CONTACT-01: A Randomized Phase III Trial of Atezolizumab + Cabozantinib Versus Docetaxel for Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer After a Checkpoint Inhibitor and Chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: Although checkpoint inhibitors have improved first-line treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a therapeutic need remains for patients whose disease does not respond or who experience disease progression after anti-PD-L1/PD-1 immunotherapy. CONTACT-01 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04471428) evaluated atezolizumab plus cabozantinib versus docetaxel in patients with metastatic NSCLC who developed disease progression after concurrent or sequential treatment with anti-PD-L1/PD-1 and platinum-containing chemotherapy. METHODS: This multicenter, open-label, phase III trial randomly assigned patients 1:1 to atezolizumab 1,200 mg intravenously once every 3 weeks (q3w) plus cabozantinib 40 mg orally once daily or docetaxel 75 mg/m2 intravenously once every 3 weeks. The primary end point was overall survival (OS). RESULTS: One hundred eighty-six patients were assigned atezolizumab plus cabozantinib, and 180 docetaxel. Minimum OS follow-up was 10.9 months. Median OS was 10.7 months (95% CI, 8.8 to 12.3) with atezolizumab plus cabozantinib and 10.5 months (95% CI, 8.6 to 13.0) with docetaxel (stratified hazard ratio [HR], 0.88 [95% CI, 0.68 to 1.16]; P = .3668). Median progression-free survival was 4.6 months (95% CI, 4.1 to 5.6) and 4.0 months (95% CI, 3.1 to 4.4), respectively (stratified HR, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.59 to 0.92]). Serious adverse events (AEs) occurred in 71 (38.4%) patients receiving atezolizumab plus cabozantinib and 58 (34.7%) receiving docetaxel. Grade 3/4 treatment-related AEs occurred in 73 (39.5%) patients receiving atezolizumab plus cabozantinib and 58 (34.7%) receiving docetaxel. Grade 5 AEs occurred in 14 (7.6%) and 10 (6.0%) patients in the atezolizumab plus cabozantinib and docetaxel arms, respectively (treatment-related in four [2.2%] and one [0.6%], respectively). CONCLUSION: Atezolizumab plus cabozantinib after disease progression following anti-PD-L1/PD-1 immunotherapy and platinum-containing chemotherapy for metastatic NSCLC did not improve OS compared with docetaxel. Safety was consistent with known profiles of these agents.

Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Influence Survival in Pleural Mesothelioma: Digital Gene Expression Analysis and Supervised Machine Learning Model.

The exact mechanism of desmoplastic stromal reaction (DSR) formation is still unclear. The interaction between cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) has an important role in tumor progression, while stromal changes are a poor prognostic factor in pleural mesothelioma (PM). We aimed to assess the impact of CAFs paracrine signaling within the tumor microenvironment and the DSR presence on survival, in a cohort of 77 PM patients. DSR formation was evaluated morphologically and by immunohistochemistry for Fibroblast activation protein alpha (FAP). Digital gene expression was analyzed using a custom-designed CodeSet (NanoString). Decision-tree-based analysis using the "conditional inference tree" (CIT) machine learning algorithm was performed on the obtained results. A significant association between FAP gene expression levels and the appearance of DSR was found (p = 0.025). DSR-high samples demonstrated a statistically significant prolonged median survival time. The elevated expression of MYT1, KDR, PIK3R1, PIK3R4, and SOS1 was associated with shortened OS, whereas the upregulation of VEGFC, FAP, and CDK4 was associated with prolonged OS. CIT revealed a three-tier system based on FAP, NF1, and RPTOR expressions. We could outline the prognostic value of CAFs-induced PI3K signaling pathway activation together with FAP-dependent CDK4 mediated cell cycle progression in PM, where prognostic and predictive biomarkers are urgently needed to introduce new therapeutic strategies.

Treatment Characteristics and Real-World Progression-Free Survival in Patients With Unresectable Stage III NSCLC Who Received Durvalumab After Chemoradiotherapy: Findings From the PACIFIC-R Study.

INTRODUCTION: The phase 3 PACIFIC trial established consolidation therapy with durvalumab as standard of care for patients with unresectable, stage III NSCLC and no disease progression after definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT). The observational PACIFIC-R study assesses the real-world effectiveness of durvalumab in patients from an early access program. Here, we report treatment characteristics and a preplanned analysis of real-world progression-free survival (rwPFS). METHODS: PACIFIC-R (NCT03798535) is an ongoing, international, retrospective study of patients who started durvalumab (intravenously; 10 mg/kg every 2 wk) within an early access program between September 2017 and December 2018. The primary end points are investigator-assessed rwPFS and overall survival (analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method). RESULTS: As of November 30, 2020, the full analysis set comprised 1399 patients from 11 countries (median follow-up duration, 23.5 mo). Patients received durvalumab for a median of 11.0 months. Median rwPFS was 21.7 months (95% confidence interval: 19.1-24.5). RwPFS was numerically longer among patients who received concurrent versus sequential CRT (median, 23.7 versus 19.3 mo) and among patients with programmed cell death-ligand 1 expression greater than or equal to 1% versus less than 1% (22.4 versus 15.6 mo). Overall, 16.5% of the patients had adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation; 9.5% of all patients discontinued because of pneumonitis or interstitial lung disease. CONCLUSIONS: Consolidation durvalumab after definitive CRT was well tolerated and effective in this large, real-world cohort study of patients with unresectable, stage III NSCLC. As expected, rwPFS was longer among patients who received concurrent versus sequential CRT and patients with higher programmed cell death-ligand 1 expression. Nevertheless, favorable rwPFS outcomes were observed regardless of these factors.

A nomogram to predict the recurrence-free survival and analyze the utility of chemotherapy in stage IB non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Large part of patients of stage IB non-small cell lung cancer (IB NSCLC) may suffer recurrence after surgery. This study is to determine risk factors and establish a nomogram for postoperative recurrence and to provide a reference for adjuvant chemotherapy selection in patients with stage IB NSCLC. METHODS: A total of 394 patients with postoperative stage IB NSCLC who visited Fujian Medical University Union Hospital between January 2010 and June 2016 were selected. Patients were divided into training and validation cohorts based on the time of diagnosis. Independent risk factors were identified using a Cox proportional hazards regression model. A nomogram was created to predict recurrence-free survival (RFS) and was validated with an independent cohort. The predictive ability of the nomogram was evaluated using the concordance index (C-index) and calibration curve. RFS between the high- and low-risk groups was determined using Kaplan-Meier curves, and subgroup analysis of chemotherapy was performed. RESULTS: Visceral pleura invasion, micropapillary structures, tumor size, preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, preoperative serum cytokeratin-19 fragments (Cyfra21-1) level, and postoperative histology were identified as independent risk factors for stage IB NSCLC recurrence. Discrimination of the nomogram showed good prognostic accuracy and clinical applicability, with a C-index of 0.827 and 0.866 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The difference in RFS between the high- and low-risk groups in both cohorts was significant (P<0.05). Finally, a significant difference was observed on whether high-risk group should accept postoperative chemotherapy (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This nomogram can predict postoperative recurrence probability in patients with stage IB NSCLC, and can select patients with risk factors who need adjuvant chemotherapy.

Mitogen signal-associated pathways, energy metabolism regulation, and mediation of tumor immunogenicity play essential roles in the cellular response of malignant pleural mesotheliomas to platinum-based treatment: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare malignant tumor associated with asbestos exposure, with infaust prognosis and overall survival below 20 months in treated patients. Platinum is still the backbone of the chemotherapy protocols, and the reasons for the rather poor efficacy of platinum compounds in MPM remain largely unknown. Therefore, we aimed to analyze differences in key signaling pathways and biological mechanisms in therapy-naïve samples and samples after chemotherapy in order to evaluate the effect of platinum-based chemotherapy. METHODS: The study cohort comprised 24 MPM tumor specimens, 12 from therapy-naïve and 12 from patients after platinum-based therapy. Tumor samples were screened using the NanoString nCounter platform for digital gene expression analysis with an appurtenant custom-designed panel comprising a total of 366 mRNAs covering the most important tumor signaling pathways. Significant pathway associations were identified by gene set enrichment analysis using the WEB-based GEne SeT AnaLysis Toolkit (WebGestalt). RESULTS: We have found reduced activity of TNF (normalized enrichment score: 2.03), IL-17 (normalized enrichment score: 1.93), MAPK (normalized enrichment score: 1.51), and relaxin signaling pathways (normalized enrichment score: 1.42) in the samples obtained after platinum-based therapy. In contrast, AMPK (normalized enrichment score: -1.58), mTOR (normalized enrichment score: -1.50), Wnt (normalized enrichment score: -1.38), and longevity regulating pathway (normalized enrichment score: -1.31) showed significantly elevated expression in the same samples. CONCLUSIONS: We could identify deregulated signaling pathways due to a directed cellular response to platinum-induced cell stress. Our results are paving the ground for a better understanding of cellular responses and escape mechanisms, carrying a high potential for improved clinical management of patients with MPM.

Thrombospondin-2 and LDH Are Putative Predictive Biomarkers for Treatment with Everolimus in Second-Line Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (MARC-2 Study).

There is an unmet need for predictive biomarkers in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) therapy. The phase IV MARC-2 trial searched for predictive blood biomarkers in patients with predominant clear cell mRCC who benefit from second-line treatment with everolimus. In an exploratory approach, potential biomarkers were assessed employing proteomics, ELISA, and polymorphism analyses. Lower levels of angiogenesis-related protein thrombospondin-2 (TSP-2) at baseline (≤665 parts per billion, ppb) identified therapy responders with longer median progression-free survival (PFS; ≤665 ppb at baseline: 6.9 months vs. 1.8, p = 0.005). Responders had higher lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in serum two weeks after therapy initiation (>27.14 nmol/L), associated with a longer median PFS (3.8 months vs. 2.2, p = 0.013) and improved overall survival (OS; 31.0 months vs. 14.0 months, p < 0.001). Baseline TSP-2 levels had a stronger relation to PFS (HR 0.36, p = 0.008) than baseline patient parameters, including IMDC score. Increased serum LDH levels two weeks after therapy initiation were the best predictor for OS (HR 0.21, p < 0.001). mTOR polymorphisms appeared to be associated with therapy response but were not significant. Hence, we identified TSP-2 and LDH as promising predictive biomarkers for therapy response on everolimus after failure of one VEGF-targeted therapy in patients with clear cell mRCC.

Digital Gene Expression Analysis of Epithelioid and Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma Reveals Differences in Immunogenicity.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive malignancy associated with asbestos exposure. Median survival ranges from 14 to 20 months after initial diagnosis. As of November 2020, the FDA approved a combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors after promising intermediate results. Nonetheless, responses remain unsatisfying. Adequate patient stratification to improve response rates is still lacking. This retrospective study analyzed formalin fixed paraffin embedded specimens from a cohort of 22 MPM. Twelve of those samples showed sarcomatoid, ten epithelioid differentiation. Complete follow-up, including radiological assessment of response by modRECIST and time to death, was available with reported deaths of all patients. RNA of all samples was isolated and subjected to digital gene expression pattern analysis. Our study revealed a notable difference between epithelioid and sarcomatoid mesothelioma, showing differential gene expression for 304/698 expressed genes. Whereas antigen processing and presentation to resident cytotoxic T cells as well as phagocytosis is highly affected in sarcomatoid mesothelioma, cell-cell interaction via cytokines seems to be of greater importance in epithelioid cases. Our work reveals the specific role of the immune system within the different histologic subtypes of MPM, providing a more detailed background of their immunogenic potential. This is of great interest regarding therapeutic strategies including immunotherapy in mesothelioma.

Lorlatinib in pretreated ALK- or ROS1-positive lung cancer and impact of TP53 co-mutations: results from the German early access program.

INTRODUCTION: We report on the results of the German early access program (EAP) with the third-generation ALK- and ROS1-inhibitor lorlatinib. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with documented treatment failure of all approved ALK/ROS1-specific therapies or with resistance mutations not covered by approved inhibitors or leptomeningeal carcinomatosis were enrolled and analyzed. RESULTS: In total, 52 patients were included [median age 57 years (range 32-81), 54% female, 62% never smokers, 98% adenocarcinoma]; 71% and 29% were ALK- and ROS1-positive, respectively. G1202R and G2032R resistance mutations prior to treatment with lorlatinib were observed in 10 of 26 evaluable patients (39%), 11 of 39 patients showed TP53 mutations (28%). Thirty-six patients (69%) had active brain metastases (BM) and nine (17%) leptomeningeal carcinomatosis when entering the EAP. Median number of prior specific TKIs was 3 (range 1-4). Median duration of treatment, progression-free survival (PFS), response rate and time to treatment failure were 10.4 months, 8.0 months, 54% and 13.0 months. Calculated 12-, 18- and 24-months survival rates were 65, 54 and 47%, overall survival since primary diagnosis (OS2) reached 79.6 months. TP53 mutations were associated with a substantially reduced PFS (3.7 versus 10.8 month, HR 3.3, p = 0.003) and were also identified as a strong prognostic biomarker (HR for OS2 3.0 p = 0.02). Neither prior treatments with second-generation TKIs nor BM had a significant influence on PFS and OS. CONCLUSIONS: Our data from real-life practice demonstrate the efficacy of lorlatinib in mostly heavily pretreated patients, providing a clinically meaningful option for patients with resistance mutations not covered by other targeted therapies and those with BM or leptomeningeal carcinomatosis.

Durvalumab after definitive chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced NSCLC: Data of the German EAP.

Following the PACIFIC trial, durvalumab has been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for consolidation of locally advanced PD-L1-positive NSCLC after chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Patients were treated with durvalumab in the EAP from 22.11.2017 to 15.10.2018 allowing analysis of its efficacy and safety. 211 patients were registered by 90 German centres. Data were collected retrospectively by questionnaire and queries. 56 centres reported data on 126 patients who actually received at least one cycle of durvalumab. In contrast to the PACIFIC-trial population, some patients with oligometastatic disease and a history of autoimmune disease are included in the EAP population. Information on PD-L1 status was obtained for 111 patients. Baseline data include age, gender, ECOG, stage (IASLC 8th ed.), and smoking history. Treatment data include mode of chemoradiotherapy, used chemotherapy agent, and duration of durvalumab therapy. Adverse evants were documented according to CTAEC 5.0. Data were analysed for progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse events (AE). The results were published in Lung Cancer [1].

Volumetric PET Response Assessment Outperforms Conventional Criteria in Patients Receiving High-Dose Pembrolizumab for Malignant Mesothelioma.

Fixed-dose pembrolizumab (200 mg absolute, day 1, every 3 wk) for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma did not result in survival benefit in the phase 3 PROMISE-meso trial compared with second-line chemotherapy. Because of lack of validated imaging response criteria, responder subgroups with potential survival benefit have not yet been identified. Here, we administered high-dose pembrolizumab (10 mg/kg, day 1, every 2 wk) considering the KEYNOTE-028 trial and assessed the prognostic value of PET metabolic response in patients with chemotherapy-resistant malignant mesothelioma of the pleura or peritoneum. Methods: Data from 27 patients with baseline and follow-up 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging were retrospectively analyzed. RECIST, version 1.1; modified RECIST; and PERCIST using both tumor lesion metabolic activity in a 1 cm3 spheric region of interest of up to 5 target lesions (PERCISTSULpeak) and metabolic tumor volume PERCIST (PERCISTMTV) were applied separately to categorize responders in CT and PET imaging studies. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between responders and nonresponders using Kaplan-Meier and log-rank analyses. Programmed cell death protein 1 ligand expression status was assessed, and its association with outcome was investigated. Results: Twenty-seven patients had 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging at baseline and after at least 4 cycles pembrolizumab. Median PFS and OS were 3.4 and 15.1 mo, respectively. Response rates were 7%, 7%, 30%, and 30% based on RECIST, modified RECIST, PERCISTSULpeak, and PERCISTMTV response criteria, respectively. Response according to PERCISTMTV predicted prolonged OS or PFS (P < 0.01), whereas all other imaging criteria and programmed cell death protein 1 ligand expression did not. Conclusion:18F-FDG PET metabolic volume response predicts survival in patients with malignant mesothelioma receiving high-dose pembrolizumab. These results should prompt inclusion of PET response assessment in future phase 3 clinical trials.

Everolimus after failure of one prior VEGF-targeted therapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: Final results of the MARC-2 trial.

MARC-2, a prospective, multicenter phase IV trial, aimed to investigate clinical outcomes in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treated with everolimus after failure of one initial vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (VEGFR-TKI) therapy and to identify subgroups benefiting most, based on clinical characteristics and biomarkers. Patients with clear cell mRCC failing one initial VEGFR-TKI received everolimus until progression or unacceptable toxicity. Primary endpoint was 6-month progression-free survival rate (6moPFS). Secondary endpoints were overall response rate (ORR), PFS, overall survival (OS), and safety. Between 2011 and 2015, 63 patients were enrolled. Median age was 65.4 years (range 43.3-81.1). 6moPFS was 39.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 27.0-51.3) overall, 54.4% (95% CI, 35.2-70.1) vs 23.7% (95% CI, 10.5-39.9) for patients aged ≥65 vs <65 years and 51.4% (95% CI, 34.7-65.7) vs 18.2% (95% CI, 5.7-36.3) for patients with body mass index (BMI) >25 vs ≤25 kg/m2 . A Cox proportional hazards model confirmed a longer PFS for patients aged ≥65 years (hazard ratio [HR] 0.46; 95% CI, 0.26-0.80) and a longer OS for patients with BMI >25 kg/m2 (HR 0.36; 95% CI, 0.18-0.71). Median PFS and median OS were 3.8 months (95% CI, 3.2-6.2) and 16.8 months (95% CI, 14.3-24.3). ORR was 7.9% and disease control rate was 60.3%. No new safety signals emerged. Most common adverse events were stomatitis (31.7%), fatigue (31.7%), and anemia (30.2%). One patient died from treatment-related upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Everolimus remains a safe and effective treatment option for mRCC patients after one prior VEGFR-TKI therapy. Patients aged ≥65 years and patients with BMI >25 kg/m2 benefited most.

Durvalumab after definitive chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): Real-world data on survival and safety from the German expanded-access program (EAP).

BACKGROUND: Following the PACIFIC trial, durvalumab has been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for consolidation of locally advanced PD-L1-positive NSCLC after chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Patients were treated with durvalumab in the EAP from 22.11.2017 to 15.10.2018 allowing analysis of its efficacy and safety. METHODS: Data from 56 centres were analysed for adverse events (AE), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS). RESULTS: 126 patients actually received at least 1 cycle durvalumab. Compared to the PACIFIC trial, the EAP population had more advanced stage and included "oligometastatic" stage IV patients and patients with autoimmune disease. PFS (20.1 months) and OS (not reached) were similar in the EAP and the PACIFIC trial. 42.9 % completed 12 months of durvalumab without deaths during FU. Stage IV patients (n = 7) had encouraging OS (not reached at 27 months). Autoimmune disease did not affect survival. PFS and OS were similar in PD-L1-negative patients (n = 32) and PD-L1-positive patients (n = 79). CONCLUSIONS: Survival in the EAP was comparable to the PACIFIC trial. Selected stage IV patients and patients with autoimmune disease may benefit from durvalumab consolidation and should be included in future immuno-oncological trials. PD-L1 did not predict survival challenging the exclusion of PD-L1-negative patients from durvalumab consolidation. In summary, durvalumab consolidation is safe and effective in a European real-world setting.

Clinical Experience of Immunotherapy Treatment: Efficacy and Toxicity Analysis of the Compassionate Use Program of Nivolumab in Patients with Advanced Squamous Cell Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody nivolumab is an approved therapy option for the treatment of advanced squamous cell non-small cell lung cancer (SQ-NSCLC) patients. Data outside clinical trials about therapy efficacy and safety in later therapy line treatments have rarely been described until now. METHODS: We performed a retrospective data analysis of patients who were enrolled into the nivolu-mab Compassionate Use Program (CUP) in Germany. Sufficient clinical data of 40 patients were available for efficacy and safety analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 47.5% of all treated patients were not affected by any adverse events (AEs); 17.5% of patients suffered from severe AEs. The 1-year survival rate was 61.3%. Estimated median progression-free survival (PFS) was 5.3 months. Patients who received nivolumab as third or later therapy line treatment (77.5%) achieved similar median PFS and 12-month overall survival rate of 52%. CONCLUSION: Our findings of immunotherapy treatment outside clinical trials support the results of studies in the past and confirm the efficacy and favorable toxicity profile of nivolumab treatment in advanced SQ-NSCLC patients. In addition, we can present some rarely described information about nivolumab treatment of heavily pretreated patients, which provides some evidence that immunotherapy could also be useful in later therapy lines.

Gene expression profiling of homologous recombination repair pathway indicates susceptibility for olaparib treatment in malignant pleural mesothelioma in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a tumour arising from pleural cavities with poor prognosis. Multimodality treatment with pemetrexed combined with cisplatin shows unsatisfying response-rates of 40%. The reasons for the rather poor efficacy of chemotherapeutic treatment are largely unknown. However, it is conceivable that DNA repair mechanisms lead to an impaired therapy response. We hypothesize a major role of homologous recombination (HR) for genome stability and survival of this tumour. Therefore, we analysed genes compiled under the term "BRCAness". An inhibition of this pathway with olaparib might abrogate this effect and induce apoptosis. METHODS: We investigated the response of three MPM cell lines and lung fibroblasts serving as a control to treatment with pemetrexed, cisplatin and olaparib. Furthermore, we aimed to find possible correlations between response and gene expression patterns associated with BRCAness phenotype. Therefore, 91 clinical MPM samples were digitally screened for gene expression patterns of HR members. RESULTS: A BRCAness-dependent increase of apoptosis and senescence during olaparib-based treatment of BRCA-associated-protein 1 (BAP1)-mutated cell lines was observed. The gene expression pattern identified could be found in approx. 10% of patient samples. Against this background, patients could be grouped according to their defects in the HR system. Gene expression levels of Aurora Kinase A (AURKA), RAD50 as well as DNA damage-binding protein 2 (DDB2) could be identified as prognostic markers in MPM. CONCLUSIONS: Defects in HR compiled under the term BRCAness are a common event in MPM. The present data can lead to a better understanding of the underlaying cellular mechanisms and leave the door wide open for new therapeutic approaches for this severe disease with infaust prognosis. Response to Poly (ADP-ribose)-Polymerase (PARP)-Inhibition could be demonstrated in the BAP1-mutated NCI-H2452 cells, especially when combined with cisplatin. Thus, this combination therapy might be effective for up to 2/3 of patients, promising to enhance patients' clinical management and outcome.

Efficacy and safety analysis of the German expanded access program of osimertinib in patients with advanced, T790M-positive non-small cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: Osimertinib, a third-generation irreversible mutant-selective inhibitor of EGFR kinase activity was clinically evaluated in the AURA trials, where it showed high clinical efficacy and a favorable toxicity profile in patients with acquired exon 20-EGFR pT790M mutation. We provide the clinical data of the German expanded access program that further characterizes the efficacy and safety of osimertinib in a heterogeneous patient population outside clinical trials. METHODS: We performed a retrospective data analysis on patients who were included into the German osimertinib EAP. RESULTS: Of 81 patients enrolled, 51 patients (62.9%) with sufficient case report form data were available for efficacy and safety analysis. Unconfirmed overall response rate was 80.0% with 2 patients (3.9%) achieving a complete remission and 37 patients (72.5%) having a partial remission. Disease control rate was 95.9% and only two patients showed refractory disease. Disease control rate did not correlate with clinical characteristics and was independent of number as well as type of the previous therapy line(s). Estimated progression-free survival was 10.1 months (95% CI 9.2-11.0 months). Osimertinib showed a favorable toxicity profile with no dose reductions in our observation period, even in patients with low performance status. Median survival from first diagnosis to data cut-off was 47.3 months (95% CI 43.3-51.9 months). Repeated tissue/liquid biopsy of three patients in our cohort who showed disease progression revealed an amplification of MET. CONCLUSIONS: We confirm safety and efficacy of osimertinib with high response rates among all subgroups, including patients with poor performance status and multiple prior therapy lines. Amplification of MET might mediate acquired resistance to osimertinib.

Rapid and Highly Sensitive Detection of Therapeutically Relevant Oncogenic Driver Mutations in EBUS-TBNA Specimens From Patients With Lung Adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: First-line afatinib treatment prolongs overall survival in patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring exon 19 deletion of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFRdelEx19) mutations. In contrast, Kirsten rat sarcoma 2 viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) mutations are negative predictors for benefit from EGFR-targeting agents. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is well-established for lung cancer diagnosis and staging. Next generation sequencing (NGS) allows for simultaneous interrogation for multiple mutations but has limitations (required tumor tissue amount, assay times). Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using light-Cycler technology (LCRT-PCR) can rapidly and sensitively detect somatic mutations from NSCLC patients. In the present study, we analyzed the feasibility of LCRT-PCR for rapid EGFRdelEx19 and KRAS exon 2 mutation detection in EBUS-TBNA samples and compared the LCRT-PCR and NGS results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 48 EBUS-TBNA samples from 47 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of pulmonary adenocarcinoma were analyzed using LCRT-PCR (as previously described) and NGS (MiSeq; Illumina) using targeted resequencing and a customized multiplex PCR panel. The processing time was ∼1 week for the NGS and < 24 hours for the LCRT-PCR analyses. RESULTS: All (100%) EGFRdelEx19 and KRAS exon 2 mutations detected by NGS were detected by LCRT-PCR. In addition, LCRT-PCR detected 2 KRAS exon 2 mutations and 3 EGFRdelEx19 mutations that were not detected by NGS. CONCLUSION: LCRT-PCR is a highly sensitive method to rapidly detect mutations of therapeutic relevance (eg, EGFRdelEx19 and KRAS exon 2) in EBUS-TBNAs from NSCLC patients. It is of value as an initial assay for first-line treatment decisions.

Inhibition of MDM2 via Nutlin-3A: A Potential Therapeutic Approach for Pleural Mesotheliomas with MDM2-Induced Inactivation of Wild-Type P53.

Previously, our group demonstrated that nuclear expression of E3 ubiquitin ligase (MDM2) in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is significantly associated with decreased overall survival. A possible explanation may be that overexpression of MDM2 leads to a proteasomal degradation of TP53 that eventually results in a loss of TP53-induced apoptosis and senescence. It is well known from other tumor entities that restoration of TP53 activity, e.g., by MDM2 inhibition, results in an instant TP53-induced stress and/or DNA damage response of cancer cells. Nutlin-3A (a cis-imidazoline analogue) has been described as a potent and selective MDM2 inhibitor preventing MDM2-TP53-interaction by specific binding to the hydrophobic TP53-binding pocket of MDM2. In the present study, the effects of MDM2 inhibition in MPM via Nutlin-3A and standard platinum based chemotherapeutic agents were comparatively tested in three MPM cell lines (NCI-H2052, MSTO-211H, and NCI-H2452) showing different expression profiles of TP53, MDM2, and its physiological inhibitor of MDM2-P14/ARF. Our in vitro experiments on MPM cell lines revealed that Nutlin-3A in combination with cisplatin resulted in up to 9.75 times higher induction of senescence (p=0.0050) and up to 5 times higher apoptosis rate (p=0.0067) compared to the commonly applied cisplatin and pemetrexed regimens. Thus Nutlin-3A, a potent inhibitor of MDM2, is associated with a significant induction of senescence and apoptosis in MPM cell lines, making Nutlin-3A a promising substance for a targeted therapy in the subgroup of MPM showing MDM2 overexpression.

Immunohistochemically detectable metallothionein expression in malignant pleural mesotheliomas is strongly associated with early failure to platin-based chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a biologically highly aggressive tumor arising from the pleura with a dismal prognosis. Cisplatin is the drug of choice for the treatment of MPM, and carboplatin seems to have comparable efficacy. Nevertheless, cisplatin treatment results in a response rate of merely 14% and a median survival of less than seven months. Due to their role in many cellular processes, methallothioneins (MTs) have been widely studied in various cancers. The known heavy metal detoxifying effect of MT-I and MT-II may be the reason for heavy metal drug resistance of various cancers including MPM. METHODS: 105 patients were retrospectively analyzed immunohistochemically for their MT expression levels. Survival analysis was done by Cox-regression, and statistical significance determined using likelihood ratio, Wald test and Score (logrank) tests. RESULTS: Cox-regression analyses were done in a linear and logarithmic scale revealing a significant association between expression of MT and shortened overall survival (OS) in a linear (p=0.0009) and logarithmic scale (p=0.0003). Reduced progression free survival (PFS) was also observed for MT expressing tumors (linear: p=0.0134, log: p=0.0152). CONCLUSION: Since both, overall survival and progression-free survival are negatively correlated with detectable MT expression in MPM, our results indicate a possible resistance to platin-based chemotherapy associated with MT expression upregulation, found exclusively in progressive MPM samples. Initial cell culture studies suggest promoter DNA hypomethylation and expression of miRNA-566 a direct regulator of copper transporter SLC31A1 and a putative regulator of MT1A and MT2A gene expression, to be responsible for the drug resistance.

High Prevalence of Concomitant Oncogene Mutations in Prospectively Identified Patients with ROS1-Positive Metastatic Lung Cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Chromosomal rearrangements involving ROS1 define a rare entity of lung adenocarcinomas with exquisite sensitivity to molecularly targeted therapy. We report clinical outcomes and genomic findings of patients with ROS1-positive lung cancer who were prospectively identified within a multiplex biomarker profiling program at the West German Cancer Center. METHODS: Standardized immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and hotspot mutation analyses were performed in 1345 patients with advanced cancer, including 805 patients with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma. Clinical and epidemiological data were retrieved from the institutional database. RESULTS: ROS1 positivity by IHC analysis was detected in 25 patients with lung cancer (4.8% of lung adenocarcinomas), including 13 patients (2.5%) with ROS1 FISH positivity with a cutoff of at least 15% of events. Of the ROS1 IHC analysis-positive cases, 36% presented with concomitant oncogenic driver mutations involving EGFR (six cases, five of which were clinically validated by response to EGFR-targeting agents), KRAS (two cases), phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha gene (PIK3CA), and BRAF. Three cases initially classified as ROS1 FISH-negative passed the threshold of 15% positive events when repeat biopsies were analyzed at progression. The median overall survival of the ROS1-positive patients (104 months) was significantly superior to that of the 261 patients with EGFR/anaplastic lymphoma kinase/ROS1-negative lung adenocarcinoma (24.4 months, p = 0.044). Interestingly, the overall survival of the 13 ROS1-positive patients with lung cancer from initiation of pemetrexed-based chemotherapy was significantly prolonged when compared with that of 169 pemetrexed-treated patients with EGFR/anaplastic lymphoma kinase/ROS1-negative adenocarcinoma (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: ROS1-positive metastatic lung adenocarcinomas frequently harbor concomitant oncogenic driver mutations. Levels of ROS1 FISH-positive events are variable over time. This heterogeneity provides additional therapeutic options if discovered by multiplex biomarker testing and repeat biopsies.