Neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus nivolumab with or without ipilimumab in operable non-small cell lung cancer: the phase 2 platform NEOSTAR trial.

Neoadjuvant ipilimumab + nivolumab (Ipi+Nivo) and nivolumab + chemotherapy (Nivo+CT) induce greater pathologic response rates than CT alone in patients with operable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The impact of adding ipilimumab to neoadjuvant Nivo+CT is unknown. Here we report the results and correlates of two arms of the phase 2 platform NEOSTAR trial testing neoadjuvant Nivo+CT and Ipi+Nivo+CT with major pathologic response (MPR) as the primary endpoint. MPR rates were 32.1% (7/22, 80% confidence interval (CI) 18.7-43.1%) in the Nivo+CT arm and 50% (11/22, 80% CI 34.6-61.1%) in the Ipi+Nivo+CT arm; the primary endpoint was met in both arms. In patients without known tumor EGFR/ALK alterations, MPR rates were 41.2% (7/17) and 62.5% (10/16) in the Nivo+CT and Ipi+Nivo+CT groups, respectively. No new safety signals were observed in either arm. Single-cell sequencing and multi-platform immune profiling (exploratory endpoints) underscored immune cell populations and phenotypes, including effector memory CD8+ T, B and myeloid cells and markers of tertiary lymphoid structures, that were preferentially increased in the Ipi+Nivo+CT cohort. Baseline fecal microbiota in patients with MPR were enriched with beneficial taxa, such as Akkermansia, and displayed reduced abundance of pro-inflammatory and pathogenic microbes. Neoadjuvant Ipi+Nivo+CT enhances pathologic responses and warrants further study in operable NSCLC. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT03158129 .).

Phase II Clinical Trial of Axitinib and Avelumab in Patients With Recurrent/Metastatic Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma.

PURPOSE: We conducted a phase II trial evaluating the efficacy of VEGFR inhibitor axitinib and PD-L1 inhibitor avelumab in patients with recurrent/metastatic adenoid cystic carcinoma (R/M ACC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eligible patients had R/M ACC with progression within 6 months before enrollment. Treatment consisted of axitinib and avelumab. The primary end point was objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST 1.1; secondary end points included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity. Simon's optimal two-stage design tested the null hypothesis of ORR ≤5% versus ORR ≥20% at 6 months; ≥4 responses in 29 patients would reject the null hypothesis. RESULTS: Forty patients enrolled from July 2019 to June 2021; 28 were evaluable for efficacy (six screen failures; six evaluable for safety only). The confirmed ORR was 18% (95% CI, 6.1 to 36.9); there was one unconfirmed partial response (PR). Two patients achieved PR after 6 months; thus, the ORR at 6 months was 14%. The median follow-up time for surviving patients was 22 months (95% CI, 16.6 to 39.1 months). The median PFS was 7.3 months (95% CI, 3.7 to 11.2 months), 6-month PFS rate was 57% (95% CI, 41 to 78), and median OS was 16.6 months (95% CI, 12.4 to not reached months). Most common treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) included fatigue (62%), hypertension (32%), and diarrhea (32%). Ten (29%) patients had serious TRAEs, all grade 3; four patients (12%) discontinued avelumab, and nine patients (26%) underwent axitinib dose reduction. CONCLUSION: The study reached its primary end point with ≥4 PRs in 28 evaluable patients (confirmed ORR of 18%). The potential added benefit of avelumab to axitinib in ACC requires further investigation.

Human papillomavirus status and prognosis of oropharyngeal high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic impact of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection or smoking on oropharyngeal high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma (HG-NEC) is not established. METHODS: Retrospective study with patients with oropharyngeal HG-NEC seen at MD Anderson Cancer Center from 1997 to 2020, and previously reported patients with oropharyngeal HG-NEC and known p16 and HPV status from the literature review. Survival was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method, and survival differences assessed with the log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: Thirty patients were included; most had a heavy (≥10 pack-years) smoking history (52%), locoregional disease (stage III-IVB; 77%), and p16-positive tumor (92%). HPV was positive in 65% of tested samples (15/23). Of 24 patients treated with curative intent, the objective response rates was 90% (9/10) and 81% (17/21), respectively, for induction chemotherapy and definitive radiotherapy. During follow-up, 54% (13/24) recurred, mostly (11/13) at distant sites. Median overall survival (OS) was 46 months (95% CI, 14.3 - NA). OS was not associated with HPV status (HR 0.73, P = 0.6) or smoking (HR 1.16, P = 0.8). Among 63 patients with known HPV status after the literature review (19 HPV- and 44 HPV + ), HPV status remained unassociated with OS (P = 0.92). CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest retrospective cohort of oropharyngeal HG-NEC. Distant recurrence rate after curative treatment was high, suggesting that multimodality treatment including systemic therapy may benefit patients with locally advanced disease. HPV infection did not affect survival outcomes, therefore should not lead to therapy de-intensification for this histology.

Optimal Combination of Neuroendocrine Markers for the Detection of High-Grade Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Sinonasal Tract and Lung.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Identification of neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation is critical to the classification of head and neck (HN) and lung tumors. In combination with tumor morphology, immunohistochemical (IHC) documentation of NE differentiation is necessary for the diagnosis of NE tumors. The purpose of this study is to determine the sensitivity and concordance of two novel NE markers (mASH1, INSM1) across a group of high-grade NE tumors of the sinonasal tract and lung, and to compare their expression with the current widespread use of conventional NE markers, synaptophysin (SYN) and chromogranin A (CGA). In addition, expression of PARP1 is examined as a potential novel therapeutic target. RECENT FINDINGS: Thirty-nine high-grade NE tumors, 23 of the HN and 16 of the lung, were reevaluated by two subspecialized HN and thoracic pathologists, and subsequently stained with mASH1, INSM1, and PARP1. Sensitivity and degree of concordance of all possible combinations of markers were assessed. Sensitivities (standard error) were as follows: mASH1 41% (0.08), INSM1 44% (0.08), SYN 56% (0.08), and CGA 42% (0.09); combination of all four NE markers: 73% (0.08). Sensitivity and standard error for PARP1 was 90% and 0.05, respectively. Highest sensitivity to detect NE differentiation in high-grade NE tumors of the HN and thoracic region was achieved with a combination of four NE markers. Moderate concordance was found with combinations of mASH1 and INSM1 and traditional NE markers, respectively. Consistent overexpression of PARP1 in high-grade tumors with NE differentiation in the HN and lung opens eligibility for PARP1 inhibitor trials.

ISA101 and nivolumab for HPV-16+ cancer: updated clinical efficacy and immune correlates of response.

BACKGROUND: The combination of ISA101, a human papilloma virus (HPV) 16 peptide vaccine, and nivolumab showed a promising response rate of 33% in patients with incurable HPV-16+ cancer. Here we report long-term clinical outcomes and immune correlates of response. METHODS: Patients with advanced HPV-16+ cancer and less than two prior regimens for recurrence were enrolled to receive ISA101 (100 µg/peptide) on days 1, 22, and 50 and nivolumab 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks beginning day 8 for up to 1 year. Baseline tumor samples were stained with multiplex immunofluorescence for programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), CD3, CD8, CD68, and pan-cytokeratin in a single panel and scanned with the Vectra 3.0 multispectral microscope. Whole transcriptome analysis of baseline tumors was performed with Affymetrix Clariom D arrays. Differential gene expression analysis was performed on responders versus non-responders. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients were followed for a median of 46.5 months (95% CI, 46.0 months to not reached (NR)). The median duration of response was 11.2 months (95% CI, 8.51 months to NR); three out of eight (38%) patients with objective response were without progression at 3 years. The median and 3-year overall survival were 15.3 months (95% CI, 10.6 months to 27.2 months) and 12.5% (95% CI, 4.3% to 36%), respectively. The scores for activated T cells ((CD3+PD-1+)+(CD3+CD8+PD-1+)), activated cytotoxic T cells (CD3+CD8+PD-1+), and total macrophage ((CD68+PD-L1-)+(CD68+PD-L1+)) in tumor were directly correlated with clinical response (p<0.05) and depth of response with the two complete response patients having the highest degree of CD8+ T cells. Gene expression analysis revealed differential regulation of 357 genes (≥1.25 fold) in non-responders versus responders (p<0.05). Higher expression of immune response, inflammatory response and interferon-signaling pathway genes were correlated with clinical response (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Efficacy of ISA101 and nivolumab remains promising in long-term follow-up. Increased infiltration by PD-1+ T cells and macrophages was predictive of response. Enrichment in gene sets associated with interferon-γ response and immune infiltration strongly predicted response to therapy. A randomized trial is ongoing to test this strategy and to further explore correlates of immune response with combined nivolumab and ISA101, versus nivolumab alone. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02426892.

Treatment patterns and outcomes of palliative systemic therapy in patients with salivary duct carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, not otherwise specified.

BACKGROUND: Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) and adenocarcinoma, not otherwise specified (adeno-NOS), are rare salivary gland cancers. Data on the efficacy of systemic therapy for these diseases are limited. METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected from patients seen at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center during 1990 to 2020. Objective response rate (ORR) was assessed per RECIST v1.1. Recurrence-free survival (RFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were assessed by Kaplan-Meier method. Cox regression model was performed to identify predictors of survival. RESULTS: The analysis included 200 patients (110 with SDC and 90 with adeno-NOS); 77% had androgen-receptor-positive tumors and 47% had HER2-positive (2+-3+) tumors. Most patients without metastasis at diagnosis underwent surgery (98%) and postoperative radiotherapy (87%). Recurrence rate was 55%, and the median RFS was 2 years. Nodal involvement and positive surgical margins were associated with recurrence (P < .005). Among patients with stage IVA-B disease, addition of systemic therapy to local therapy increased OS (P = .049). The most-used palliative-systemic-therapy regimen was platinum doublet ± trastuzumab. For first-line therapy, the ORR and median PFS were 33% and 5.76 months, respectively, and for second-line therapy the ORR and median PFS were 25% and 5.3 months, respectively. ORR and PFS were higher with HER2-targeting agents. Median OS was 5 years overall and 2 years for metastatic disease. Older age and higher stage were associated with worse OS. CONCLUSION: Adding systemic therapy to local therapy may improve outcomes of patients with locoregionally advanced SDC or adeno-NOS. Except for HER2-targeted therapy, response to palliative systemic therapy is limited. These findings may be used as a benchmark for future drug development.

Evaluation of programmed death ligand 1 expression in cytology to determine eligibility for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathway have recently emerged as a frontline treatment for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The evaluation of PD-L1 expression by immunohistochemistry in histologic samples is used to determine the eligibility of patients with HNSCC for immunotherapy. Patients with newly diagnosed HNSCC are frequently diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of lymph nodes with metastatic disease. However, the evaluation of PD-L1 expression with the proposed combined positive score (CPS) has not been well established in cytology specimens. METHODS: This study retrospectively identified 21 HNSCC patients with a known PD-L1 status from histologic specimens and matched FNA specimens with tumor cells on cell blocks (CBs). The CB sections were stained with a PD-L1 antibody (22C3 clone). All cases were scored with CPS and the tumor proportion score (TPS). RESULTS: The data showed substantial concordance between cytologic and histologic specimens for CPS (agreement, 76.2%; κ = 0.607) and TPS (agreement, 76.2%; κ = 0.607). With histology used as a reference standard, the positive predictive value was 100% for both CPS and TPS, whereas the negative predictive value was 57.1% for CPS assessments and 50% for TPS assessments. CONCLUSIONS: PD-L1 expression in HNSCC cytology samples has high concordance with paired histologic samples. PD-L1 CPS evaluation is feasible in HNSCC cytology CBs and can act as a surrogate for determining eligibility for immunotherapy in cases in which a histologic specimen is not readily available.

Outcomes of Critically Ill Lung Cancer Patients Initiating Targeted Therapy or Immunotherapy in the Intensive Care Unit: A Single-Center Report.

Introduction: Targeted therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have drastically improved outcomes of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in outpatient settings. Because trials on critically ill patients are improbable, little is known about their efficacy among patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical outcomes of critically-ill NSCLC patients receiving either ICI or targeted therapy during ICU admission at the MD Anderson Cancer Center from April 2016 to August 2020. We collected data on ICU admission diagnoses, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), previous cancer therapies, tumor gene mutations or translocations, and PD-L1 expression. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from the date of drug initiation using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Of 9898 ICU admissions, 9 patients with metastatic NSCLC who received either targeted therapy (5) or PD-1 ICI (4) during ICU admission were included. The most common reasons for ICU admissions were tumor visceral crisis (3/9) and sepsis (3/9). The median (range) admission SOFA was 4 (2-11). Six patients were naïve to systemic therapy. Five patients required mechanical ventilation. The median OS was 77 days (95%CI, 36-NA), and 5 patients were discharged alive (all received targeted therapy). The median OS of patients who received ICI was 25.5 days (95%CI, 8-NA) and for those who received targeted therapy was 218 days (95%CI, 77-NA). At 6 and 12 months follow-up, 3 and 2 patients who received targeted therapy were still alive, respectively. Conclusions: Our exploratory findings indicate a possible benefit of targeted therapy but suggest a lack of clinical utility of PD-1 ICI for critically ill metastatic NSCLC patients. Because of the small sample size, further studies are needed to expand on this topic.

Cold and heterogeneous T cell repertoire is associated with copy number aberrations and loss of immune genes in small-cell lung cancer.

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is speculated to harbor complex genomic intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) associated with high recurrence rate and suboptimal response to immunotherapy. Here, using multi-region whole exome/T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing as well as immunohistochemistry, we reveal a rather homogeneous mutational landscape but extremely cold and heterogeneous TCR repertoire in limited-stage SCLC tumors (LS-SCLCs). Compared to localized non-small cell lung cancers, LS-SCLCs have similar predicted neoantigen burden and genomic ITH, but significantly colder and more heterogeneous TCR repertoire associated with higher chromosomal copy number aberration (CNA) burden. Furthermore, copy number loss of IFN-γ pathway genes is frequently observed and positively correlates with CNA burden. Higher mutational burden, higher T cell infiltration and positive PD-L1 expression are associated with longer overall survival (OS), while higher CNA burden is associated with shorter OS in patients with LS-SCLC.

Therapeutic approaches and outcomes in patients with larynx or hypopharynx high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma: A single-center retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: High-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma of the larynx (HG-NECL) is rare and aggressive with limited data regarding response to systemic therapy. We evaluated clinicopathological features, therapeutic approaches, and outcomes in patients with laryngeal or hypopharyngeal HG-NECL. METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected through 1997-2020. Median disease-free (mDFS), progression-free (mPFS), and overall survival (mOS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Fifteen patients were identified; most had locoregional (N = 7) or metastatic disease (N = 5). The main curative-intent treatment was chemoradiation concurrent with platinum-based chemotherapy; the rate of complete response was 78%. Most patients (80%) developed recurrence; the mDFS was 13.1 months. For the first-line palliative therapy, the ORR and mPFS were 50% and 3.1 months, respectively. For all patients, the mOS was 17.8 months, and 8.6 months for metastatic disease. CONCLUSION: Laryngeal HG-NEC is associated with high relapse rates and dismal prognosis for those with recurrent/metastatic disease. Novel therapeutic strategies are needed.

Elective neck dissection versus observation in patients with head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The survival benefit of elective neck dissection (END) for patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) of the head and neck and no evidence of regional metastasis (cN0) has never been reported. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of END on patient survival. METHODS: The authors included patients with head and neck cSCC who had undergone primary surgery from 1995 to 2017. The primary end point was survival, and the secondary end points were the incidence of occult regional disease and regional disease control. To assess the impact of END on survival, the authors used multivariable Cox proportional hazards models with propensity score and matching techniques for internal validation. RESULTS: A total of 1111 patients presented with no evidence of nodal disease; 173 had END, and 938 were observed. Adjuvant radiotherapy to the neck was administered to 101 patients (9%). END resulted in a 5-year overall survival rate of 52%, whereas the rate was 63% in the observation group (P = .003 [log-rank]). The 5-year disease-free survival rate for patients undergoing END was similar to that for the observation group (73% vs 75%; P = .429). A multivariate regression model showed that the performance of END was not associated with improved rates of overall, disease-specific, or disease-free survival; similarly, among patients with advanced disease (T3-4), those who underwent END did not have improved survival rates. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with cSCC of the head and neck, observation of the neck nodes resulted in noninferior survival rates in comparison with END at the time of primary surgery. Further studies are required to elucidate the role of END in patients with advanced disease.

Oncogene-specific differences in tumor mutational burden, PD-L1 expression, and outcomes from immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients bearing targetable oncogene alterations typically derive limited benefit from immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), which has been attributed to low tumor mutation burden (TMB) and/or PD-L1 levels. We investigated oncogene-specific differences in these markers and clinical outcome. METHODS: Three cohorts of NSCLC patients with oncogene alterations (n=4189 total) were analyzed. Two clinical cohorts of advanced NSCLC patients treated with ICB monotherapy [MD Anderson (MDACC; n=172) and Flatiron Health-Foundation Medicine Clinico-Genomic Database (CGDB; n=894 patients)] were analyzed for clinical outcome. The FMI biomarker cohort (n=4017) was used to assess the association of oncogene alterations with TMB and PD-L1 expression. RESULTS: High PD-L1 expression (PD-L1 ≥50%) rate was 19%-20% in classic EGFR, EGFR exon 20 and HER2-mutant tumors, and 34%-55% in tumors with ALK, BRAF V600E, ROS1, RET, or MET alterations. Compared with KRAS-mutant tumors, BRAF non-V600E group had higher TMB (9.6 vs KRAS 7.8 mutations/Mb, p=0.003), while all other oncogene groups had lower TMB (p<0.001). In the two clinical cohorts treated with ICB, molecular groups with EGFR, HER2, ALK, ROS1, RET, or MET alterations had short progression-free survival (PFS; 1.8-3.7 months), while BRAF V600E group was associated with greater clinical benefit from ICB (CGDB cohort: PFS 9.8 months vs KRAS 3.7 months, HR 0.66, p=0.099; MDACC cohort: response rate 62% vs KRAS 24%; PFS 7.4 vs KRAS 2.8 months, HR 0.36, p=0.026). KRAS G12C and non-G12C subgroups had similar clinical benefit from ICB in both cohorts. In a multivariable analysis, BRAF V600E mutation (HR 0.58, p=0.041), PD-L1 expression (HR 0.57, p=0.022), and high TMB (HR 0.66, p<0.001) were associated with longer PFS. CONCLUSIONS: High TMB and PD-L1 expression are predictive for benefit from ICB treatment in oncogene-driven NSCLCs. NSCLC harboring BRAF mutations demonstrated superior benefit from ICB that may be attributed to higher TMB and higher PD-L1 expression in these tumors. Meanwhile EGFR and HER2 mutations and ALK, ROS1, RET, and MET fusions define NSCLC subsets with minimal benefit from ICB despite high PD-L1 expression in NSCLC harboring oncogene fusions. These findings indicate a TMB/PD-L1-independent impact on sensitivity to ICB for certain oncogene alterations.

Clinical Outcomes in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated With EGFR-Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Other Targeted Therapies Based on Tumor Versus Plasma Genomic Profiling.

PURPOSE: To compare clinical outcomes in a cohort of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with targetable genomic alterations detected using plasma-based circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) or tumor-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) assays treated with US Food and Drug Administration-approved therapies at a large academic research cancer center. METHODS: A retrospective review from our MD Anderson GEMINI database identified 2,224 blood samples sent for ctDNA NGS testing from 1971 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of advanced NSCLC. Clinical, treatment, and outcome information were collected, reviewed, and analyzed. RESULTS: Overall, 27% of the ctDNA tests identified at least one targetable mutation and 73% of targetable mutations were EGFR-sensitizing mutations. Among patients treated with first-line epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapies, there were no significant differences in progression-free survival of 379 days and 352 days (P value = .41) with treatment based on tissue (n = 40) or ctDNA (n = 40), respectively. Additionally, there were no differences in progression-free survival or objective response rate among those with low (n = 8, 0.01%-0.99%) versus high (n = 16, ≥ 1%) levels of ctDNA of the targetable mutation as measured by variant allele frequency (VAF). Overall, there was excellent testing concordance (n = 217 tests) of > 97%, sensitivity of 91.7%, and specificity of 99.7% between blood-based ctDNA NGS and tissue-based NGS assays. CONCLUSION: There were no significant differences in clinical outcomes among patients treated with approved EGFR-TKIs whose mutations were identified using either tumor- or plasma-based comprehensive profiling and those with very low VAF as compared with high VAF, supporting the use of plasma-based profiling to guide initial TKI use in patients with metastatic EGFR-mutant NSCLC.

Pembrolizumab in Patients with Refractory Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Phase II Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) have a poor prognosis. Blocking the PD-1-PD-L1 axis has shown promising activity in this patient population. We assessed the safety and antitumor activity of PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab in patients with refractory advanced CSCC. METHODS: This was a prespecified subgroup analysis of patients with advanced CSCC who enrolled in an open-label, phase II clinical trial for pembrolizumab in patients with refractory rare cancers during 2016-2018. Patients received pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously every 21 days until progressive disease, unacceptable adverse event, or completion of 24 months of treatment. The primary endpoint was nonprogression rate (NPR) at 27 weeks; secondary endpoints included safety, objective response rate (ORR) per irRECIST, clinical benefit rate (CBR), progression-free survival, and overall survival. RESULTS: Twenty patients with refractory CSCC enrolled; 19 were evaluable for efficacy. Median follow-up time was 44.1 months. The NPR at 27 weeks was 37% (95% CI 0.16-0.62). Three patients had a complete response (CR), three had a partial response, and one had stable disease, for an ORR of 32% and a CBR of 37%; median duration of response was 27.3 months. All three patients with a CR remained free of recurrence at the time of writing. Severe treatment-related adverse events (grade ≥ 3) occurred in 10% of patients (2/20). PD-L1 expression was not correlated with response to pembrolizumab. CONCLUSION: A long-term follow-up confirms pembrolizumab's antitumor activity and safety profile in patients with refractory CSCC. Patients with a CR may experience cure. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02721732, Registered March 29, 2016.

Pilot Phase II Trial of Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy in Locoregionally Advanced, Resectable Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck.

PURPOSE: In locoregionally advanced, resectable cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (CSCC-HN), surgery followed by radiotherapy is standard but can be cosmetically and functionally devastating, and many patients will have recurrence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Newly diagnosed or recurrent stage III-IVA CSCC-HN patients amenable to curative-intent surgery received two cycles of neoadjuvant PD-1 inhibition. The primary endpoint was ORR per RECIST 1.1. Secondary endpoints included pathologic response [pathologic complete response (pCR) or major pathologic response (MPR; ≤10% viable tumor)], safety, DSS, DFS, and OS. Exploratory endpoints included immune biomarkers of response. RESULTS: Of 20 patients enrolled, 7 had recurrent disease. While only 6 patients [30%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 11.9-54.3] had partial responses by RECIST, 14 patients (70%; 95% CI, 45.7-88.1) had a pCR (n = 11) or MPR (n = 3). No SAEs ocurred during or after the neoadjuvant treatment. At a median follow-up of 22.6 months (95% CI, 21.7-26.1), one patient progressed and died, one died without disease, and two developed recurrence. The 12-month DSS, DFS, and OS rates were 95% (95% CI, 85.9-100), 89.5% (95% CI, 76.7-100), and 95% (95% CI, 85.9-100), respectively. Gene expression studies revealed an inflamed tumor microenvironment in patients with pCR or MPR, and CyTOF analyses demonstrated a memory CD8+ T-cell cluster enriched in patients with pCR. CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant immunotherapy in locoregionally advanced, resectable CSCC-HN is safe and induces a high pathologic response rate. Pathologic responses were associated with an inflamed tumor microenvironment.

Outcomes of patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated with induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiation compared with those treated with concurrent chemoradiation.

BACKGROUND: Induction chemotherapy (IC) has been associated with a decreased risk of distant metastasis in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. However, its role in the treatment of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is not well established. METHODS: The outcomes of patients with OPSCC treated with IC followed by concurrent chemoradiation (CRT) were compared with the outcomes of those treated with CRT alone. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and the secondary end points were the times to locoregional and distant recurrence. RESULTS: In an existing database, 585 patients met the inclusion criteria: 137 received IC plus CRT, and 448 received CRT. Most patients were positive for human papillomavirus (HPV; 90.9%). Patients receiving IC were more likely to present with a higher T stage, a higher N stage, and low neck disease. The 3-year OS rate was significantly lower in patients receiving IC (75.7%) versus CRT alone (92.9%). In a multicovariate analysis, receipt of IC (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 3.4; P < .001), HPV tumor status (aHR, 0.36; P = .002), and receipt of concurrent cetuximab (aHR, 2.7; P = .002) were independently associated with OS. The risk of distant metastasis was also significantly higher in IC patients (aHR, 2.8; P = .001), whereas an HPV-positive tumor status (aHR, 0.44; P = .032) and completion of therapy (aHR, 0.51; P = .034) were associated with a lower risk of distant metastasis. In HPV-positive patients, IC remained associated with distant metastatic progression (aHR, 2.6; P = .004) but not OS. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to prior studies, IC was independently associated with worse OS and a higher risk of distant metastasis in patients with OPSCC. Future studies are needed to validate these findings.

Role of induction chemotherapy for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Patients with locoregionally advanced oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) have a poor survival outcome. Treatment involves extensive surgery, adjuvant radiation, or chemoradiation and results in high morbidity. In this study, the authors' objective was to evaluate their experience with induction chemotherapy (IC) in the treatment of locoregionally advanced OCSCC. METHODS: A retrospective review of the medical records of all patients with locoregionally advanced (stage III and IV) OCSCC who received IC followed by definitive local therapy was conducted. Outcomes included response to IC and survival. RESULTS: In total, 120 patients were included in the study. The overall stage was stage IV in 79.2% of patients. After 2 cycles of IC, 76 patients (63.3%) achieved at least a partial response, including 13 who had a complete response. Stable disease was observed in 30 patients (25%), and 14 patients (11.7%) had progressive disease. Among responders, 16 patients received definitive chemoradiation or radiation therapy, and 60 underwent surgical resection, of whom 15 had less extensive surgery than was originally planned. Overall, organ preservation was achieved in 40.8% of patients who had a favorable response to IC. The 5-year overall and disease-specific survival rates were 51.4% and 66.9%, respectively. Patients who had at least a partial response had better 5-year overall survival (60.1%) and disease-specific survival (78.5%) compared with nonresponders (33.8% and 46.4%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate a response rate to IC in patients with advanced OCSCC similar to what has been observed in patients with cancer in other head and neck subsites. Patients who achieved at least a partial response to IC had a more favorable outcome, with ensuing organ preservation. Further studies are warranted.

The tumor immune contexture of salivary duct carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is a rare and aggressive malignancy. Recently, biomarker studies found promising targetable alterations. In this study, we provide a descriptive analysis of tumor and immune biomarkers and survival associations. METHODS: We extracted clinical data and performed immunohistochemistry for AR, AR-V7, HER-2, PD-L1, LAG-3, and tumor-infiltrating immune cells. RESULTS: We included 17 patients. Age ranged from 42 to 85 years old; HER-2 was overexpressed or amplified in 65%. AR was positive in 88% of patients, while AR-V7 was positive in 13% by IHC. We found low scores of immune infiltration and a PD-L1 expression in 53%. We found no clinically significant association between biomarkers and survival outcomes. CONCLUSION: In this small series of SDC, biomarkers do not seem to correlate with disease biology, although they provide additional treatment options. SDC may harbor a different immune profile compared to other subtypes, with an indication of T-cell dysfunction.