γδ T cells are effectors of immunotherapy in cancers with HLA class I defects.

DNA mismatch repair-deficient (MMR-d) cancers present an abundance of neoantigens that is thought to explain their exceptional responsiveness to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB)1,2. Here, in contrast to other cancer types3-5, we observed that 20 out of 21 (95%) MMR-d cancers with genomic inactivation of ß2-microglobulin (encoded by B2M) retained responsiveness to ICB, suggesting the involvement of immune effector cells other than CD8+ T cells in this context. We next identified a strong association between B2M inactivation and increased infiltration by γδ T cells in MMR-d cancers. These γδ T cells mainly comprised the Vδ1 and Vδ3 subsets, and expressed high levels of PD-1, other activation markers, including cytotoxic molecules, and a broad repertoire of killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors. In vitro, PD-1+ γδ T cells that were isolated from MMR-d colon cancers exhibited enhanced reactivity to human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-class-I-negative MMR-d colon cancer cell lines and B2M-knockout patient-derived tumour organoids compared with antigen-presentation-proficient cells. By comparing paired tumour samples from patients with MMR-d colon cancer that were obtained before and after dual PD-1 and CTLA-4 blockade, we found that immune checkpoint blockade substantially increased the frequency of γδ T cells in B2M-deficient cancers. Taken together, these data indicate that γδ T cells contribute to the response to immune checkpoint blockade in patients with HLA-class-I-negative MMR-d colon cancers, and underline the potential of γδ T cells in cancer immunotherapy.

Efficacy and Safety of Panitumumab in Patients With RAF/RAS-Wild-Type Glioblastoma: Results From the Drug Rediscovery Protocol.

BACKGROUND: The prognosis of malignant primary high-grade brain tumors, predominantly glioblastomas, is poor despite intensive multimodality treatment options. In more than 50% of patients with glioblastomas, potentially targetable mutations are present, including rearrangements, altered splicing, and/or focal amplifications of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) by signaling through the RAF/RAS pathway. We studied whether treatment with the clinically available anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody panitumumab provides clinical benefit for patients with RAF/RAS-wild-type (wt) glioblastomas in the Drug Rediscovery Protocol (DRUP). METHODS: Patients with progression of treatment refractory RAF/RASwt glioblastoma were included for treatment with panitumumab in DRUP when measurable according to RANO criteria. The primary endpoints of this study are clinical benefit (CB: defined as confirmed objective response [OR] or stable disease [SD] ≥ 16 weeks) and safety. Patients were enrolled using a Simon-like 2-stage model, with 8 patients in stage 1 and up to 24 patients in stage 2 if at least 1 in 8 patients had CB in stage 1. RESULTS: Between 03-2018 and 02-2022, 24 evaluable patients were treated. CB was observed in 5 patients (21%), including 2 patients with partial response (8.3%) and 3 patients with SD ≥ 16 weeks (12.5%). After median follow-up of 15 months, median progression-free survival and overall survival were 1.7 months (95% CI 1.6-2.1 months) and 4.5 months (95% CI 2.9-8.6 months), respectively. No unexpected toxicities were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Panitumumab treatment provides limited CB in patients with recurrent RAF/RASwt glioblastoma precluding further development of this therapeutic strategy.

Decline in Smartphone-Assessed Physical Activity Level is Associated With Clinical Outcomes in Phase I/II Clinical Cancer Trials.

BACKGROUND: A decline in physical function may be an early predictor for complications of cancer treatment. This study examined whether repeated objective smartphone measurements of physical activity and exercise capacity in patients with cancer are feasible during early-phase clinical trials (EPCTs) and whether a decline in physical function is associated with clinical outcomes. METHODS: Physical activity (steps/day) and exercise capacity (6-minute walk test [6MWT]) were measured with a smartphone before EPCT start (T0) and after 4 weeks (T1) and 8 weeks (T2). Univariable logistic regression analyzed associations between a decline in step count (≥20%), 6MWT distance (≥10%), or deterioration of ECOG performance status (PS) and trial discontinuation at 8 weeks and 90 days. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine associations with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), adjusting for trial phase (I vs II), cancer type (hematologic malignancy vs solid tumor), and PS (0 vs ≥1). RESULTS: Among 117 included patients, valid step count and 6MWT measurements were available for 96.6% and 76.7% of patients at T0, 74.4% and 53.3% at T1, and 89.7% and 54.4% at T2, respectively. Patients experiencing step count decline between T0 and T1 had higher odds of trial discontinuation at 8 weeks (odds ratio, 8.67; 95% CI, 1.94-61.43), and decline between T1 and T2 was associated with discontinuation at 90 days (odds ratio, 5.20; 95% CI, 1.43-21.14). Step count decline was significantly associated with shorter PFS (hazard ratio, 3.54; 95% CI, 2.06-6.08) and OS (hazard ratio, 2.31; 95% CI, 1.26-4.23). Declines in 6MWT distance or deterioration in ECOG PS were not associated with trial discontinuation or survival. CONCLUSIONS: Repeated smartphone measurements of physical activity are feasible in patients participating in EPCTs. Additionally, physical activity decline is significantly associated with trial discontinuation, PFS, and OS. Hence, we envision that objective smartphone measurements of physical activity will contribute to optimal treatment development for patients with cancer.

The evolution of precision oncology: The ongoing impact of the Drug Rediscovery Protocol (DRUP).

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The Drug Rediscovery Protocol (DRUP) is a Dutch, pan-cancer, nonrandomized clinical trial that aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of targeted and immunotherapies outside their registered indication in patients with advanced or metastatic cancer. PATIENTS: Patients with advanced or metastatic cancer are eligible when there are no standard of care treatment options left and the tumor possesses a molecular genomic variant for which commercially available anticancer treatment is accessible off-label in DRUP. Clinical benefit is the study's primary endpoint, characterized by a confirmed objective response or stable disease after at least 16 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: More than 2,500 patients have undergone evaluation, of which over 1,500 have started treatment in DRUP. The overall clinical benefit rate (CBR) remains 33%. The nivolumab cohort for patients with microsatellite instable metastatic tumors proved highly successful with a CBR of 63%, while palbociclib or ribociclib in patients with tumors harboring CDK4/6 pathway alterations showed limited efficacy, with a CBR of 15%. The formation of two European initiatives (PCM4EU and PRIME-ROSE) strives to accelerate implementation and enhance data collection to broaden equitable access to anticancer treatments and gather more evidence. CONCLUSION: DRUP persists in improving patients access to off-label targeted or immunotherapy in the Netherlands and beyond. The expansion of DRUP-like clinical trials across Europe provides countless opportunities for broadening the horizon of precision oncology.

PCM4EU and PRIME-ROSE: Collaboration for implementation of precision cancer medicine in Europe.

BACKGROUND: In the two European Union (EU)-funded projects, PCM4EU (Personalized Cancer Medicine for all EU citizens) and PRIME-ROSE (Precision Cancer Medicine Repurposing System Using Pragmatic Clinical Trials), we aim to facilitate implementation of precision cancer medicine (PCM) in Europe by leveraging the experience from ongoing national initiatives that have already been particularly successful. PATIENTS AND METHODS: PCM4EU and PRIME-ROSE gather 17 and 24 partners, respectively, from 19 European countries. The projects are based on a network of Drug Rediscovery Protocol (DRUP)-like clinical trials that are currently ongoing or soon to start in 11 different countries, and with more trials expected to be established soon. The main aims of both the projects are to improve implementation pathways from molecular diagnostics to treatment, and reimbursement of diagnostics and tumour-tailored therapies to provide examples of best practices for PCM in Europe. RESULTS: PCM4EU and PRIME-ROSE were launched in January and July 2023, respectively. Educational materials, including a podcast series, are already available from the PCM4EU website (http://www.pcm4eu.eu). The first reports, including an overview of requirements for the reimbursement systems in participating countries and a guide on patient involvement, are expected to be published in 2024. CONCLUSION: PCM4EU and PRIME-ROSE were launched in January and July 2023, respectively. Educational materials, including a podcast series, are already available from the PCM4EU website (http://www.pcm4eu.eu). The first reports, including an overview of requirements for the reimbursement systems in participating countries and a guide on patient involvement, are expected to be published in 2024. CONCLUSION: European collaboration can facilitate the implementation of PCM and thereby provide affordable and equitable access to precision diagnostics and matched therapies for more patients.

Limited clinical activity of palbociclib and ribociclib monotherapy in advanced cancers with cyclin D-CDK4/6 pathway alterations in the Dutch DRUP and Australian MoST trials.

The Dutch Drug Rediscovery Protocol (DRUP) and the Australian Cancer Molecular Screening and Therapeutic (MoST) Program are similar nonrandomized, multidrug, pan-cancer trial platforms that aim to identify signals of clinical activity of molecularly matched targeted therapies or immunotherapies outside their approved indications. Here, we report results for advanced or metastatic cancer patients with tumors harboring cyclin D-CDK4/6 pathway alterations treated with CDK4/6 inhibitors palbociclib or ribociclib. We included adult patients that had therapy-refractory solid malignancies with the following alterations: amplifications of CDK4, CDK6, CCND1, CCND2 or CCND3, or complete loss of CDKN2A or SMARCA4. Within MoST, all patients were treated with palbociclib, whereas in DRUP, palbociclib and ribociclib were assigned to different cohorts (defined by tumor type and alteration). The primary endpoint for this combined analysis was clinical benefit, defined as confirmed objective response or stable disease ≥16 weeks. We treated 139 patients with a broad variety of tumor types; 116 with palbociclib and 23 with ribociclib. In 112 evaluable patients, the objective response rate was 0% and clinical benefit rate at 16 weeks was 15%. Median progression-free survival was 4 months (95% CI: 3-5 months), and median overall survival 5 months (95% CI: 4-6 months). In conclusion, only limited clinical activity of palbociclib and ribociclib monotherapy in patients with pretreated cancers harboring cyclin D-CDK4/6 pathway alterations was observed. Our findings indicate that monotherapy use of palbociclib or ribociclib is not recommended and that merging data of two similar precision oncology trials is feasible.

Locoregionally Recurrent Colon Cancer: How Far Have We Come? A Population-Based, Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The reported outcomes of locoregionally recurrent colon cancer (LRCC) are poor, but the literature about LRCC is scarce and aged. Recent population-based studies to provide current insight into LRCC are warranted. This study aimed to provide an overview of the incidence, risk factors, treatment, and overall survival (OS) of patients with LRCC after curative resection of stage I-III primary colon cancer. METHODS: Data on disease recurrence were collected for all patients with a diagnosis of non-metastasized primary colon cancer in the Netherlands during the first 6 months of 2015. Patients who underwent surgical resection (N = 3544) were included in this study. The 3-year cumulative incidence, risk factors, treatment, and OS for patients with LRCC were determined. RESULTS: The 3-year cumulative incidence of LRCC was 3.8%. Synchronous distant metastases (LRCC-M1) were diagnosed in 62.7% of the patients. The risk factors for LRCC were age of 70 years or older, pT4, pN1-2, and R1-2. Adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with a decreased risk of LRCC for high-risk stage II and stage III patients [hazard ratio (HR), 0.47; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.31-0.93]. The median OS for the patients with LRCC was 13.1 months (95% CI 9.1-18.3 months). Curative-intent treatment was given to 22.4% of the LRCC patients, and the subsequent 3 years OS was 71% (95% CI 58-87%). The patients treated with palliative treatment and best supportive care showed 3-year OS rates of 15% (95% CI 7.0-31%) and 3.7% (95% CI 1.0-14%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The cumulative incidence of LRCC was low, and adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with a decreased risk for LRCC among targeted patients. Curative-intent treatment was given to nearly 1 in 4 LRCC patients, and the OS for this group was high.

Candidate biomarkers for treatment benefit from sunitinib in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma using mass spectrometry-based (phospho)proteomics.

The tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib is an effective first-line treatment for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Hypothesizing that a functional read-out by mass spectrometry-based (phospho, p-)proteomics will identify predictive biomarkers for treatment outcome of sunitinib, tumor tissues of 26 RCC patients were analyzed. Eight patients had primary resistant (RES) and 18 sensitive (SENS) RCC. A 78 phosphosite signature (p < 0.05, fold-change > 2) was identified; 22 p-sites were upregulated in RES (unique in RES: BCAR3, NOP58, EIF4A2, GDI1) and 56 in SENS (35 unique). EIF4A1/EIF4A2 were differentially expressed in RES at the (p-)proteome and, in an independent cohort, transcriptome level. Inferred kinase activity of MAPK3 (p = 0.026) and EGFR (p = 0.045) as determined by INKA was higher in SENS. Posttranslational modifications signature enrichment analysis showed that different p-site-centric signatures were enriched (p < 0.05), of which FGF1 and prolactin pathways in RES and, in SENS, vanadate and thrombin treatment pathways, were most significant. In conclusion, the RCC (phospho)proteome revealed differential p-sites and kinase activities associated with sunitinib resistance and sensitivity. Independent validation is warranted to develop an assay for upfront identification of patients who are intrinsically resistant to sunitinib.

Efficacy, safety and biomarker analysis of durvalumab in patients with mismatch-repair deficient or microsatellite instability-high solid tumours.

BACKGROUND: In this study we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab across various mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) or microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) tumours in the Drug Rediscovery Protocol (DRUP). This is a clinical study in which patients are treated with drugs outside their labeled indication, based on their tumour molecular profile. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with dMMR/MSI-H solid tumours who had exhausted all standard of care options were eligible. Patients were treated with durvalumab. The primary endpoints were clinical benefit ((CB): objective response (OR) or stable disease ≥16 weeks) and safety. Patients were enrolled using a Simon like 2-stage model, with 8 patients in stage 1, up to 24 patients in stage 2 if at least 1/8 patients had CB in stage 1. At baseline, fresh frozen biopsies were obtained for biomarker analyses. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients with 10 different cancer types were included. Two patients (2/26, 8%) were considered as non-evaluable for the primary endpoint. CB was observed in 13 patients (13/26, 50%) with an OR in 7 patients (7/26, 27%). The remaining 11 patients (11/26, 42%) had progressive disease. Median progression-free survival and median overall survival were 5 months (95% CI, 2-not reached) and 14 months (95% CI, 5-not reached), respectively. No unexpected toxicity was observed. We found a significantly higher structural variant (SV) burden in patients without CB. Additionally, we observed a significant enrichment of JAK1 frameshift mutations and a significantly lower IFN-γ expression in patients without CB. CONCLUSION: Durvalumab was generally well-tolerated and provided durable responses in pre-treated patients with dMMR/MSI-H solid tumours. High SV burden, JAK1 frameshift mutations and low IFN-γ expression were associated with a lack of CB; this provides a rationale for larger studies to validate these findings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical trial registration: NCT02925234. First registration date: 05/10/2016.

Long-Term Oncological Outcomes After Colorectal Anastomotic Leakage: A Retrospective Dutch Population-based Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate the impact of anastomotic leak (AL) after colon cancer (CC) and rectal cancer (RC) surgery on 5-year relative survival, disease-free survival (DFS), and disease recurrence. BACKGROUND: AL after CC and RC resection is a severe postoperative complication with conflicting evidence whether it deteriorates long-term outcomes. METHODS: Patients with stage I to IV CC and RC who underwent resection with primary anastomosis were included from the Netherlands Cancer Registry (2008-2018). Relative survival, measured from day of resection, and multivariable relative excess risks (RERs) were analyzed. DFS and recurrence were evaluated in a subset with stage I to III patients operated in 2015. All analyses were performed with patients who survived 90 days postoperatively. RESULTS: A total of 65,299 CC and 22,855 RC patients were included. Five-year relative survival after CC resection with and without AL was 95% versus 100%, 89% versus 94%, 66% versus 76%, and 28% versus 25% for stage I to IV disease. AL was associated with a significantly higher RER for death in stage II and III CC patients. Stage-specific 5-year relative survival in RC patients with and without AL was 97% versus 101%, 90% versus 95%, 74% versus 83%, and 32% versus 41%. AL was associated with a significantly higher RER for death in stage III and IV RC patients. DFS was significantly lower in CC patients with AL, but disease recurrence was not associated with AL after colorectal cancer resection. CONCLUSION: AL has a stage-dependent negative impact on survival in both CC and RC, but no independent association with disease recurrence.

In Patients Undergoing CRS/HIPEC for Colorectal Adenocarcinoma with Peritoneal Metastases, Presence of Ascites on Computed Tomography Imaging is not a Prognostic Marker for Survival.

BACKGROUND: Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a potentially curative treatment for patients with colorectal peritoneal metastases (CRPM). Patient selection is key to optimizing outcomes after CRS/HIPEC. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of ascites diagnosed on preoperative imaging. METHODS: A prospective database of patients eligible for CRS/HIPEC between 2010 and 2020 was retrospectively analyzed. The presence of ascites, postoperative complications, overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and completeness of cytoreduction were assessed. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors for outcome. RESULTS: Of the 235 included patients, 177 (75%) underwent CRS/HIPEC while 58 (25%) were not eligible for CRS/HIPEC. In 42 of the 177 patients (24%) who underwent CRS/HIPEC, ascites was present on preoperative computed tomography (CT) imaging. Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) score was significantly higher in patients with preoperative ascites compared with patients without (11 [range 2-30] vs. 9 [range 0-28], respectively; p = 0.011) and complete cytoreduction was more often achieved in patients without ascites (96.3% vs. 85.7%; p = 0.007). There was no significant difference in median DFS and OS after CRS/HIPEC between patients with and without ascites {10 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.1-12.9) vs. 9 months (95% CI 7.2-10.8), and 25 months (95% 9.4-40.6) vs. 27 months (95% CI 22.4-31.6), respectively}. CONCLUSIONS: Ascites on preoperative imaging was not associated with worse survival in CRS/HIPEC patients with CRPM. Therefore, excluding patients from CRS/HIPEC based merely on the presence of ascites is not advisable.

Phosphotyrosine-based Phosphoproteomics for Target Identification and Drug Response Prediction in AML Cell Lines.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a clonal disorder arising from hematopoietic myeloid progenitors. Aberrantly activated tyrosine kinases (TK) are involved in leukemogenesis and are associated with poor treatment outcome. Kinase inhibitor (KI) treatment has shown promise in improving patient outcome in AML. However, inhibitor selection for patients is suboptimal.In a preclinical effort to address KI selection, we analyzed a panel of 16 AML cell lines using phosphotyrosine (pY) enrichment-based, label-free phosphoproteomics. The Integrative Inferred Kinase Activity (INKA) algorithm was used to identify hyperphosphorylated, active kinases as candidates for KI treatment, and efficacy of selected KIs was tested.Heterogeneous signaling was observed with between 241 and 2764 phosphopeptides detected per cell line. Of 4853 identified phosphopeptides with 4229 phosphosites, 4459 phosphopeptides (4430 pY) were linked to 3605 class I sites (3525 pY). INKA analysis in single cell lines successfully pinpointed driver kinases (PDGFRA, JAK2, KIT and FLT3) corresponding with activating mutations present in these cell lines. Furthermore, potential receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) drivers, undetected by standard molecular analyses, were identified in four cell lines (FGFR1 in KG-1 and KG-1a, PDGFRA in Kasumi-3, and FLT3 in MM6). These cell lines proved highly sensitive to specific KIs. Six AML cell lines without a clear RTK driver showed evidence of MAPK1/3 activation, indicative of the presence of activating upstream RAS mutations. Importantly, FLT3 phosphorylation was demonstrated in two clinical AML samples with a FLT3 internal tandem duplication (ITD) mutation.Our data show the potential of pY-phosphoproteomics and INKA analysis to provide insight in AML TK signaling and identify hyperactive kinases as potential targets for treatment in AML cell lines. These results warrant future investigation of clinical samples to further our understanding of TK phosphorylation in relation to clinical response in the individual patient.

A first-in-man phase 1 study of the DNA-dependent protein kinase inhibitor peposertib (formerly M3814) in patients with advanced solid tumours.

BACKGROUND: This open-label, phase 1 trial (NCT02316197) aimed to determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) and/or recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of peposertib (formerly M3814), a DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) inhibitor in patients with advanced solid tumours. Secondary/exploratory objectives included safety/tolerability, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profiles and clinical activity. METHODS: Adult patients with advanced solid tumours received peposertib 100-200 mg once daily or 150-400 mg twice daily (BID) in 21-day cycles. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients were included (median age 66 years, 61% male). One dose-limiting toxicity, consisting of mainly gastrointestinal, non-serious adverse events (AEs) and long recovery duration, was reported at 300 mg BID. The most common peposertib-related AEs were nausea, vomiting, fatigue and pyrexia. The most common peposertib-related Grade 3 AEs were maculopapular rash and nausea. Peposertib was quickly absorbed systemically (median Tmax 1.1-2.5 h). The p-DNA-PK/t-DNA-PK ratio decreased consistently in peripheral blood mononuclear cells 3-6 h after doses ≥100 mg. The best overall response was stable disease (12 patients), lasting for ≥12 weeks in seven patients. CONCLUSIONS: Peposertib was well-tolerated and demonstrated modest efficacy in unselected tumours. The MTD was not reached; the RP2D was declared as 400 mg BID. Further studies, mainly with peposertib/chemo-radiation, are ongoing. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02316197.

Survival of patients with deficient mismatch repair metastatic colorectal cancer in the pre-immunotherapy era.

BACKGROUND: Metastatic colorectal cancer patients with deficient mismatch repair (dMMR mCRC) benefit from immunotherapy. Interpretation of the single-arm immunotherapy trials is complicated by insignificant survival data during systemic non-immunotherapy. We present survival data on a large, comprehensive cohort of dMMR mCRC patients, treated with or without systemic non-immunotherapy. METHODS: Two hundred and eighty-one dMMR mCRC patients (n = 54 from three prospective Phase 3 CAIRO trials; n = 227 from the Netherlands Cancer Registry). Overall survival was analysed from diagnosis of mCRC (OS), from initiation of first-line (OS1) and second-line (OS2) systemic treatment. Cox regression analysis examined prognostic factors. As comparison for OS 2746 MMR proficient mCRC patients were identified. RESULTS: Of 281 dMMR patients, 62% received first-line and 26% second-line treatment. Median OS was 16.0 months (13.8-19.6) with antitumour therapy and 2.5 months (1.8-3.5) in untreated patients. OS1 was 12.8 months (10.7-15.2) and OS2 6.2 months (5.4-8.9) in treated dMMR patients. Treated dMMR patients had a 7.6-month shorter median OS than pMMR patients. CONCLUSION: Available data from immunotherapy trials lack a control arm with standard systemic treatment. Given the poor outcome compared to the immunotherapy results, our data strongly suggest a survival benefit of immunotherapy in dMMR mCRC patients.

A Phase I Open-Label Clinical Trial Evaluating the Therapeutic Vaccine hVEGF26-104/RFASE in Patients with Advanced Solid Malignancies.

LESSONS LEARNED: The novel therapeutic vaccine hVEGF26-104 /RFASE was found to be safe and well tolerated in patients with cancer. hVEGF26-104 /RFASE failed to induce seroconversion against native hVEGF165 and, accordingly, neither a decrease in circulating vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels nor clinical benefit was observed. Remarkably, hVEGF26-104 /RFASE induced VEGF165 -neutralizing antibodies in a nonhuman primate model. The absence of seroconversion in human calls for caution in the interpretation of efficacy of human vaccines in nonhuman primates. BACKGROUND: Targeting vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF) is a well-established anticancer therapy. We designed a first-in-human clinical trial to investigate the safety and immunogenicity of the novel vaccine hVEGF26-104 /RFASE. METHODS: Patients with advanced solid malignancies with no standard treatment options available were eligible for this phase I study with a 3+3 dose-escalation design. On days 0, 14, and 28, patients received intramuscular hVEGF26-104 , a truncated synthetic three-dimensional (3D)-structured peptide mimic covering the amino acids 26-104 of the human VEGF165 isoform, emulsified in the novel adjuvant Raffinose Fatty Acid Sulphate Ester (RFASE), a sulpholipopolysaccharide. Objectives were to determine safety, induction of VEGF-neutralizing antibodies, and the maximum tolerated dose. Blood was sampled to measure VEGF levels and antibody titers. RESULTS: Eighteen of 27 enrolled patients received three immunizations in six different dose-levels up to 1,000 µg hVEGF26-104 and 40 mg RFASE. No dose-limiting toxicity was observed. Although in four patients an antibody titer against hVEGF26-104 was induced (highest titer: 2.77 10 log), neither a reduction in VEGF levels nor neutralizing antibodies against native VEGF165 were detected. CONCLUSION: Despite having an attractive safety profile, hVEGF26-104 /RFASE was not able to elicit seroconversions against native VEGF165 and, consequently, did not decrease circulating VEGF levels. Deficient RFASE adjuvant activity, as well as dominant immunoreactivity toward neoepitopes, may have impeded hVEGF26-104 /RFASE's efficacy in humans.

Metoclopramide, Dexamethasone, or Palonosetron for Prevention of Delayed Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting After Moderately Emetogenic Chemotherapy (MEDEA): A Randomized, Phase III, Noninferiority Trial.

BACKGROUND: For the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) during the delayed phase (24-120 hours) after moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC), the use of 3-day dexamethasone (DEX) is often recommended. This study compared the efficacy and safety of two DEX-sparing regimens with 3-day DEX, focusing on delayed nausea. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This open-label, randomized, phase III study was designed to demonstrate noninferiority of two DEX-sparing regimens: ondansetron + DEX on day 1 + metoclopramide on days 2-3 (MCP arm), and palonosetron + DEX on day 1 (PAL arm) versus ondansetron on day 1 + DEX on days 1-3 (DEX arm) in chemotherapy-naïve patients receiving MEC. Primary efficacy endpoint was total control (TC; no emetic episodes, no use of rescue medication, no nausea) in the delayed phase. Noninferiority was defined as a lower 95% CI greater than the noninferiority margin set at -20%. Secondary endpoints included no vomiting, no rescue medication, no (significant) nausea, impact of CINV on quality of life, and antiemetics-associated side effects. RESULTS: Treatment arms were comparable for 189 patients analyzed: predominantly male (55.7%), median age 65.0 years, colorectal cancer (85.7%), and oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy (81.5%). MCP demonstrated noninferiority to DEX for delayed TC (MCP 56.1% vs. DEX 50.0%; 95% CI, -11.3%, 23.5%). PAL also demonstrated noninferiority to DEX (PAL 55.6% vs. DEX 50.0%; 95% CI, -12.0%, 23.2%). There were no statistically significant differences for all secondary endpoints between treatment arms. CONCLUSION: This study showed that DEX-sparing regimens are noninferior to multiple-day DEX in terms of delayed TC rate in patients undergoing MEC. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier. NCT02135510. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in the delayed phase (24-120 hours after chemotherapy) remains one of the most troublesome adverse effects associated with cancer treatment. In particular, delayed nausea is often poorly controlled. The role of dexamethasone (DEX) in the prevention of delayed nausea after moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC) is controversial. This study is the first to include nausea assessment as a part of the primary study outcome to better gauge the effectiveness of CINV control and patients' experience. Results show that a DEX-sparing strategy does not result in any significant loss of overall antiemetic control: DEX-sparing strategies incorporating palonosetron or multiple-day metoclopramide are safe and at least as effective as standard treatment with a 3-day DEX regimen with ondansetron in controlling delayed CINV-and nausea in particular-following MEC.

Time dependent effect of cold ischemia on the phosphoproteome and protein kinase activity in fresh-frozen colorectal cancer tissue obtained from patients.

BACKGROUND: Based on their potential to analyze aberrant cellular signaling in relation to biological function, kinase activity profiling in tumor biopsies by peptide microarrays and mass spectrometry-based phosphoproteomics may guide selection of protein kinase inhibitors in patients with cancer. Variable tissue handling procedures in clinical practice may influence protein phosphorylation status and kinase activity and therewith may hamper biomarker discovery. Here, the effect of cold ischemia time (CIT) on the stability of kinase activity and protein phosphorylation status in fresh-frozen clinical tissue samples was studied using peptide microarrays and mass spectrometry-based phosphoproteomics. METHODS: Biopsies of colorectal cancer resection specimens from five patients were collected and snap frozen immediately after surgery and at 6 additional time points between 0 and 180 min of CIT. Kinase activity profiling was performed for all samples using a peptide microarray. MS-based global phosphoproteomics was performed in tumors from 3 patients at 4 time points. Statistical and cluster analyses were performed to analyze changes in kinase activity and phosphoproteome resulting from CIT. RESULTS: Unsupervised cluster analysis of kinase activity and phosphoproteome data revealed that samples from the same patients cluster together. Continuous ANOVA analysis of all 7 time points for 5 patient samples resulted in 4 peptides out of 210 (2%) with significantly (p < 0.01 and fold change > 2) altered signal intensity in time. In 4 out of 5 patients tumor kinase activity was stable with CIT. MS-based phosphoproteomics resulted in the detection of 10,488 different phosphopeptides with on average 6044 phosphopeptides per tumor sample. 2715 phosphopeptides were detected in all samples at time point 0, of which 90 (3.3%) phosphopeptides showed significant changes in intensity with CIT (p < 0.01). Only two phosphopeptides were significantly changed in all time points, including one peptide (PKP3) with a fold change > 2. CONCLUSIONS: The vast majority of the phosphoproteome as well as the activity of protein kinases in colorectal cancer resection tissue is stable up to 180 min of CIT and reflects tumor characteristics. However, specific changes in kinase activity with increasing CIT were observed. Therefore, stringent tissue collection procedures are advised to minimize changes in kinase activity during CIT.

Smartphone measurements of physical activity and fitness are associated with early trial discontinuation of patients in (hemato)oncology phase I/II clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Patients, who discontinue early, do not benefit from phase I/II clinical trials (early-phase clinical trials (EPCT)). In this study, associations between objective smartphone measurements of physical activity and fitness and early trial discontinuation in patients with cancer participating in EPCT were investigated. METHODS: Before start of treatment, physical activity (steps/day) and physical fitness (meters walked in 6 min) were measured with a smartphone, and patient-reported physical function (PRO-PF) was assessed (EORTC QLQ-C30-PF). Early trial discontinuation was defined as discontinuation ≤ 28 days. Univariable logistic regression analyses were performed to study associations of physical activity, fitness, and function with early trial discontinuation. Optimal cutoff values of physical activity and fitness were assessed with ROCs, based on positive predictive values (PPV). RESULTS: Median (interquartile range (IQR)) step count was 4263 (2548-6897) steps/day, mean ± standard deviation 6-min walking distance was 477 ± 120 m and median (IQR) PRO-PF score was 83 (67-95) points. Fourteen patients (12%) discontinued the trial early. Smartphone measurements of physical activity in units of 100 steps per day (odds ratio (OR) = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.94-0.99, p = 0.01), physical fitness (OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.98-0.99, p < 0.01), and PRO-PF (OR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.94-1.00, p = 0.03) were associated with early trial discontinuation. Optimal cutoff values were < 900 steps for physical activity and < 285 m for physical fitness. PPV for early trial discontinuation was 100% in patients who walked both < 1500 steps per day and < 300 m in 6 min. CONCLUSIONS: Objective smartphone measurements of physical activity and fitness are associated with early trial discontinuation. However, cutoff values should be externally validated in a larger cohort before implementation in clinical practice.

Conversion of a colorectal cancer guideline into clinical decision trees with assessment of validity.

OBJECTIVE: The interpretation and clinical application of guidelines can be challenging and time-consuming, which may result in noncompliance to guidelines. The aim of this study was to convert the Dutch guideline for colorectal cancer (CRC) into decision trees and subsequently implement decision trees in an online decision support environment to facilitate guideline application. METHODS: The recommendations of the Dutch CRC guidelines (published in 2014) were translated into decision trees consisting of decision nodes, branches and leaves that represent data items, data item values and recommendations, respectively. Decision trees were discussed with experts in the field and published as interactive open access decision support software (available at www.oncoguide.nl). Decision tree validation and a concordance analysis were performed using consecutive reports (January 2016-January 2017) from CRC multidisciplinary tumour boards (MTBs) at Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location AMC. RESULTS: In total, we developed 34 decision trees driven by 101 decision nodes based on the guideline recommendations. Decision trees represented recommendations for diagnostics (n = 1), staging (n = 10), primary treatment (colon: n = 1, rectum: n = 5, colorectal: n = 9), pathology (n = 4) and follow-up (n = 3) and included one overview decision tree for optimal navigation. We identified several guideline information gaps and areas of inconclusive evidence. A total of 158 patients' MTB reports were eligible for decision tree validation and resulted in treatment recommendations in 80% of cases. The concordance rate between decision tree treatment recommendations and MTB advices was 81%. Decision trees reported in 22 out of 24 non-concordant cases (92%) that no guideline recommendation was available. CONCLUSIONS: We successfully converted the Dutch CRC guideline into decision trees and identified several information gaps and areas of inconclusive evidence, the latter being the main cause of the observed disagreement between decision tree recommendations and MTB advices. Decision trees may contribute to future strategies to optimize quality of care for CRC patients.

Effects of Cancer Presence and Therapy on the Platelet Proteome.

Platelets are involved in tumor angiogenesis and cancer progression. Previous studies indicated that cancer could affect platelet content. In the current study, we investigated whether cancer-associated proteins can be discerned in the platelets of cancer patients, and whether antitumor treatment may affect the platelet proteome. Platelets were isolated from nine patients with different cancer types and ten healthy volunteers. From three patients, platelets were isolated before and after the start of antitumor treatment. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics of gel-fractionated platelet proteins were used to compare patients versus controls and before and after treatment initiation. A total of 4059 proteins were detected, of which 50 were significantly more abundant in patients, and 36 more in healthy volunteers. Eight of these proteins overlapped with our previous cancer platelet proteomics study. From these data, we selected potential biomarkers of cancer including six upregulated proteins (RNF213, CTSG, PGLYRP1, RPL8, S100A8, S100A9) and two downregulated proteins (GPX1, TNS1). Antitumor treatment resulted in increased levels of 432 proteins and decreased levels of 189 proteins. In conclusion, the platelet proteome may be affected in cancer patients and platelets are a potential source of cancer biomarkers. In addition, we found in a small group of patients that anticancer treatment significantly changes the platelet proteome.