[Muscle-invasive bladder cancer]

Bladder cancer, which is a complex disease, can be treated with a variety of stage-oriented treatment options. In this article, the treatment recommendations of the German S3 guideline "Early detection, diagnosis, treatment and aftercare of bladder cancer" are applied in a fictitious case study. In a patient with invasive transitional cell carcinoma, the treatment options-ranging from bladder preservation to radical cystectomy with neoadjuvant chemotherapy-are discussed on the basis of the current literature.

Nivolumab plus cabozantinib (N+C) versus sunitinib (S) for advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC): Outcomes by baseline disease characteristics in the phase 3 CheckMate 9ER trial

4553

Background: First-line N+C significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and objective response rate (ORR) vs S in aRCC patients (pts) in the phase 3 CheckMate 9ER trial, leading to FDA approval of N+C in this setting. A deeper understanding of how baseline disease characteristics may impact clinical outcomes with N+C vs S may inform clinical decision making. Methods: Pts with clear cell aRCC were randomized to N 240 mg IV Q2W + C 40 mg PO QD vs S 50 mg PO QD (4 weeks of 6-week cycles). In this post hoc exploratory analysis, PFS, OS, and ORR were evaluated across pt subgroups defined by baseline IMDC risk status, organ sites of metastases (mets), number of organs with any lesions, or target lesion size. Consistent with primary/secondary efficacy endpoints in ITT pts, PFS and ORR were evaluated per RECIST v1.1 by blinded independent central review in subgroups. Results: Median follow-up in ITT pts was 23.5 months. PFS, OS, and ORR (including complete response [CR]) outcomes are summarized in the table across subgroups: IMDC risk (favorable [FAV], intermediate [I], poor [P]); number of organs with ≥ 1 target/nontarget lesion (T/NT; 1 and ≥ 2); sum of diameters of target lesions (sDTL; < and ≥ median [72.1 mm]), and in pts with liver, bone, or lung mets. The PFS HR favored N+C vs S and median (m) PFS was longer with N+C vs S across all subgroups. The OS HR also favored N+C vs S across most subgroups. ORR ranged from 38%–66% (N+C) vs 10%–44% (S) across subgroups, and CR benefits were seen with N+C in most subgroups. Additional outcomes including landmark OS and response details in subgroups will be reported. Conclusions: Consistent with outcomes in ITT pts, efficacy benefits with N+C vs S were observed regardless of IMDC risk status, organ site of mets, or extent of tumor burden at baseline. These results support N+C as a new first-line treatment option for pts with aRCC. Clinical trial information: NCT03141177. [Table: see text]

CheckMate 9KD cohort A1 final analysis: Nivolumab (NIVO) + rucaparib for post-chemotherapy (CT) metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC)

5044

Background: CheckMate 9KD is a phase 2 trial of NIVO (anti-PD-1) combined with either rucaparib, docetaxel, or enzalutamide for mCRPC. PARP inhibitors, like rucaparib, increase cellular DNA damage, particularly in tumors with DNA repair defects, leading to genomic instability and cell death. This DNA damage promotes immune priming and adaptive PD-L1 upregulation. Consequently, dual PD-(L)1 and PARP inhibition is a plausible therapeutic strategy for mCRPC. We report final results for cohort A1 (NIVO + rucaparib for post-CT mCRPC) of CheckMate 9KD. Methods: Cohort A1 enrolled patients (pts) with post-CT mCRPC (1–2 prior taxane regimens), ongoing ADT, ≤ 2 prior novel hormonal therapies (abiraterone, enzalutamide, etc) for mCRPC, and no prior PARP inhibitor treatment. Pts received NIVO 480 mg Q4W + rucaparib 600 mg BID until disease progression/unacceptable toxicity (NIVO dosing limited to 2 yrs). Coprimary endpoints: objective response rate (ORR) per PCWG3 criteria and prostate-specific antigen response rate (PSA-RR; ≥ 50% PSA reduction) in all treated pts and pts with homologous recombination deficiency positive (HRD+) tumors, determined before enrollment. Secondary endpoints included radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Results: Of 88 treated pts, median age 66 yrs (range, 46–85), 34.1% had visceral metastases and 65.9% had measurable disease. Median follow-up was 11.9 mo. Pts had a median of 4.5 NIVO doses and 3.8 mo of rucaparib. The table summarizes primary and key secondary efficacy results, and shows better outcomes for HRD+ vs HRD–/not evaluable (NE) tumors. In pts with BRCA2 mutations, confirmed ORR was 37.5% (3/8 pts) and confirmed PSA-RR was 45.5% (5/11 pts). Any-grade treatment-related AEs (TRAEs) occurred in 93.2% of pts, most commonly nausea (40.9%) and fatigue (33.0%). Grade ≥ 3 TRAEs occurred in 54.5% of pts, most commonly anemia (20.5%) and neutropenia (10.2%). TRAEs led to discontinuation in 27.3% of pts. One pt had a stroke, considered related to rucaparib by the investigator, after 28 days on rucaparib and 2 NIVO doses and died 2 months later due to post-thrombolysis hematoma. Conclusions: NIVO + rucaparib is active in pts with HRD+ post-CT mCRPC, although the trial design and short follow-up limit assessment of benefits of the combination vs individual components. Pts with HRD– tumors did not appear to benefit from either drug. No new safety signals were observed with NIVO + rucaparib. Additional biomarker analyses are ongoing. Clinical trial information: NCT03338790. [Table: see text]

Atezolizumab Versus Chemotherapy in Patients with Platinum-treated Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma: A Long-term Overall Survival and Safety Update from the Phase 3 IMvigor211 Clinical Trial

Atezolizumab is an anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor recommended for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) after prior platinum-containing chemotherapy, regardless of PD-L1 status, among other treatment settings. We conducted a long-term follow-up to the exploratory analysis of overall survival (OS) and safety for the IMvigor211 intent-to-treat (ITT) population. Patients with mUC and disease progression during or following platinum-based chemotherapy were randomised 1:1 to receive atezolizumab 1200 mg or chemotherapy (vinflunine 320 mg/m², paclitaxel 175 mg/m², or docetaxel 75 mg/m² according to investigator choice) intravenously every 3 wk. Although the primary analysis did not demonstrate statistically significant longer OS for patients receiving atezolizumab versus chemotherapy, updated OS showed long-term durable remission. With a median of 33 mo of follow-up, the 24-mo OS rate was 23% with atezolizumab and 13% with chemotherapy. Safety findings were consistent with the primary analysis, with no new signals detected. Chemotherapy-treated patients experienced more grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events (AEs; 43% vs 22%) and more AEs leading to treatment discontinuation (18% vs 9%). Atezolizumab-treated patients experienced more AEs of special interest (35% vs 20%), which tended to be grade 1-2. Our findings support the use of atezolizumab in platinum-treated patients with mUC regardless of PD-L1 status. PATIENT SUMMARY: We report follow-up results from a study of an immunotherapy treatment, atezolizumab, in patients with bladder cancer who had already received platinum-containing chemotherapy. This analysis compared the effectiveness of atezolizumab with chemotherapy over 2.5 years after starting treatment. The results show that patients who received atezolizumab lived longer and had manageable side effects compared with patients who received chemotherapy. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT02302807.

Cytoreductive radical prostatectomy after chemohormonal therapy in patients with primary metastatic prostate cancer

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

KEYNOTE-365 cohort B: Pembrolizumab (pembro) plus docetaxel and prednisone in abiraterone (abi) or enzalutamide (enza)–pretreated patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC)—New data after an additional 1 year of follow-up

10

Background: For men with mCRPC, systemic therapies such as docetaxel and cabazitaxel improve survival, but more effective treatments are needed. KEYNOTE-365 (NCT02861573) is a phase 1b/2 study to examine the safety and efficacy of pembro in combination with 4 different study medications (cohorts A, B, C, D) in mCRPC. Previous data from cohort B with a median of 20 months of follow-up showed that pembro + docetaxel and prednisone was well tolerated and had antitumor activity in patients (pts) with mCRPC previously treated with abi or enza. New efficacy and safety data after an additional year of follow-up are presented. Methods: Cohort B enrolled pts who did not respond to or were intolerant to ≥4 weeks of abi or enza in the prechemotherapy mCRPC state and whose disease progressed within 6 months of screening (determined by PSA progression or radiologic bone/soft tissue progression). Pts received pembro 200 mg IV every 3 weeks (Q3W), docetaxel 75 mg/m2 IV Q3W, and oral prednisone 5 mg twice daily. Primary end points were safety, PSA response rate (PSA decrease >50% from baseline), and ORR per RECIST v1.1 by blinded independent central review. Efficacy and safety were assessed in all pts as treated. Results: Of the 104 treated pts, median age was 68.0 years (range, 50-86), 23.1% had PD-L1–positive tumors (combined positive score ≥1), 25.0% had visceral disease, and 50.0% had measurable disease. Median time from enrollment to data cutoff was 32.4 months (range 13.9-40.3); 101 pts discontinued, primarily because of disease progression (77.9%). Efficacy outcomes are reported in the table below. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 100 pts (96.2%); the most frequent (≥30%) were diarrhea (41.3%), fatigue (41.3%), and alopecia (40.4%). Grade 3-5 TRAEs occurred in 46 pts (44.2%). Five pts (4.8%) died of AEs; 2 were treatment-related pneumonitis. Conclusions: After another year of follow-up, pembro + docetaxel and prednisone showed improved ORR and PSA response rates compared to the prior dataset in pts with mCRPC previously treated with abi or enza. Safety was consistent with known profiles of each agent and will be further evaluated in a phase 3 study (KEYNOTE-921). Clinical trial information: NCT02861573. [Table: see text]

CheckMate 9KD Arm B final analysis: Efficacy and safety of nivolumab plus docetaxel for chemotherapy-naïve metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

12

Background: CheckMate 9KD (NCT03338790) is a phase 2 trial of nivolumab (NIVO; anti-PD-1) in combination with rucaparib, docetaxel (DOCE), or enzalutamide for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). DOCE is a standard-of-care chemotherapy for mCRPC that may potentiate antitumor immune responses, thus supporting its use in combination with NIVO, which has shown limited antitumor activity in mCRPC as monotherapy. We report final analysis results for Arm B (NIVO + DOCE) of CheckMate 9KD. Methods: Arm B enrolled patients with chemotherapy-naive mCRPC with ongoing androgen deprivation therapy and ≤ 2 prior novel antiandrogen therapies (NATs; i.e., abiraterone, enzalutamide, etc.). Patients received NIVO 360 mg + DOCE 75 mg/m2 Q3W + prednisone 5 mg BID for ≤ 10 cycles, followed by NIVO 480 mg Q4W until disease progression/unacceptable toxicity (up to 2 years). Coprimary endpoints were objective response rate (ORR) and prostate-specific antigen response rate (PSA-RR; defined as a ≥ 50% PSA reduction). Secondary endpoints included radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Results: Of 84 treated patients with a median age of 71 years (range: 53-88), 27% had visceral disease and 54% had measurable disease. The median number of docetaxel cycles was 8; the median number of nivolumab doses was 11. Median follow up was 15.2 months. The table displays the efficacy outcomes, which appear to show comparable ORR in patients receiving versus not receiving prior NAT. There was 1 (2.2%) complete objective response and 17 (37.8%) partial responses in 45 patients with measurable disease. Any-grade treatment-related AEs (TRAEs) occurred in 95.2% of patients, most commonly fatigue (39.3%), diarrhea (35.7%), and alopecia (34.5%). Grade 3-4 TRAEs occurred in 47.6% of patients, most commonly neutropenia (16.7%). TRAEs led to discontinuation in 29.8% of patients. The most common immune-related AEs were GI (35.7%) or skin-related (26.2%). There were 3 treatment-related deaths (1 pneumonitis related to NIVO; 2 pneumonias related to DOCE). Conclusions: NIVO + DOCE has encouraging clinical activity in patients with chemotherapy-naïve mCRPC, regardless of prior NAT, with a safety profile consistent with those of the individual agents. These outcomes support the ongoing phase 3 CheckMate 7DX trial of NIVO + DOCE vs placebo + DOCE for mCRPC (NCT04100018). Clinical trial information: NCT03338790. [Table: see text]

Consensus paper: current state of first- and second-line therapy in advanced clear-cell renal cell carcinoma

The therapy of advanced (clear-cell) renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has recently experienced tremendous changes. Several new treatments have been developed, with PD-1 immune-checkpoint inhibition being the backbone of therapy. Diverse immunotherapy combinations change current first-line standards. These changes also require new approaches in subsequent lines of therapy. In an expert panel, we discussed the new treatment options and how they change clinical practice. While first-line immunotherapies introduce a new level of response rates, data on second-line therapies remains poor. This scenario poses a challenge for clinicians as guideline recommendations are based on historical patient cohorts and agents may lack the appropriate label for their in guidelines recommended use. Here, we summarize relevant clinical data and consider appropriate treatment strategies.

Clinical Practice Guidelines for Bladder Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Using the AGREE II Instrument

CONTEXT

Numerous health care organizations have established guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer. However, the lack of a standardized guideline development approach results in considerable differences of the guidelines' methodological quality.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the methodological quality of all relevant clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for urinary bladder cancer and provide a reference for clinicians in choosing guidelines of high methodological quality.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

A systematic literature search was conducted in Medline via PubMed, 4 CPG databases, and 7 databases of interdisciplinary organizations. CPGs for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) with the topics screening, pathology, diagnosis, treatment, and aftercare published in English language between 2012 and 2018 were included. The CPG quality was analyzed using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

A total of 16 CPGs were included for the quality appraisal. Because of predefined criteria, 5 CPGs were "strongly recommended" (American Urological Association NMIBC, European Association of Urology [EAU] NMIBC, EAU MIBC, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and National Comprehensive Cancer Network), 4 CPGs were "weakly recommended" and 7 CPGs were "not recommended."

CONCLUSIONS

The methodological quality of bladder cancer guidelines is diverse. Considering the rapid development of new therapies (e.g., immune checkpoint inhibitors), "living guidelines" of high methodological quality, such as the EAU NMIBC or MIBC guideline, will become more relevant in the future guideline's landscape.

Pembrolizumab (pembro) plus olaparib in patients (pts) with docetaxel-pretreated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC): KEYNOTE-365 cohort A efficacy, safety, and biomarker results

5544

Background: Pembro + olaparib has shown antitumor activity and acceptable safety in docetaxel-pretreated pts with mCRPC enrolled in cohort A of the phase I/II KEYNOTE-365 study (NCT02861573). Updated results with new biomarker data are reported. Methods: Pts with docetaxel-pretreated mCRPC who progressed within 6 mo of screening received pembro 200 mg IV Q3W + olaparib 400-mg capsule or 300-mg tablet PO BID. Pts might have received 1 other chemotherapy and ≤2 second-generation androgen-receptor targeted therapies. Primary end points: PSA response rate (decrease ≥50% from baseline, confirmed by a second value ≥3 wks later), ORR per RECIST v1.1, and safety. Key secondary end points: DCR, DOR, rPFS, and OS. Biospecimens (eg, blood, tissue) were collected for biomarker analysis (tissue PD-L1 expression, androgen receptor variant 7 [AR-v7] expression in circulating tumor cells [CTCs], and a T-cell–inflamed gene expression profile [GEP]). ctDNA was analyzed by Guardant Health 360 (GH360) and Omni (GH Omni) assays. FFPE tissue was analyzed by FoundationOne CDx (F1CDx) assay. Results: 84 of 87 enrolled pts were treated; 48/84 (57.1%) had measurable disease. Median (range) time from enrollment to data cutoff was 3.6 mo (0.0-29.2) for all pts and 26.7 mo (21.2-29.2) for 41 pts with ≥27 wks’ follow-up. Confirmed PSA response rate was 9% (95% CI, 3.5-16.8) in 82 pts with a baseline PSA assessment. Median time to PSA progression: 3.8 mo (95% CI, 2.9-4.4). In 24 pts with measurable disease and ≥27 wks’ follow-up, ORR was 8.3% (95% CI, 1.0-27.0; 2 PRs) and DCR ≥6 mo was 20.8% (95% CI, 7.1-42.2). Median (range) DOR was NR (12.0+ to 21.4+ mo); 2 pts had DOR ≥12 mo. In all pts, median rPFS was 4.3 mo (95% CI, 3.4-7.7) and median OS was 14.4 mo (95% CI, 8.1-18.5). Grade ≥3 TRAEs occurred in 29 pts (35%); 2 pts died of TRAEs (1 myocardial infarction, 1 unknown). Overall, 26% had PD-L1+ tumors (combined positive score ≥1). Of 31 pts with CTC data, 12.9% were AR-v7+. No BRCA1/2 mutation was detected by GH360 (n=42). Of 57 pts analyzed by GH Omni, 2 had BRCA2 mutations, 1 had a BRCA1 mutation, 4 had ATM mutations, 1 had a CHEK1 mutation, and 6 had CDK12 mutations. Of 49 pts analyzed by F1CDx, 4 had BRCA mutations; 1 pt had a copy number loss mutation not detected by ctDNA analysis. GEP was not associated with ORR or PSA response. Conclusions: Pembro + olaparib continued to show activity and acceptable safety in pts with docetaxel-pretreated mCRPC. A phase III study of this combination is ongoing (KEYLYNK-010, NCT03834519). Clinical trial information: NCT02861573 .

Pembrolizumab (pembro) plus enzalutamide (enza) in patients (pts) with abiraterone acetate (abi)-pretreated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC): KEYNOTE-365 cohort C efficacy, safety, and biomarker results

5545

Background: Pembro + enza (cohort C) has shown antitumor activity and acceptable safety in abi-pretreated pts with mCRPC in the phase I/II KEYNOTE-365 study (NCT02861573). Updated results with new biomarker data from cohort C are reported. Methods: Pts who became intolerant to or for whom ≥4 weeks of abi failed in the prechemotherapy mCRPC state and who progressed within 6 mo of screening were enrolled. Pts received pembro 200 mg IV Q3W + enza 160 mg/day orally. Primary end points were PSA response rate (PSA decrease ≥50%; confirmed by a second value ≥3 weeks later), ORR per RECIST v1.1 by blinded independent central review, and safety. Key secondary end points were DCR per RECIST v1.1 (CR+PR+SD or non-CR/non-PD ≥6 mo), DOR per RECIST v1.1, radiographic PFS (rPFS) per PCWG-modified RECIST v1.1, and OS. Biospecimens (eg, blood, tissue) were collected at baseline and during the study for biomarker analysis, including tissue PD-L1 expression, androgen receptor variant 7 (AR-v7) expression in circulating tumor cells (CTCs), and a T-cell-inflamed gene expression profile (GEP). Results: Of 103 enrolled pts, 102 were treated; 39% of treated pts had measurable disease. Median (range) time from enrollment to data cutoff was 19.1 mo (1.1-28.8) for all pts and 21.4 mo (15.1-28.8) for pts with ≥27 wks’ follow-up (n=69). Confirmed PSA response rate was 22% in 101 pts with a baseline PSA assessment. Median time to PSA progression was 3.5 mo (95% CI, 2.9-4.0). In pts with measurable disease and ≥27 wks’ follow-up (n=25), confirmed ORR was 12% (2 CRs, 1 PR) and DCR was 32%. Median DOR was not reached (range, 0.0+ to 24.4+ mo); 2 pts had a response for ≥6 mo. In all pts, median (95% CI) rPFS was 6.1 mo (4.4-6.5) and median OS was 20.4 mo (15.5-NR). At 6 mo, rPFS rate was 55.1% and OS rate was 88.2%. Treatment-related AEs occurred in 92 pts (90%); most frequent (≥20%) were fatigue (38%), nausea (22%), and rash (20%). Grade 3-5 treatment-related AEs occurred in 40 pts (39%). Three pts died of AEs (1 AE was treatment related [cause unknown]). Of all pts, 29% had PD-L1+ tumors (combined positive score ≥1). Of 51 pts with AR-v7 data, 13.7% were AR-v7+ and 86.3% were AR-v7−. GEP was not significantly associated with ORR or PSA response. Conclusions: Pembro + enza continued to show activity in pts with abi-pretreated mCRPC. Safety of the combination was consistent with the known profiles of pembro and enza. A phase III study of this combination is ongoing (KEYNOTE-641, NCT03834493). Clinical trial information: NCT02861573 .

Pembrolizumab (pembro) plus docetaxel and prednisone in patients (pts) with abiraterone acetate (abi) or enzalutamide (enza)-pretreated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC): KEYNOTE-365 cohort B efficacy, safety and, biomarker results

5550

Background: Pembro + docetaxel and prednisone (cohort B) has shown antitumor activity in pts with mCRPC in the phase I/II KEYNOTE-365 study (NCT02861573). Updated efficacy and safety and new biomarker data from cohort B are reported. Methods: Pts who received at least 4 wk of abi or enza in the prechemotherapy mCRPC setting and whose disease progressed within 6 mo of screening were eligible. Pts received pembro 200 mg IV + docetaxel 75 mg/m2 IV Q3W and prednisone 5 mg orally twice daily. Primary end points were PSA response rate (PSA decrease ≥50%; confirmed by a second value ≥3 weeks later), ORR per RECIST v1.1 by blinded independent central review, and safety. Key secondary end points were DCR per RECIST v1.1 (CR+PR+SD or non-CR/non-PD ≥6 mo), DOR per RECIST v1.1, radiographic PFS (rPFS) per PCWG-modified RECIST, and OS. Biospecimens (blood, tissue) were collected for biomarker analysis, including tissue PD-L1 expression, androgen receptor variant 7 (AR-v7) expression in circulating tumor cells, and a T-cell-inflamed gene expression profile (GEP). Results: Of 105 enrolled pts, 104 were treated, and 50% had measurable disease. Median (range) time from enrollment to data cutoff was 19.9 mo (1.4-27.8) for all pts and 21.8 mo (17.9-27.8) for pts with ≥27 wks follow-up (n=72). Confirmed PSA response rate was 28% in 103 pts with a baseline PSA assessment. Median time to PSA progression was 6.2 mo (95% CI, 3.7-7.4). In pts with measurable disease and ≥27 wks follow-up (n=39), ORR was 18% (7/39, all PRs) and DCR was 51%. Median DOR was 6.7 mo (range, 3.4-9.0+ [+ indicates ongoing responder]); 5 pts had a response for ≥6 mo. In all pts, median rPFS was 8.3 mo (95% CI, 7.6-10.1) and OS was 20.4 mo (16.9-NR). At 6 mo, the rPFS rate was 72.8% and OS rate was 95.3%. Treatment-related AEs (TRAEs) occurred in 96% of all pts; most frequent were alopecia (39%), diarrhea (38%), and fatigue (38%). Grade 3-5 TRAEs occurred in 40% of pts; 2 pts died of TRAEs (pneumonitis). Overall, 24% of pts were PD-L1+ (combined positive score ≥1). Of 57 pts with AR-v7 data, 17.5% were AR-v7+, 77% were AR-v7−, and 5% were undetermined. GEP was not significantly associated with ORR or PSA response. Conclusions: Pembro + docetaxel and prednisone showed activity in pts with abi or enza-pretreated mCRPC. Safety of the combination was consistent with the known profiles of the individual agents. A phase 3 study of this combination is ongoing (KEYNOTE-921, NCT03834506). Clinical trial information: NCT02861573 .

A randomized phase II study of nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus standard of care in previously untreated and advanced non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (SUNIFORECAST)

TPS5103

Background: Non-clear cell renal cell carcinomas (nccRCC) are a heterogeneous group of tumors accounting for approximately 25% of RCC patients (pts.). Since most clinical trials focus on clear-cell RCC (ccRCC) only, data on treatment strategies for nccRCC are limited. The combination of Nivolumab and Ipilimumab (IO/IO) has recently been approved for treatment in RCC showing a significant improvement in overall response rate (ORR), progression free (PFS), and overall survival (OS) in intermediate and high-risk pts. compared to sunitinib in a phase-III trial. Furthermore retrospective analysis in nccRCC patients have shown promising results for IO/IO as well in these entities. Methods: In this prospective randomized phase-II multicenter European trial adults with advanced or metastatic nccRCC without prior systemic therapy are eligible. Other key inclusion criteria include: available tumor tissue, Karnofsky > 70% and measurable disease per RECIST 1.1. All histological diagnoses are reviewed by a central pathologist. The study plans to randomize ~306 pts. stratified for papillary or non-papillary non-clear cell histology and by the International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium (IMDC) risk score. Pts. will be randomized 1:1 to either i) Nivolumab 3mg/kg intravenously (IV) plus Ipilimumab 1mg/kg IV every 3 weeks for 4 doses followed by Nivolumab fixed dose 240mg IV every 2 weeks or ii) standard of care therapy according to the approved schedule. Treatment will be discontinued in case of unacceptable toxicity or withdrawal of informed consent. Pts may continue treatment beyond progression, if clinical benefit is achieved and treatment is well tolerated. Primary endpoint is the OS rate at 12 months. Secondary endpoints include OS rate at 6 and 18 months, median OS, PFS, ORR and quality of life. The trial is in progress and 122 patients (78 pts with papillary, 37 pts with non-papillary histology) have been enrolled until now. Clinical trial information: NCT03075423 .

Impact of renal impairment on clinical outcomes in patients (pts) with locally advanced or metastatic (LA/M) urinary tract carcinoma (UTC) treated with atezolizumab (atezo): Analysis of the international SAUL study

5036

Background: Atezo, which targets PD-L1, is an approved therapy for LA/M urothelial carcinoma based on the IMvigor210 and IMvigor211 trials. The single-arm SAUL study (NCT02928406) showed consistent activity and safety in a broader population, including understudied scenarios, eg pts with renal impairment or other IMvigor211 exclusion criteria. Methods: Pts with LA/M UTC received atezo 1200 mg q3w until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was safety; secondary endpoints included overall response rate (ORR) and overall survival (OS). Post hoc analyses explored outcomes in pts classified as: chemotherapy (CT) ineligible (calculated creatine clearance [CrCl] 15– < 30 mL/min); cisplatin ineligible and carboplatin eligible (CrCl 30– < 60 mL/min); or cisplatin eligible (CrCl ≥60 mL/min). Results: Of 1004 enrolled pts, 46 (5%) were classified as CT ineligible and 420 (42%) as cisplatin ineligible. Results are summarized below. Conclusions: These post hoc analyses suggest pts typically considered cisplatin or CT ineligible are candidates for atezo. Pts with renal impairment achieved similar ORR and DCR to pts with CrCl ≥60 mL/min, without increased toxicity. Imbalances in pt characteristics may explain numerical differences in OS. Clinical trial information: NCT02928406 . [Table: see text]

Molecular lymph node staging for bladder cancer patients undergoing radical cystectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection

OBJECTIVE

Presence of lymph node (LN) metastasis in bladder cancer (BCa) is a main risk factor for tumor recurrence after radical cystectomy (RC). Molecular analysis facilitates detection of small-volume LN metastases with higher sensitivity than standard histopathology. The aim of the present study was to establish molecular LN analysis in BCa patients undergoing RC with lymph node dissection (LND) and to determine its ability to predict tumor recurrence.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Five transcripts with overexpression in BCa (FXYD3, KRT17, KRT20, SPINK1, UPKII) were evaluated for molecular LN analysis. We included 76 BCa patients from the prospective, randomized surgical phase-III trial (LEA AUO AB 25/02, NCT01215071) investigating extended vs. limited LND at RC. The primary endpoint was recurrence-free survival (RFS). As control, 136 LNs from 45 patients without BCa were analyzed to determine a threshold for pathologic gene expression.

RESULTS

About 1,319 LNs were investigated with molecular and histopathologic examination. Histopathology detected 39 LN metastases in 17 (22%) patients. Of the tested genes FXYD3 performed best and classified all pN+-patients correctly as node-positive (pN+/molN+). In addition, FXYD3 reclassified 43 histopathologic negative LNs and 7 (9%) pN0-patients as molecular node-positive (pN0/molN+). Molecular and histopathologic LN status (pN0/molN0 vs. pN0/molN+ vs. pN+/molN+) was significantly associated with locally advanced disease (P = 0.006) and poor RFS (P < 0.001). Median RFS was not reached in LN-negative patients (pN0/molN0), 45 months (95%CI 8-83) in exclusively molecular positive patients (pN0/molN+) and 9 months (95%CI 5-13) in patients with histopathologic and molecular positive LNs (pN+/molN+).

CONCLUSIONS

Molecular LN analysis with FXYD3 identified additional LN metastases in histopathologic negative LNs and identified patients with elevated risk of tumor recurrence after RC. Thus, molecular LN analysis improves LN staging and might serve as a tool to guide adjuvant treatment.

Early Prostate-Specific Antigen Changes and Clinical Outcome After 177Lu-PSMA Radionuclide Treatment in Patients with Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is widely used to monitor treatment response in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. However, PSA measurements are considered only after 12 wk of treatment. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of early PSA changes after ¹⁷⁷Lu-labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (¹⁷⁷Lu-PSMA) radionuclide treatment in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients. Methods: Men who were treated with ¹⁷⁷Lu-PSMA under a compassionate-access program at our institution and had available PSA values at baseline and at 6 wk after treatment initiation were included in this retrospective analysis. Patients were assigned to 3 groups on the basis of PSA changes: response (≥30% decline), progression (≥25% increase), and stable (<30% decline and <25% increase). The coprimary endpoints were overall survival and imaging-based progression-free survival. The secondary endpoints were PSA changes at 12 wk and PSA flare-up. Results: We identified 124 eligible patients with PSA values at 6 wk. A greater than or equal to 30% decline in PSA at 6 wk was associated with longer overall survival (median, 16.7 mo; 95% CI, 14.4-19.0) than stable PSA (median, 11.8 mo; 95% CI, 8.6-15.1) (P = 0.007) or PSA progression (median, 6.5 mo; 95% CI, 5.2-7.8) (P < 0.001). Patients with a greater than or equal to 30% decline in PSA at 6 wk also had a lower risk of imaging-based progression than patients with stable PSA (hazard ratio, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.38-0.94) (P = 0.02), whereas patients with PSA progression had a higher risk of imaging-based progression than patients with stable PSA (hazard ratio, 3.18; 95% CI, 1.95-5.21) (P < 0.001). The percentage changes in PSA at 6 and 12 wk were highly associated (r = 0.90; P < 0.001). Of 31 patients who experienced early PSA progression at 6 wk, 29 (94%) showed biochemical progression at 12 wk. Overall, only 1 (3%) of 36 patients with PSA progression at 6 wk achieved any PSA decline at 12 wk (1% of the entire cohort). The limitations of the study included its retrospective nature and the single-center experience. Conclusion: PSA changes at 6 wk after ¹⁷⁷Lu-PSMA initiation are an early indicator of long-term clinical outcome. Patients with PSA progression after 6 wk of treatment could benefit from a very early decision to switch treatment. PSA flare-up during ¹⁷⁷Lu-PSMA treatment is very uncommon. Prospective studies are now warranted to validate our findings and potentially inform clinicians earlier on the effectiveness of ¹⁷⁷Lu-PSMA.

KEYNOTE-365 cohort A updated results: Pembrolizumab (pembro) plus olaparib in docetaxel-pretreated patients (pts) with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC)

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Background: KEYNOTE-365 (NCT02861573) is a phase 1b/2 study evaluating pembro + other agents in mCRPC. Updated results from cohort A (pembro + olaparib) are reported. Methods: Docetaxel-pretreated, molecularly unselected pts with mCRPC with progression within 6 mo of screening per PSA or radiologic bone/soft tissue progression enrolled. Pts may have received 1 other chemotherapy and ≤2 2nd-generation hormone therapy (HT). Pts received pembro 200 mg IV Q3W + olaparib 400 mg PO BID. Primary end points: safety, PSA response rate (confirmed PSA decline ≥50%), and ORR per blinded independent central review. Results: Of 84 treated pts, 42 discontinued, primarily due to progression (n=29). Median age was 71 y (range, 47-83); 26% were PD-L1+, 26% had visceral disease, and 57% had RECIST-measurable disease. Median follow-up was 3 mo for all pts (n=81) and 14 mo for pts with ≥27 wks’ follow-up (n=41). See Table for efficacy outcomes. Treatment-related AEs occurred in 70 (83%) pts. Most frequent (≥30%) were nausea (33%) and anemia (31%). Grade 3-5 treatment-related AEs occurred in 29 (35%) pts. Three pts died of AEs (2 treatment related [l myocardial infarction, 1 unknown cause]). Conclusions: With additional follow-up, pembro + olaparib continued to show activity in docetaxel-pretreated, molecularly unselected pts who previously received HT for mCRPC. Safety of the combination was consistent with individual profiles of each agent. Clinical trial information: NCT02861573. [Table: see text]

KEYNOTE-365 cohort B updated results: Pembrolizumab (pembro) plus docetaxel and prednisone in abiraterone (abi) or enzalutamide (enza)-pretreated patients (pts) with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC)

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Background: KEYNOTE-365 (NCT02861573) is a phase 1b/2 study to evaluate pembro in combination with other agents in mCRPC. Here we report updated results from cohort B (pembro + docetaxel and prednisone). Methods: Cohort B enrolled pts who failed or were intolerant to ≥4 wk of abi or enza in the prechemotherapy mCRPC state and whose disease progressed within 6 mo of screening as determined by PSA progression or radiologic bone/soft tissue progression. Pts received pembro 200 mg IV + docetaxel 75 mg/m2 IV Q3W and prednisone 5 mg orally twice daily. Primary end points were safety, PSA response rate (confirmed PSA decrease >50%), and ORR per blinded independent central review (BICR). Results: Of 104 treated pts, 72 discontinued, primarily due to progression (55%). Median age was 68 y (range 50-86), 24% were PD-L1+, 25% had visceral disease, and 50% had measurable disease. Median follow-up was 13 mo for all pts (n=104) and 19 mo for pts who had ≥27 wk of follow up (n=72). See table for efficacy outcomes. Treatment-related AEs occurred in 100 pts (96%); most frequent (≥30%) were alopecia, diarrhea, and fatigue (39% each). Grade 3-5 treatment-related AEs occurred in 42 pts (40%). Five pts died of AEs; 2 deaths were from treatment-related AEs (pneumonitis). Conclusions: With additional follow-up, pembro + docetaxel and prednisone continued to show activity in pts with mCRPC who failed previous antihormonal therapy. Safety of the combination was consistent with the known profiles of the individual agents and will be further evaluated in a phase 3 study (KEYNOTE-921). Clinical trial information: NCT02861573. [Table: see text]