Genomic origin, fragmentomics, and transcriptional properties of long cell-free DNA molecules in human plasma.

Recent studies have revealed an unexplored population of long cell-free DNA (cfDNA) molecules in human plasma using long-read sequencing technologies. However, the biological properties of long cfDNA molecules (>500 bp) remain largely unknown. To this end, we have investigated the origins of long cfDNA molecules from different genomic elements. Analysis of plasma cfDNA using long-read sequencing reveals an uneven distribution of long molecules from across the genome. Long cfDNA molecules show overrepresentation in euchromatic regions of the genome, in sharp contrast to short DNA molecules. We observe a stronger relationship between the abundance of long molecules and mRNA gene expression levels, compared with short molecules (Pearson's r = 0.71 vs. -0.14). Moreover, long and short molecules show distinct fragmentation patterns surrounding CpG sites. Leveraging the cleavage preferences surrounding CpG sites, the combined cleavage ratios of long and short molecules can differentiate patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from non-HCC subjects (AUC = 0.87). We also investigated knockout mice in which selected nuclease genes had been inactivated in comparison with wild-type mice. The proportion of long molecules originating from transcription start sites are lower in Dffb-deficient mice but higher in Dnase1l3-deficient mice compared with that of wild-type mice. This work thus provides new insights into the biological properties and potential clinical applications of long cfDNA molecules.

Fragmentation landscape of cell-free DNA revealed by deconvolutional analysis of end motifs.

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) fragmentation is nonrandom, at least partially mediated by various DNA nucleases, forming characteristic cfDNA end motifs. However, there is a paucity of tools for deciphering the relative contributions of cfDNA cleavage patterns related to underlying fragmentation factors. In this study, through non-negative matrix factorization algorithm, we used 256 5' 4-mer end motifs to identify distinct types of cfDNA cleavage patterns, referred to as "founder" end-motif profiles (F-profiles). F-profiles were associated with different DNA nucleases based on whether such patterns were disrupted in nuclease-knockout mouse models. Contributions of individual F-profiles in a cfDNA sample could be determined by deconvolutional analysis. We analyzed 93 murine cfDNA samples of different nuclease-deficient mice and identified six types of F-profiles. F-profiles I, II, and III were linked to deoxyribonuclease 1 like 3 (DNASE1L3), deoxyribonuclease 1 (DNASE1), and DNA fragmentation factor subunit beta (DFFB), respectively. We revealed that 42.9% of plasma cfDNA molecules were attributed to DNASE1L3-mediated fragmentation, whereas 43.4% of urinary cfDNA molecules involved DNASE1-mediated fragmentation. We further demonstrated that the relative contributions of F-profiles were useful to inform pathological states, such as autoimmune disorders and cancer. Among the six F-profiles, the use of F-profile I could inform the human patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. F-profile VI could be used to detect individuals with hepatocellular carcinoma, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.97. F-profile VI was more prominent in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma undergoing chemoradiotherapy. We proposed that this profile might be related to oxidative stress.

Epigenetic analysis of cell-free DNA by fragmentomic profiling.

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) fragmentation patterns contain important molecular information linked to tissues of origin. We explored the possibility of using fragmentation patterns to predict cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) methylation of cfDNA, obviating the use of bisulfite treatment and associated risks of DNA degradation. This study investigated the cfDNA cleavage profile surrounding a CpG (i.e., within an 11-nucleotide [nt] window) to analyze cfDNA methylation. The cfDNA cleavage proportion across positions within the window appeared nonrandom and exhibited correlation with methylation status. The mean cleavage proportion was ∼twofold higher at the cytosine of methylated CpGs than unmethylated ones in healthy controls. In contrast, the mean cleavage proportion rapidly decreased at the 1-nt position immediately preceding methylated CpGs. Such differential cleavages resulted in a characteristic change in relative presentations of CGN and NCG motifs at 5' ends, where N represented any nucleotide. CGN/NCG motif ratios were correlated with methylation levels at tissue-specific methylated CpGs (e.g., placenta or liver) (Pearson's absolute r > 0.86). cfDNA cleavage profiles were thus informative for cfDNA methylation and tissue-of-origin analyses. Using CG-containing end motifs, we achieved an area under a receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.98 in differentiating patients with and without hepatocellular carcinoma and enhanced the positive predictive value of nasopharyngeal carcinoma screening (from 19.6 to 26.8%). Furthermore, we elucidated the feasibility of using cfDNA cleavage patterns to deduce CpG methylation at single CpG resolution using a deep learning algorithm and achieved an AUC of 0.93. FRAGmentomics-based Methylation Analysis (FRAGMA) presents many possibilities for noninvasive prenatal, cancer, and organ transplantation assessment.

Dual CTLA-4 and PD-1 checkpoint blockade using CS1002 and CS1003 (nofazinlimab) in patients with advanced solid tumors: A first-in-human, dose-escalation, and dose-expansion study.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the safety and efficacy of an anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibody (CS1002) as monotherapy and in combination with an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody (CS1003) in patients with advanced/metastatic solid tumors. METHODS: The phase 1 study involved phase 1a monotherapy dose-escalation (part 1) and phase 1b combination therapy dose escalation (part 2) and expansion (part 3). Various dosing schedules of CS1002 (0.3, 1, or 3 mg/kg every 3 weeks, or 3 mg/kg every 9 weeks) were evaluated with 200 mg CS1003 every 3 weeks in part 3. RESULTS: Parts 1, 2, and 3 included a total of 13, 18, and 61 patients, respectively. No dose-limiting toxicities or maximum tolerated doses were observed. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were reported in 30.8%, 83.3%, and 75.0% of patients in parts 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Grade ≥3 TRAEs were experienced by 15.4%, 50.0%, and 18.3% of patients in each part. Of 61 patients evaluable for efficacy, 23 (37.7%) achieved objective responses in multiple tumor types. Higher objective response rates were observed with conventional and high-dose CS1002 regimens (1 mg/kg every 3 weeks or 3 mg/kg every 9 weeks) compared to low-dose CS1002 (0.3 mg/kg every 3 weeks) in microsatellite instability-high/mismatch repair-deficient tumors, melanoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma (50.0% vs. 58.8%, 14.3% vs. 42.9%, and 0% vs. 16.7%). CONCLUSION: CS1002, as monotherapy, and in combination with CS1003, had a manageable safety profile across a broad dosing range. Promising antitumor activities were observed in patients with immune oncology (IO)-naive and IO-refractory tumors across CS1002 dose levels when combined with CS1003, supporting further evaluation of this treatment combination for solid tumors. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: CS1002 is a human immunoglobulin (Ig) G1 monoclonal antibody that blocks the interaction of CTLA-4 with its ligands and increases T-cell activation/proliferation. CS1003, now named nofazinlimab, is a humanized, recombinant IgG4 monoclonal antibody that blocks the interaction between human PD-1 and its ligands. In this original article, we determined the safety profile of CS1002 as monotherapy and in combination with CS1003. Furthermore, we explored the antitumor activity of the combination in anti-programmed cell death protein (ligand)-1 (PD-[L]1)-naive microsatellite instability-high/mismatch repair-deficient (MSI-H/dMMR) pan tumors, and anti-PD-(L)1-refractory melanoma and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). CS1002 in combination with CS1003 had manageable safety profile across a broad dosing range and showed promising antitumor activities across CS1002 dose levels when combined with CS1003. This supports further assessment of CS1002 in combination with CS1003 for the treatment of solid tumors.

Multicentre phase II trial of cabozantinib in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Prospective data on treatment after immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are lacking. We conducted a phase II multicentre study on cabozantinib after ICI treatment in HCC. METHODS: This is an investigator-initiated, single-arm, clinical trial involving academic centres in Hong Kong and Korea. Key eligibility criteria included diagnosis of HCC, refractoriness to prior ICI-based treatment, and Child-Pugh A liver function. A maximum of two prior lines of therapy were allowed. All patients were commenced on cabozantinib at 60 mg/day. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: Forty-seven patients were recruited from Oct 2020 to May 2022; 27 and 20 patients had received one and two prior therapies, respectively. Median follow-up was 11.2 months. The median PFS was 4.1 months (95% CI 3.3-5.3). The median overall survival (OS) was 9.9 months (95% CI 7.3-14.4), and the 1-year OS rate was 45.3%. Partial response and stable disease occurred in 3 (6.4%) and 36 (76.6%) patients, respectively. When used as a second-line treatment (n = 27), cabozantinib was associated with a median PFS and OS of 4.3 (95% CI 3.3-6.7) and 14.3 (95% CI 8.9-NR) months, respectively. The corresponding median PFS and OS were 4.3 (95% CI 3.3-11.0) and 14.3 (95% CI 9.0-NR) months, respectively, for those receiving ICI-based regimens with proven benefits (n = 17). The most common grade 3-4 treatment-related adverse event was thrombocytopenia (6.4%). The median dose of cabozantinib was 40 mg/day. The number of prior therapies was an independent prognosticator (one vs. two; hazard ratio = 0.37; p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Cabozantinib demonstrated efficacy in patients who had received prior ICI regimens; survival data for second-line cabozantinib following first-line ICI regimens provide a reference for future clinical trial design. The number of prior lines of treatment may be considered a stratification factor in randomised studies. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS: Prospective data on systemic treatment following prior immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are lacking. This phase II clinical trial provides efficacy and safety data on cabozantinib in patients who had received prior ICI-based treatment. Exploratory analyses showed that the performance of cabozantinib differed significantly when used as a second- or third-line treatment. The above data could be used as a reference for clinical practice and the design of future clinical trials on subsequent treatment lines following ICIs. GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT04588051.

Outcomes in the Asian subgroup of the phase III randomised HIMALAYA study of tremelimumab plus durvalumab in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: In the global, phase III HIMALAYA study in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC), STRIDE (Single Tremelimumab Regular Interval Durvalumab) improved overall survival (OS) vs. sorafenib; durvalumab was noninferior to sorafenib. HBV is the predominant HCC aetiology in most of Asia vs. HCV or nonviral aetiologies in Western countries and Japan. This analysis evaluated safety and efficacy outcomes for STRIDE and durvalumab monotherapy vs. sorafenib, in HIMALAYA participants enrolled in Asia, excluding Japan. METHODS: In HIMALAYA, participants were randomised to STRIDE, durvalumab, or sorafenib. The Asian subgroup in this analysis included participants enrolled in Hong Kong, India, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. OS, objective response rate (ORR; per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, version 1.1), and safety were assessed in the Asian subgroup and in an exploratory subgroup of participants in Hong Kong and Taiwan. RESULTS: The Asian subgroup included 479 participants randomised to STRIDE (n=156), durvalumab (n=167), or sorafenib (n=156). OS was improved for STRIDE vs. sorafenib (HR 0.68; 95% CI 0.52-0.89]). The OS HR for durvalumab vs. sorafenib was 0.83 (95% CI 0.64-1.06). In Hong Kong and Taiwan (n=141), OS HRs for STRIDE vs. sorafenib and durvalumab vs. sorafenib were 0.44 (95% CI 0.26-0.77) and 0.64 (95% CI 0.37-1.08), respectively. In the Asian subgroup, ORR (including unconfirmed responses) was numerically higher for STRIDE (28.2%) and durvalumab (18.6%) vs. sorafenib (9.0%), and Grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events were numerically lower for STRIDE (19.9%) and durvalumab (13.3%) vs. sorafenib (30.5%). CONCLUSIONS: STRIDE improved outcomes vs. sorafenib in the Asian subgroup. These results support the benefits of STRIDE for participants with uHCC globally, including the Asia-Pacific region. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: NCT03298451 IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS: The global, phase III HIMALAYA study found that the STRIDE (Single Tremelimumab Regular Interval Durvalumab) regimen improved overall survival (OS), including long-term OS, vs. sorafenib, and that durvalumab monotherapy was noninferior to sorafenib in participants with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). However, there are differences in the aetiology and clinical practices related to HCC in parts of Asia, compared to Western countries and Japan, which could lead to differences in treatment outcomes between these regions. The results of this analysis demonstrate the benefits of STRIDE for participants in the Asia-Pacific region, consistent with the full, global study population. Overall, these findings continue to support the use of STRIDE in a diverse population, reflective of uHCC globally.

Pembrolizumab in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin compared with gemcitabine and cisplatin alone for patients with advanced biliary tract cancer (KEYNOTE-966): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Biliary tract cancers, which arise from the intrahepatic or extrahepatic bile ducts and the gallbladder, generally have a poor prognosis and are rising in incidence worldwide. The standard-of-care treatment for advanced biliary tract cancer is chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin. Because most biliary tract cancers have an immune-suppressed microenvironment, immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy is associated with a low objective response rate. We aimed to assess whether adding the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab to gemcitabine and cisplatin would improve outcomes compared with gemcitabine and cisplatin alone in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer. METHODS: KEYNOTE-966 was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial done at 175 medical centres globally. Eligible participants were aged 18 years or older; had previously untreated, unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic biliary tract cancer; had disease measurable per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours version 1.1; and had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1. Eligible participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to pembrolizumab 200 mg or placebo, both administered intravenously every 3 weeks (maximum 35 cycles), in combination with gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2 intravenously on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks; no maximum duration) and cisplatin (25 mg/m2 intravenously on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks; maximum 8 cycles). Randomisation was done using a central interactive voice-response system and stratified by geographical region, disease stage, and site of origin in block sizes of four. The primary endpoint of overall survival was evaluated in the intention-to-treat population. The secondary endpoint of safety was evaluated in the as-treated population. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04003636. FINDINGS: Between Oct 4, 2019, and June 8, 2021, 1564 patients were screened for eligibility, 1069 of whom were randomly assigned to pembrolizumab plus gemcitabine and cisplatin (pembrolizumab group; n=533) or placebo plus gemcitabine and cisplatin (placebo group; n=536). Median study follow-up at final analysis was 25·6 months (IQR 21·7-30·4). Median overall survival was 12·7 months (95% CI 11·5-13·6) in the pembrolizumab group versus 10·9 months (9·9-11·6) in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·83 [95% CI 0·72-0·95]; one-sided p=0·0034 [significance threshold, p=0·0200]). In the as-treated population, the maximum adverse event grade was 3 to 4 in 420 (79%) of 529 participants in the pembrolizumab group and 400 (75%) of 534 in the placebo group; 369 (70%) participants in the pembrolizumab group and 367 (69%) in the placebo group had treatment-related adverse events with a maximum grade of 3 to 4. 31 (6%) participants in the pembrolizumab group and 49 (9%) in the placebo group died due to adverse events, including eight (2%) in the pembrolizumab group and three (1%) in the placebo group who died due to treatment-related adverse events. INTERPRETATION: Based on a statistically significant, clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival compared with gemcitabine and cisplatin without any new safety signals, pembrolizumab plus gemcitabine and cisplatin could be a new treatment option for patients with previously untreated metastatic or unresectable biliary tract cancer. FUNDING: Merck Sharp & Dohme, a subsidiary of Merck & Co, Rahway, NJ, USA.

Camrelizumab plus rivoceranib versus sorafenib as first-line therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (CARES-310): a randomised, open-label, international phase 3 study.

BACKGROUND: Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with an anti-angiogenic tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (TKI) has been shown to improve overall survival versus anti-angiogenic therapy alone in advanced solid tumours, but not in hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, a clinical study was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of the anti-PD-1 antibody camrelizumab plus the VEGFR2-targeted TKI rivoceranib (also known as apatinib) versus sorafenib as first-line treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: This randomised, open-label, international phase 3 trial (CARES-310) was done at 95 study sites across 13 countries and regions worldwide. Patients with unresectable or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma who had not previously received any systemic treatment were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either camrelizumab 200 mg intravenously every 2 weeks plus rivoceranib 250 mg orally once daily or sorafenib 400 mg orally twice daily. Randomisation was done via a centralised interactive response system. The primary endpoints were progression-free survival, as assessed by the blinded independent review committee per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours version 1.1, and overall survival in the intention-to-treat population. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of the study drugs. We report the findings from the prespecified primary analysis for progression-free survival and interim analysis for overall survival. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03764293). FINDINGS: Between June 28, 2019, and March 24, 2021, 543 patients were randomly assigned to the camrelizumab-rivoceranib (n=272) or sorafenib (n=271) group. At the primary analysis for progression-free survival (May 10, 2021), median follow-up was 7·8 months (IQR 4·1-10·6). Median progression-free survival was significantly improved with camrelizumab-rivoceranib versus sorafenib (5·6 months [95% CI 5·5-6·3] vs 3·7 months [2·8-3·7]; hazard ratio [HR] 0·52 [95% CI 0·41-0·65]; one-sided p<0·0001). At the interim analysis for overall survival (Feb 8, 2022), median follow-up was 14·5 months (IQR 9·1-18·7). Median overall survival was significantly extended with camrelizumab-rivoceranib versus sorafenib (22·1 months [95% CI 19·1-27·2] vs 15·2 months [13·0-18·5]; HR 0·62 [95% CI 0·49-0·80]; one-sided p<0·0001). The most common grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events were hypertension (102 [38%] of 272 patients in the camrelizumab-rivoceranib group vs 40 [15%] of 269 patients in the sorafenib group), palmar-plantar erythrodysaesthesia syndrome (33 [12%] vs 41 [15%]), increased aspartate aminotransferase (45 [17%] vs 14 [5%]), and increased alanine aminotransferase (35 [13%] vs eight [3%]). Treatment-related serious adverse events were reported in 66 (24%) patients in the camrelizumab-rivoceranib group and 16 (6%) in the sorafenib group. Treatment-related death occurred in two patients: one patient in the camrelizumab-rivoceranib group (ie, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome) and one patient in the sorafenib group (ie, respiratory failure and circulatory collapse). INTERPRETATION: Camrelizumab plus rivoceranib showed a statistically significant and clinically meaningful benefit in progression-free survival and overall survival compared with sorafenib for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, presenting as a new and effective first-line treatment option for this population. FUNDING: Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals and Elevar Therapeutics.

Organ-specific responses to atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: A multicentre, retrospective study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Anti-programmed death 1 (PD-1) monotherapy triggers various responses by each organ. In advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), while extrahepatic lesions demonstrate objective response rates (ORR) of 20%-40%, only 10% of intrahepatic lesions respond. Although first-line atezolizumab/bevacizumab has shown survival benefits in advanced HCC, organ-specific responses remain unexplored. Therefore, we aimed to assess organ-specific responses in patients with advanced HCC receiving atezolizumab/bevacizumab. METHODS: This retrospective, multicenter, observational study included patients who received first-line atezolizumab/bevacizumab for advanced HCC. Patients with Child-Pugh class A, measurable tumour lesions and serial imaging available for response evaluation were eligible. RESULTS: Between May 2020 and June 2021, 131 patients (median age: 62) from three cancer referral institutions were included. Ninety-one had hepatitis B (69.5%), 108 were at Barcelona clinic liver cancer stage C (82.4%), and 78 had extrahepatic metastasis (59.5%). After a median follow-up of 10.1 months, median progression-free survival was 6.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.6-9.2), median overall survival remained unreached (95% CI, range unavailable) and the ORR was 29.0%. Among 270 individual tumour lesions, the liver was the most commonly involved organ (n = 158). Atezolizumab/bevacizumab induced ORR of 27.8%, 42.2%, 29.1% and 21.0% for liver, lymph nodes, lungs and other sites, respectively. The organ-specific response rate for intrahepatic tumours decreased with increasing size (35.6%: <5 cm, 15.0%: ≥ 5 cm). CONCLUSIONS: Unlike anti-PD-1 monotherapy, atezolizumab/bevacizumab demonstrated favourable responses in intrahepatic lesions, comparable to those in extrahepatic lesions, and may potentially overcome the immune-tolerant hepatic microenvironment in patients with advanced HCC.

Genome-wide detection of cytosine methylation by single molecule real-time sequencing.

5-Methylcytosine (5mC) is an important type of epigenetic modification. Bisulfite sequencing (BS-seq) has limitations, such as severe DNA degradation. Using single molecule real-time sequencing, we developed a methodology to directly examine 5mC. This approach holistically examined kinetic signals of a DNA polymerase (including interpulse duration and pulse width) and sequence context for every nucleotide within a measurement window, termed the holistic kinetic (HK) model. The measurement window of each analyzed double-stranded DNA molecule comprised 21 nucleotides with a cytosine in a CpG site in the center. We used amplified DNA (unmethylated) and M.SssI-treated DNA (methylated) (M.SssI being a CpG methyltransferase) to train a convolutional neural network. The area under the curve for differentiating methylation states using such samples was up to 0.97. The sensitivity and specificity for genome-wide 5mC detection at single-base resolution reached 90% and 94%, respectively. The HK model was then tested on human-mouse hybrid fragments in which each member of the hybrid had a different methylation status. The model was also tested on human genomic DNA molecules extracted from various biological samples, such as buffy coat, placental, and tumoral tissues. The overall methylation levels deduced by the HK model were well correlated with those by BS-seq (r = 0.99; P < 0.0001) and allowed the measurement of allele-specific methylation patterns in imprinted genes. Taken together, this methodology has provided a system for simultaneous genome-wide genetic and epigenetic analyses.

Detection and characterization of jagged ends of double-stranded DNA in plasma.

Cell-free DNA in plasma has been used for noninvasive prenatal testing and cancer liquid biopsy. The physical properties of cell-free DNA fragments in plasma, such as fragment sizes and ends, have attracted much recent interest, leading to the emerging field of cell-free DNA fragmentomics. However, one aspect of plasma DNA fragmentomics as to whether double-stranded plasma molecules might carry single-stranded ends, termed a jagged end in this study, remains underexplored. We have developed two approaches for investigating the presence of jagged ends in a plasma DNA pool. These approaches utilized DNA end repair to introduce differential methylation signals between the original sequence and the jagged ends, depending on whether unmethylated or methylated cytosines were used in the DNA end-repair procedure. The majority of plasma DNA molecules (87.8%) were found to bear jagged ends. The jaggedness varied according to plasma DNA fragment sizes and appeared to be in association with nucleosomal patterns. In the plasma of pregnant women, the jaggedness of fetal DNA molecules was higher than that of the maternal counterparts. The jaggedness of plasma DNA correlated with the fetal DNA fraction. Similarly, in the plasma of cancer patients, tumor-derived DNA molecules in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma showed an elevated jaggedness compared with nontumoral DNA. In mouse models, knocking out of the Dnase1 gene reduced jaggedness, whereas knocking out of the Dnase1l3 gene enhanced jaggedness. Hence, plasma DNA jagged ends represent an intrinsic property of plasma DNA and provide a link between nuclease activities and the fragmentation of plasma DNA.

Plain language summary of the HIMALAYA study: tremelimumab and durvalumab for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer).

WHAT IS THIS SUMMARY ABOUT?: This is a summary of results from a phase 3 clinical study called HIMALAYA. HIMALAYA looked at treatment with one dose of a medication called tremelimumab combined with multiple doses of a medication called durvalumab (the STRIDE regimen) or multiple doses of durvalumab alone. These treatments were compared with a medication called sorafenib in participants with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC is a type of liver cancer that is difficult to treat because it is often diagnosed when it is unresectable, meaning it can no longer be removed with surgery. Sorafenib has been the main treatment for unresectable HCC since 2007. However, people who take sorafenib may experience side effects that can reduce their quality of life, so alternative medicines are being trialed. Tremelimumab and durvalumab are types of drugs called immunotherapies, and they both work in different ways to help the body's immune system fight cancer. WHAT WERE THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY?: Participants who took STRIDE lived longer than participants who took sorafenib, whilst participants who took durvalumab alone lived a similar length of time as participants who took sorafenib. Participants who took STRIDE or durvalumab had a lower relative risk of experiencing worsening in their quality of life than participants who took sorafenib. The side effects that participants who received STRIDE or durvalumab experienced were expected for these types of treatments and could mostly be managed. WHAT DO THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY MEAN?: Overall, STRIDE is more effective than sorafenib for people with unresectable HCC.

Is hepatic resection justified for non-colorectal non-neuroendocrine liver metastases? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic resection (HR) is effective for colorectal or neuroendocrine liver metastases. However, the role of HR for non-colorectal non-neuroendocrine liver metastases (NCNNLM) is unknown. This study aims to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis on long-term clinical outcomes after HR for NCNNLM. METHODS: electronic search was performed to identify relevant publications using PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines. Primary outcomes were 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Secondary outcomes were post-operative morbidity and 30-day mortality. RESULTS: There were 40 selected studies involving 5696 patients with NCNNLM undergone HR. Pooled data analyses showed that the 3- and 5-year OS were 40% (95% CI 0.35-0.46) and 32% (95% CI 0.29-0.36), whereas the 3- and 5-year DFS were 28% (95% CI 0.21-0.36) and 24% (95% CI 0.20-0.30), respectively. The postoperative morbidity rate was 28%, while the 30-day mortality was 2%. Subgroup analysis on HR for gastric cancer liver metastasis revealed the 3-year and 5-year OS of 39% and 25%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: HR for NCNNLM may achieve satisfactory survival outcome in selected patients with low morbidities and mortalities. However, more concrete evidence from prospective study is warrant in future.

Cabozantinib plus atezolizumab versus sorafenib for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (COSMIC-312): a multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Cabozantinib has shown clinical activity in combination with checkpoint inhibitors in solid tumours. The COSMIC-312 trial assessed cabozantinib plus atezolizumab versus sorafenib as first-line systemic treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: COSMIC-312 is an open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial that enrolled patients aged 18 years or older with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma not amenable to curative or locoregional therapy and previously untreated with systemic anticancer therapy at 178 centres in 32 countries. Patients with fibrolamellar carcinoma, sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma, or combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma were not eligible. Tumours involving major blood vessels, including the main portal vein, were permitted. Patients were required to have measurable disease per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 (RECIST 1.1), Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B or C disease, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1, adequate organ and marrow function, and Child-Pugh class A. Previous resection, tumour ablation, radiotherapy, or arterial chemotherapy was allowed if more than 28 days before randomisation. Patients were randomly assigned (2:1:1) via a web-based interactive response system to cabozantinib 40 mg orally once daily plus atezolizumab 1200 mg intravenously every 3 weeks, sorafenib 400 mg orally twice daily, or single-agent cabozantinib 60 mg orally once daily. Randomisation was stratified by disease aetiology, geographical region, and presence of extrahepatic disease or macrovascular invasion. Dual primary endpoints were progression-free survival per RECIST 1.1 as assessed by a blinded independent radiology committee in the first 372 patients randomly assigned to the combination treatment of cabozantinib plus atezolizumab or sorafenib (progression-free survival intention-to-treat [ITT] population), and overall survival in all patients randomly assigned to cabozantinib plus atezolizumab or sorafenib (ITT population). Final progression-free survival and concurrent interim overall survival analyses are presented. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03755791. FINDINGS: Analyses at data cut-off (March 8, 2021) included the first 837 patients randomly assigned between Dec 7, 2018, and Aug 27, 2020, to combination treatment of cabozantinib plus atezolizumab (n=432), sorafenib (n=217), or single-agent cabozantinib (n=188). Median follow-up was 15·8 months (IQR 14·5-17·2) in the progression-free survival ITT population and 13·3 months (10·5-16·0) in the ITT population. Median progression-free survival was 6·8 months (99% CI 5·6-8·3) in the combination treatment group versus 4·2 months (2·8-7·0) in the sorafenib group (hazard ratio [HR] 0·63, 99% CI 0·44-0·91, p=0·0012). Median overall survival (interim analysis) was 15·4 months (96% CI 13·7-17·7) in the combination treatment group versus 15·5 months (12·1-not estimable) in the sorafenib group (HR 0·90, 96% CI 0·69-1·18; p=0·44). The most common grade 3 or 4 adverse events were alanine aminotransferase increase (38 [9%] of 429 patients in the combination treatment group vs six [3%] of 207 in the sorafenib group vs 12 [6%] of 188 in the single-agent cabozantinib group), hypertension (37 [9%] vs 17 [8%] vs 23 [12%]), aspartate aminotransferase increase (37 [9%] vs eight [4%] vs 18 [10%]), and palmar-plantar erythrodysaesthesia (35 [8%] vs 17 [8%] vs 16 [9%]); serious treatment-related adverse events occurred in 78 (18%) patients in the combination treatment group, 16 (8%) patients in the sorafenib group, and 24 (13%) in the single-agent cabozantinib group. Treatment-related grade 5 events occurred in six (1%) patients in the combination treatment group (encephalopathy, hepatic failure, drug-induced liver injury, oesophageal varices haemorrhage, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and tumour lysis syndrome), one (<1%) patient in the sorafenib group (general physical health deterioration), and one (<1%) patient in the single-agent cabozantinib group (gastrointestinal haemorrhage). INTERPRETATION: Cabozantinib plus atezolizumab might be a treatment option for select patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, but additional studies are needed. FUNDING: Exelixis and Ipsen.

Orientation-aware plasma cell-free DNA fragmentation analysis in open chromatin regions informs tissue of origin.

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in human plasma is a class of biomarkers with many current and potential future diagnostic applications. Recent studies have shown that cfDNA molecules are not randomly fragmented and possess information related to their tissues of origin. Pathologies causing death of cells from particular tissues result in perturbations in the relative distribution of DNA from the affected tissues. Such tissue-of-origin analysis is particularly useful in the development of liquid biopsies for cancer. It is therefore of value to accurately determine the relative contributions of the tissues to the plasma DNA pool in a simultaneous manner. In this work, we report that in open chromatin regions, cfDNA molecules show characteristic fragmentation patterns reflected by sequencing coverage imbalance and differentially phased fragment end signals. The latter refers to differences in the read densities of sequences corresponding to the orientation of the upstream and downstream ends of cfDNA molecules in relation to the reference genome. Such cfDNA fragmentation patterns preferentially occur in tissue-specific open chromatin regions where the corresponding tissues contributed DNA into the plasma. Quantitative analyses of such signals allow measurement of the relative contributions of various tissues toward the plasma DNA pool. These findings were validated by plasma DNA sequencing data obtained from pregnant women, organ transplantation recipients, and cancer patients. Orientation-aware plasma DNA fragmentation analysis therefore has potential diagnostic applications in noninvasive prenatal testing, organ transplantation monitoring, and cancer liquid biopsy.

Single-Molecule Sequencing Enables Long Cell-Free DNA Detection and Direct Methylation Analysis for Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: Analysis of circulating tumor DNA has become increasingly important as a tool for cancer care. However, the focus of previous studies has been on short fragments of DNA. Also, bisulfite sequencing, a conventional approach for methylation analysis, causes DNA degradation, which is not ideal for the assessment of long DNA properties and methylation patterns. This study attempted to overcome such obstacles by single-molecule sequencing. METHODS: Single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing was used to sequence plasma DNA. We performed fragment size and direct methylation analysis for each molecule. A methylation score concerning single-molecule methylation patterns was used for cancer detection. RESULTS: A substantial proportion of plasma DNA was longer than 1 kb with a median of 16% in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, hepatitis B virus carriers, and healthy individuals. The longest plasma DNA molecule in the HCC patients was 39.8 kb. Tumoral cell-free DNA (cfDNA) was generally shorter than nontumoral cfDNA. The longest tumoral cfDNA was 13.6 kb. Tumoral cfDNA had lower methylation levels compared with nontumoral cfDNA (median: 59.3% vs 76.9%). We developed and analyzed a metric reflecting single-molecule methylation patterns associated with cancer, named the HCC methylation score. HCC patients displayed significantly higher HCC methylation scores than those without HCC. Interestingly, compared to using short cfDNA (area under the receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve, AUC: 0.75), the use of long cfDNA molecules greatly enhanced the discriminatory power (AUC: 0.91). CONCLUSIONS: A previously unidentified long cfDNA population was revealed in cancer patients. The presence and direct methylation analysis of these molecules open new possibilities for cancer liquid biopsy.

Personalized treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma: Current status and future perspectives.

Systemic treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been advancing rapidly over the last decade. More novel agents, including both targeted agents and immune checkpoint inhibitors, are available for physicians to use sequentially or concurrently for patients with advanced HCC. Despite more options, only a proportion of patients benefit from each regimen. Therefore, clinicians are facing challenges on how to choose the right regimen for the right patient with HCC, which raises the importance of personalized treatment approach. To advance personalized treatment for HCC, one approach relies on the acquisition of biomarker data from clinical trials to evaluate clinical parameters or genotypes in association with outcomes of selected drugs. This approach has led to finding of high baseline alpha-fetoprotein levels in association with benefits of ramucirumab. Cumulative findings from multiple clinical trials and translational studies also suggest that selected etiology and/or genotype of HCC could predict resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors. The second approach is to decipher the tumor heterogeneity of HCC with an aim to identify clinically relevant patterns to guide clinical decisions. Tumor heterogeneity could exist within a single tumor (intra-tumoral heterogeneity), among different tumors in the same patient (inter-tumoral heterogeneity) or between primary and recurrent tumors (temporal tumor heterogeneity). The analyses of tumor heterogeneity have also been powered by coverage of tumor immune environment and incorporation of circulating tumor nucleic acid technology. Emerging publications have been reported above tumor heterogeneity exist in HCC, which is potentially clinically impactful.

Health-related quality-of-life impact of pembrolizumab versus best supportive care in previously systemically treated patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: KEYNOTE-240.

BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important outcome measure and prognostic indicator in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). KEYNOTE-240 (NCT02702401) assessed the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab plus best supportive care (BSC) versus placebo plus BSC in patients with HCC who previously received sorafenib. This study presents the results of a prespecified exploratory analysis of patient-reported outcomes. METHODS: Patients completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and its HCC supplement (EORTC QLQ-HCC18) electronically at baseline; at weeks 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, and 18; and then every 9 weeks until 1 year or end of treatment, and at the 30-day safety follow-up visit. RESULTS: The HRQoL population included 271 and 127 patients randomly assigned to pembrolizumab and placebo, respectively. From baseline to week 12, changes in both scores were similar between pembrolizumab and placebo; global health status/QoL scores were stable. The proportions of patients who improved, remained stable, or deteriorated across all functional domain and symptom scores were generally similar between pembrolizumab and placebo. Time to deterioration was similar between the 2 arms based on the prespecified analysis of EORTC QLQ-HCC18 domains of abdominal swelling, fatigue, and pain. CONCLUSION: Pembrolizumab preserved HRQoL during treatment for advanced HCC. Combined with efficacy and safety results from KEYNOTE-240, these findings support a positive benefit/risk profile for pembrolizumab in a second-line treatment setting for patients with HCC who previously received sorafenib.

Systemic treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: An EASL position paper.

The last 5 years have witnessed relevant advances in the systemic treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. New data have emerged since the development of the EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines on the management of hepatocellular carcinoma in 2018. Drugs licensed in some countries now include 4 oral multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (sorafenib, lenvatinib, regorafenib and cabozantinib), 1 anti-angiogenic antibody (ramucirumab) and 4 immune checkpoint inhibitors, alone or in combination (atezolizumab in combination with bevacizumab, ipilimumab in combination with nivolumab, nivolumab and pembrolizumab in monotherapy). Prolonged survival in excess of 2 years can be expected in most patients with sensitive tumours and well-preserved liver function that renders them fit for sequential therapies. With different choices available in any given setting, the robustness of the evidence of efficacy and a correct matching of the safety profile of a given agent with patient characteristics and preferences are key in making sound therapeutic decisions. The recommendations in this document amend the previous EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines and aim to help clinicians provide the best possible care for patients today. In view of several ongoing and promising trials, further advances in systemic therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma are foreseen in the near future and these recommendations will have to be updated regularly.

Cabozantinib in Patients with Advanced and Progressing Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Cabozantinib inhibits tyrosine kinases, including vascular endothelial growth factor receptors 1, 2, and 3, MET, and AXL, which are implicated in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma and the development of resistance to sorafenib, the standard initial treatment for advanced disease. This randomized, double-blind, phase 3 trial evaluated cabozantinib as compared with placebo in previously treated patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: A total of 707 patients were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive cabozantinib (60 mg once daily) or matching placebo. Eligible patients had received previous treatment with sorafenib, had disease progression after at least one systemic treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma, and may have received up to two previous systemic regimens for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. The primary end point was overall survival. Secondary end points were progression-free survival and the objective response rate. RESULTS: At the second planned interim analysis, the trial showed significantly longer overall survival with cabozantinib than with placebo. Median overall survival was 10.2 months with cabozantinib and 8.0 months with placebo (hazard ratio for death, 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63 to 0.92; P=0.005). Median progression-free survival was 5.2 months with cabozantinib and 1.9 months with placebo (hazard ratio for disease progression or death, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.52; P<0.001), and the objective response rates were 4% and less than 1%, respectively (P=0.009). Grade 3 or 4 adverse events occurred in 68% of patients in the cabozantinib group and in 36% in the placebo group. The most common high-grade events were palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia (17% with cabozantinib vs. 0% with placebo), hypertension (16% vs. 2%), increased aspartate aminotransferase level (12% vs. 7%), fatigue (10% vs. 4%), and diarrhea (10% vs. 2%). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with previously treated advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, treatment with cabozantinib resulted in longer overall survival and progression-free survival than placebo. The rate of high-grade adverse events in the cabozantinib group was approximately twice that observed in the placebo group. (Funded by Exelixis; CELESTIAL ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01908426 .).