adj. HR: 0.96, 95 %CI [0.92; 0.996], p = 0.032). Stability of these results was confirmed using bootstrap procedure. Nevertheless, VEGFR2 expression failed to specifically predict longer survival in bevacizumab-chemotherapy combination trial arm, regardless of whether the VEGFR2 score was combined or not with serum VEGF concentrations. CONCLUSION: VEGFR2 overexpression independently correlated with longer OS or PFS in PM patients, such biomarker deserving prospective evaluation as stratification variable in future clinical trials.

Five-Year Survival Outcomes With Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab Versus Chemotherapy as First-Line Treatment for Metastatic Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer in CheckMate 227.

PURPOSE: We present 5-year results from CheckMate 227 Part 1, in which nivolumab plus ipilimumab improved overall survival (OS) versus chemotherapy in patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer, regardless of tumor programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) status. METHODS: Adults with stage IV/recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer without EGFR mutations or ALK alterations and with tumor PD-L1 ≥ 1% or < 1% (n = 1739) were randomly assigned. Patients with tumor PD-L1 ≥ 1% were randomly assigned to first-line nivolumab plus ipilimumab, nivolumab alone, or chemotherapy. Patients with tumor PD-L1 < 1% were randomly assigned to nivolumab plus ipilimumab, nivolumab plus chemotherapy, or chemotherapy. End points included exploratory 5-year results for efficacy, safety, and quality of life. RESULTS: At a minimum follow-up of 61.3 months, 5-year OS rates were 24% versus 14% for nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus chemotherapy (PD-L1 ≥ 1%) and 19% versus 7% (PD-L1 < 1%). The median duration of response was 24.5 versus 6.7 months (PD-L1 ≥ 1%) and 19.4 versus 4.8 months (PD-L1 < 1%). Among patients surviving 5 years, 66% (PD-L1 ≥ 1%) and 64% (PD-L1 < 1%) were off nivolumab plus ipilimumab without initiating subsequent systemic anticancer treatment by the 5-year time point. Survival benefit continued after nivolumab plus ipilimumab discontinuation because of treatment-related adverse events, with a 5-year OS rate of 39% (combined PD-L1 ≥ 1% and < 1% populations). Quality of life in 5-year survivors treated with nivolumab plus ipilimumab was similar to that in the general US population through the 5-year follow-up. No new safety signals were observed. CONCLUSION: With all patients off immunotherapy treatment for ≥ 3 years, nivolumab plus ipilimumab increased 5-year survivorship versus chemotherapy, including long-term, durable clinical benefit regardless of tumor PD-L1 expression. These data support nivolumab plus ipilimumab as an effective first-line treatment for patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer.

First-line nivolumab plus ipilimumab for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, including patients with ECOG performance status 2 and other special populations: CheckMate 817.

BACKGROUND: CheckMate 817, a phase 3B study, evaluated flat-dose nivolumab plus weight-based ipilimumab in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, in this research, we report on first-line treatment in patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) 0-1 (cohort A) and special populations (cohort A1: ECOG PS 2; or ECOG PS 0-1 with untreated brain metastases, renal impairment, hepatic impairment, or controlled HIV infection). METHODS: Cohorts A and A1 received nivolumab 240 mg every 2 weeks plus ipilimumab 1 mg/kg every 6 weeks. The primary endpoint was the incidence of grade 3-4 and grade 5 immune-mediated adverse events (IMAEs; adverse events (AEs) deemed potentially immune-related, occurring <100 days of last dose, and treated with immune-modulating medication (except endocrine events)) and treatment-related select AEs (treatment-related AEs with potential immunological etiology requiring frequent monitoring/intervention, reported between first dose and 30 days after the last dose) in cohort A; efficacy endpoints were secondary/exploratory. In cohort A1, safety/efficacy assessment was exploratory. RESULTS: The most common grade 3-4 IMAEs were pneumonitis (5.1%), diarrhea/colitis (4.9%), and hepatitis (4.6%) in cohort A (N=391) and diarrhea/colitis (3.5%), hepatitis (3.5%), and rash (3.0%) in cohort A1 (N=198). The most common grade 3-4 treatment-related select AEs were hepatic (5.9%), gastrointestinal (4.9%), and pulmonary (4.6%) events in cohort A and gastrointestinal (4.0%), skin (3.5%), and endocrine (3.0%) events in cohort A1. No grade 5 IMAEs or treatment-related select AEs occurred. Treatment-related deaths occurred in 4 (1.0%) and 3 (1.5%) patients in cohorts A and A1, respectively. Three-year overall survival (OS) rates were 33.7% and 20.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Flat-dose nivolumab plus weight-based ipilimumab was associated with manageable safety and durable efficacy in cohort A, consistent with data from phase 3 metastatic NSCLC studies. Special populations of cohort A1 including patients with ECOG PS 2 or ECOG PS 0-1 with untreated brain metastases had manageable treatment-related toxicity and clinically meaningful 3-year OS rate. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02869789.

Safety of First-Line Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab in Patients With Metastatic NSCLC: A Pooled Analysis of CheckMate 227, CheckMate 568, and CheckMate 817.

INTRODUCTION: We characterized the safety of first-line nivolumab plus ipilimumab (NIVO+IPI) in a large patient population with metastatic NSCLC and efficacy outcomes after NIVO+IPI discontinuation owing to treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). METHODS: We pooled data from three first-line NIVO+IPI studies (NIVO, 3 mg/kg or 240 mg every 2 wk; IPI, 1 mg/kg every 6 wk) in metastatic NSCLC (CheckMate 227 part 1, CheckMate 817 cohort A, CheckMate 568 part 1). Safety end points included TRAEs and immune-mediated adverse events (IMAEs) in the pooled population and patients aged 75 years or older. RESULTS: In the pooled population (N = 1255), any-grade TRAEs occurred in 78% of the patients, grade 3 or 4 TRAEs in 34%, and discontinuation of any regimen component owing to TRAEs in 21%. The most frequent TRAE and IMAE were diarrhea (20%; grade 3 or 4, 2%) and rash (17%; grade 3 or 4, 3%), respectively. The most common grade 3 or 4 IMAEs were hepatitis (5%) and diarrhea/colitis and pneumonitis (4% each). Pneumonitis was the most common cause of treatment-related death (5 of 16). Safety in patients aged 75 years or older (n = 174) was generally similar to the overall population, but discontinuation of any regimen component owing to TRAEs was more common (29%). In patients discontinuing NIVO+IPI owing to TRAEs (n = 225), 3-year overall survival was 50% (95% confidence interval: 42.6-56.0), and 42% (31.2-52.4) of 130 responders remained in response 2 years after discontinuation. CONCLUSIONS: First-line NIVO+IPI was well tolerated in this large population with metastatic NSCLC and in patients aged 75 years or older. Discontinuation owing to TRAEs did not reduce long-term survival.

Retrospective analysis of real-world data to evaluate actionability of a comprehensive molecular profiling panel in solid tumor tissue samples (REALM study).

INTRODUCTION: Considering the growing interest in matched cancer treatment, our aim was to evaluate the ability of a comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) assay to propose at least one targeted therapy given an identified genomic alteration or signature (actionability), and to collect the treatment modifications based on the CGP test results in clinical practise for solid tumors. METHODS: This retrospective, multicentre French study was conducted among 25 centres that participated in a free of charge program between 2017 and 2019 for a tissue CGP test. Data were collected on the patient, disease, tumor genomic profile, treatment suggested in the report (related to the genomic profile results) and subsequent therapeutic decisions according to the physician's declaration. RESULTS: Among the 416 patients, most had lung cancer (35.6%), followed by biliary tract cancer (11.5%) or rare cancers (11.1%); 75% had a metastatic disease. The actionability was 75.0% (95% CI [70.6%-78.9%]) for all patients, 85.1% and 78.4%, respectively in lung cancer and metastatic patients. After exclusion of clinical trial suggestions, the actionability decreased to 62.3% (95% CI [57.5%-66.8%]). Treatment modification based on the test results was observed in 17.3% of the patients and was more frequent in metastatic disease (OR = 2.73, 95% CI [1.31-5.71], p = 0.007). The main reasons for no treatment modification were poor general condition (33.2%) and stable disease or remission (30.2%). The genomic-directed treatment changes were performed mostly during the first six months after the CGP test, and interestingly a substantial part was observed from six to 24 months after the genomic profiling. CONCLUSION: This French study provides information on the real-life actionability of a CGP test based on tissue samples, and trends to confirm its utility in clinical practice across the course of the disease, in particularly for patients with lung cancer and/or advanced disease.

RET-MAP: An International Multicenter Study on Clinicobiologic Features and Treatment Response in Patients With Lung Cancer Harboring a RET Fusion.

INTRODUCTION: Nearly 1% to 2% of NSCLCs harbor RET fusions. Characterization of this rare population is still incomplete. METHODS: This retrospective multicenter study included patients with any-stage RET positive (RET+) NSCLC from 31 cancer centers. Molecular profiling included DNA/RNA sequencing or fluorescence in situ hybridization analyses. Clinicobiological features and treatment outcomes (per investigator) with surgery, chemotherapy (CT), immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs), CT-ICB, multityrosine kinase inhibitors, and RET inhibitors (RETis) were evaluated. RESULTS: For 218 patients included between February 2012 and April 2022, median age was 63 years, 56% were females, 93% had adenocarcinoma, and 41% were smokers. The most frequent fusion partner was KIF5B (72%). Median tumor mutational burden was 2.5 (range: 1-4) mutations per megabase, and median programmed death-ligand 1 expression was 10% (range: 0%-55%). The most common metastatic sites were the lung (50%), bone (43%), and pleura (40%). Central nervous system metastases were found at diagnosis of advanced NSCLC in 21% of the patients and at last follow-up or death in 31%. Overall response rate and median progression-free survival were 55% and 8.7 months with platinum doublet, 26% and 3.6 months with single-agent CT, 46% and 9.6 months with CT-ICB, 23% and 3.1 months with ICB, 37% and 3 months with multityrosine kinase inhibitor, and 76% and 16.2 months with RETi, respectively. Median overall survival was longer in patients treated with RETi versus no RETi (50.6 mo [37.7-72.1] versus 16.3 mo [12.7-28.8], p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with RET+ NSCLC have mainly thoracic and bone disease and low tumor mutational burden and programmed death-ligand 1 expression. RETi markedly improved survival, whereas ICB may be active in selected patients.