A combinatory vaccine with IMA950 plus varlilumab promotes effector memory T-cell differentiation in the peripheral blood of patients with low-grade gliomas.

BACKGROUND: Central nervous system (CNS) WHO grade 2 low-grade glioma (LGG) patients are at high risk for recurrence and with unfavorable long-term prognosis due to the treatment resistance and malignant transformation to high-grade glioma. Considering the relatively intact systemic immunity and slow-growing nature, immunotherapy may offer an effective treatment option for LGG patients. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, randomized pilot study to evaluate the safety and immunological response of the multipeptide IMA950 vaccine with agonistic anti-CD27 antibody, varlilumab, in CNS WHO grade 2 LGG patients. Patients were randomized to receive combination therapy with IMA950 + poly-ICLC and varlilumab (Arm 1) or IMA950 + poly-ICLC (Arm 2) before surgery, followed by adjuvant vaccines. RESULTS: A total of 14 eligible patients were enrolled in the study. Four patients received pre-surgery vaccines but were excluded from postsurgery vaccines due to the high-grade diagnosis of the resected tumor. No regimen-limiting toxicity was observed. All patients demonstrated a significant increase of anti-IMA950 CD8+ T-cell response postvaccine in the peripheral blood, but no IMA950-reactive CD8+ T cells were detected in the resected tumor. Mass cytometry analyses revealed that adding varlilumab promoted T helper type 1 effector memory CD4+ and effector memory CD8+ T-cell differentiation in the PBMC but not in the tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSION: The combinational immunotherapy, including varlilumab, was well-tolerated and induced vaccine-reactive T-cell expansion in the peripheral blood but without a detectable response in the tumor. Further developments of strategies to overcome the blood-tumor barrier are warranted to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy for LGG patients.

Randomized trial of neoadjuvant vaccination with tumor-cell lysate induces T cell response in low-grade gliomas.

BACKGROUNDLong-term prognosis of WHO grade II low-grade gliomas (LGGs) is poor, with a high risk of recurrence and malignant transformation into high-grade gliomas. Given the relatively intact immune system of patients with LGGs and the slow tumor growth rate, vaccines are an attractive treatment strategy.METHODSWe conducted a pilot study to evaluate the safety and immunological effects of vaccination with GBM6-AD, lysate of an allogeneic glioblastoma stem cell line, with poly-ICLC in patients with LGGs. Patients were randomized to receive the vaccines before surgery (arm 1) or not (arm 2) and all patients received adjuvant vaccines. Coprimary outcomes were to evaluate safety and immune response in the tumor.RESULTSA total of 17 eligible patients were enrolled - 9 in arm 1 and 8 in arm 2. This regimen was well tolerated with no regimen-limiting toxicity. Neoadjuvant vaccination induced upregulation of type-1 cytokines and chemokines and increased activated CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood. Single-cell RNA/T cell receptor sequencing detected CD8+ T cell clones that expanded with effector phenotype and migrated into the tumor microenvironment (TME) in response to neoadjuvant vaccination. Mass cytometric analyses detected increased tissue resident-like CD8+ T cells with effector memory phenotype in the TME after the neoadjuvant vaccination.CONCLUSIONThe regimen induced effector CD8+ T cell response in peripheral blood and enabled vaccine-reactive CD8+ T cells to migrate into the TME. Further refinements of the regimen may have to be integrated into future strategies.TRIAL REGISTRATIONClinicalTrials.gov NCT02549833.FUNDINGNIH (1R35NS105068, 1R21CA233856), Dabbiere Foundation, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and Daiichi Sankyo Foundation of Life Science.

Attitudes toward fertility and fertility preservation in women with glioma.

BACKGROUND: No studies have examined the fertility priorities of women undergoing treatment for their glioma. Glioma patients frequently undergo chemotherapy as part of their treatment; however, it is unknown whether patients truly are aware of its possible effects on their fertility. Our objective was to assess the fertility priorities of glioma patients and ascertain whether female glioma patients are being effectively counseled on the effects of chemotherapy on their fertility prior to beginning treatment. METHODS: The sample was composed of female patients from the Neuro-oncology clinic of the University of California, San Francisco. Participants completed a cross-sectional survey between October 2010 and December 2013 exploring their attitudes toward fertility and their experience with fertility counseling prior to chemotherapy initiation. RESULTS: Seventy-two women completed the survey. Analysis of the survey results showed that 30% of women receiving chemotherapy reported having a discussion regarding fertility preservation prior to beginning treatment. Of those who reported having this discussion, 80% were aware that chemotherapy could negatively affect their fertility. Many women reported that while fertility preservation was not important to them at the time of diagnosis, it was a priority for them at the time of survey completion. Although interest in having children tended to decrease after cancer treatment, the majority of respondents reported wanting a child after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The data obtained in this study suggest a lack of understanding of reproductive priorities, which may be addressed with a more comprehensive fertility discussion prior to beginning treatment.

A phase 1 trial of intravenous liposomal irinotecan in patients with recurrent high-grade glioma.

PURPOSE: Preclinical activity of irinotecan has been seen in glioma models, but only modest efficacy has been noted in clinical studies, perhaps related to drug distribution and/or pharmacokinetic limitations. In preclinical testing, irinotecan liposome injection (nal-IRI) results in prolongation of drug exposure and higher tissue levels of drug due to slower metabolism and the effect of enhanced permeability and retention. The objective of the current study was to assess the safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) of nal-IRI and to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) in patients with recurrent high-grade glioma stratified based on UGT1A1 genotyping. METHODS: This phase I study stratified patients with recurrent high-grade glioma into 2 groups by UGT1A1 status: homozygous WT ("WT") vs heterozygous WT/*28 ("HT"). Patients who were homozygous *28 were ineligible. The design was a standard 3 + 3 phase I design. WT patients were started at 120 mg/m2 intravenously every 3 weeks with dose increases in 60 mg/m2 increments. HT patients were started at 60 mg/m2, with dose increases in 30 mg/m2 increments. The assessment period for dose-limiting toxicity was 1 cycle (21 days). RESULTS: In the WT cohort (n = 16), the MTD was 120 mg/m2. In the HT cohort (n = 18), the MTD was 150 mg/m2. Dose-limiting toxicity in both cohorts included diarrhea, some with associated dehydration and/or fatigue. PK results were comparable to those seen in other PK studies of nal-IRI; UGT1A1*28 genotype (WT vs. HT) did not affect PK parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Nal-IRI had no unexpected toxicities when given intravenously. Of note, UGT1A1 genotype did not correlate with toxicity or affect PK profile.

A single-institution phase II trial of radiation, temozolomide, erlotinib, and bevacizumab for initial treatment of glioblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Both the epidermal growth factor receptor and vascular endothelial growth factor pathways are frequently overexpressed in glioblastoma multiforme. This study combined bevacizumab, a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor, and erlotinib, an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor, with standard radiation and temozolomide (TMZ), with the goal of improving overall survival (OS). METHODS: Treatment consisted of fractionated radiotherapy to 60 Gy, with daily TMZ at 75 mg/m²/d and erlotinib 150-200 mg/d (or 500-600 mg/d for patients on enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs). Bevacizumab was given at 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks, starting ≥4 weeks after surgery. After radiotherapy, adjuvant TMZ was given at 200 mg/m²/d × 5d per 28-day cycle, with unchanged erlotinib and bevacizumab doses. Treatment continued until progression or for 12 months. Efficacy was compared against an institutional historical control. A sample of 55 patients was calculated to provide 85% power to detect a hazard ratio of 0.67 for OS. RESULTS: Fifty-nine patients were enrolled for efficacy analysis after a 15-patient safety lead-in. For the efficacy group, median age was 54 years; median KPS was 90. Gross total and subtotal resections were achieved in 33% and 53%, respectively. The most frequent related grade 3/4 adverse effects were lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, diarrhea, weight loss, and fatigue. One patient died of disseminated aspergillosis. Median OS was 19.8 months (vs 18 mo for HC, P = .33) and median progression-free survival was 13.5 months (vs 8.6 mo for HC, P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of bevacizumab, erlotinib, TMZ, and radiotherapy appears to be well tolerated and improved progression-free survival but did not reach the primary endpoint of improved OS.