Nivolumab for previously treated unresectable metastatic anal cancer (NCI9673): a multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 study

Immunotherapy and radiation therapy for gastrointestinal malignancies: hope or hype?

Immunotherapy represents the newest pillar in cancer care. Although there are increasing data showing the efficacy of immunotherapy there is a spectrum of response across unselected populations of cancer patients. In fact, response rates can be poor even among patients with immunogenic tumors for reasons that remain poorly understood. A promising clinical strategy to improve outcomes, which is supported by an abundance of preclinical data, is combining immunotherapy with radiation therapy. Here we review the existing evidence and future directions for combining immunotherapy and radiation therapy for patients with gastrointestinal cancers.

Cautious optimism-the current role of immunotherapy in gastrointestinal cancers

Immunotherapy has been described as the "fourth pillar" of oncology treatment, in conjunction with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. However, the role of immunotherapy in gastrointestinal tumours is still evolving. Data for checkpoint inhibition in esophagogastric, hepatocellular, colorectal, and anal squamous cell carcinomas are expanding. In phase iii trials in the second-line setting, PD-1 inhibitors have demonstrated positive results for the subset of esophageal cancers that are positive for PD-L1 at a combined positive score of 10 or more. Based on results of phase ii trials, PD-1 inhibitors were approved in North America for use in PD-L1-positive chemorefractory gastric cancers, in hepatocellular carcinoma after sorafenib exposure, and in treatment-refractory deficient mismatch repair (dmmr) or high microsatellite instability (msi-h) tumours, regardless of tissue site. Combination use of PD-1 and ctla-4 inhibitors has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for chemorefractory dmmr or msi-h colorectal cancer. Responses to checkpoint inhibition are durable, particularly in the dmmr or msi-h colorectal cancer cohort. As trials of combination immunotherapy, immunotherapy in combination with other systemic therapies, and immunotherapy in combination with other treatment modalities move forward in multiple tumour sites, cautious optimism is called for. The treatment landscape is continually changing, and expanded indications are likely to be just around the corner.

Genetic Profile and Functional Proteomics of Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Proposal for a Molecular Classification

Anal squamous cell carcinoma is a rare tumor. Chemo-radiotherapy yields a 50% 3-year relapse-free survival rate in advanced anal cancer, so improved predictive markers and therapeutic options are needed. High-throughput proteomics and whole-exome sequencing were performed in 46 paraffin samples from anal squamous cell carcinoma patients. Hierarchical clustering was used to establish groups de novo Then, probabilistic graphical models were used to study the differences between groups of patients at the biological process level. A molecular classification into two groups of patients was established, one group with increased expression of proteins related to adhesion, T lymphocytes and glycolysis; and the other group with increased expression of proteins related to translation and ribosomes. The functional analysis by the probabilistic graphical model showed that these two groups presented differences in metabolism, mitochondria, translation, splicing and adhesion processes. Additionally, these groups showed different frequencies of genetic variants in some genes, such as ATM, SLFN11 and DST Finally, genetic and proteomic characteristics of these groups suggested the use of some possible targeted therapies, such as PARP inhibitors or immunotherapy.

The safety and efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with advanced cancers and pre-existing chronic viral infections (Hepatitis B/C, HIV): A review of the available evidence

The treatment paradigm of several cancers has dramatically changed in recent years with the introduction of immunotherapy. Most oncology trials involving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIPs) have routinely excluded patients with HIV infection and chronic viral hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) due to concerns about viral reactivation, fears of increased toxicity, and the potential lack of efficacy in these patient subgroups. However, with current antiviral therapies, HIV and HBV infections have become chronic diseases and HCV infections can even be cured. Broadening cancer trial eligibility criteria in order to include cancer patients with chronic viral infections can maximize the ecological validity of study results and the ability to understand the ICPIs' benefit-risk profile in patients with these comorbidities. In this review, we examined the evidence on the efficacy and safety of using ICPIs in cancer patients with concurrent chronic viral infections.

Improved treatment outcome and lower skin toxicity with intensity-modulated radiotherapy vs. 3D conventional radiotherapy in anal cancer

PURPOSE

Radiochemotherapy is the standard treatment for anal carcinoma (ACa). Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) has been introduced, allowing focused irradiation of the tumor area. Whether physical benefits of IMRT translate to clinical benefits has not been sufficiently demonstrated.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed data from 82 patients with newly diagnosed ACa. Patients treated with IMRT were compared with previous patients treated with conventional three-dimensional computational radiotherapy (3D-CRT). The influence of IMRT on complete remission and acute and chronic side effects was analyzed in univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

39/40 patients treated with IMRT were in complete remission after 1 year compared to 31/39 patients treated with 3D-CRT (p = 0.014). Multivariate analysis confirmed tumor T stage as well as lack of IMRT treatment as risk factors for persistent tumor at 6 months. No significant benefits of IMRT were apparent at later timepoints (median follow up 52 months, IQR: 31.5-71.8 months). Patients treated with IMRT had a significantly lower degree of skin toxicity (median 2 vs. 3 in a scale ranging from 0 to 3, p = 0.00092). Rates of hematological toxicity/proctitis were not reduced and rates of acute diarrhea increased (p = 0.034). Median length of hospitalization tended to be shorter in patients treated with IMRT (n. s.).

CONCLUSION

We present a real-world experience of shifting radiation technique from conventional 3D-CRT to IMRT. IMRT patients had better tumor control at 1 year and lower degrees of skin toxicity. Our data indicate that IMRT can enable therapies with lower side effects with equal or better oncological results for patients with ACa.

Whither Anal Cancer?

Improving outcomes for uncommon tumours such as anal cancer can be challenging. Evolution of care tends to be incremental rather than transformative and identifying the specific factors facilitating improvement can be difficult. Outcome from specialist units may be better than that demonstrated in trials, posing challenges for development of future trials.

Rational Discovery of Response Biomarkers: Candidate Prognostic Factors and Biomarkers for Checkpoint Inhibitor-Based Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitor has been successfully applied in treatment for multiple cancer types, especially for patients at advanced stage. However, response rate of this promising therapy is low, thus requiring biomarkers for precise medication to reduce the ineffective treatment. With multiple retrospective clinical studies, more and more candidate prognostic factors have been identified with possible mechanic explanation, including the basic clinical characteristics (e.g., age and gender), molecular features (e.g., PD-L1 expression and tumor mutation burden). After validation in independent patient cohorts with large sample size, several markers have been approved as companion biomarkers. However, validation and combinations of all the possible candidate biomarkers are still challenging to predict the treatment outcomes. In this chapter, we will summarize and introduce the prognostic factors and biomarkers for checkpoint inhibitor-based immunotherapy.

VITAL phase 2 study: Upfront 5-fluorouracil, mitomycin-C, panitumumab and radiotherapy treatment in nonmetastatic squamous cell carcinomas of the anal canal (GEMCAD 09-02)

Aim

VITAL, a phase II single‐arm study, aimed to evaluate efficacy and safety of panitumumab addition to 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU), mitomycin‐C (MMC) and radiotherapy (RT) in patients with localized squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCCAC).

Methods

Adult, treatment‐naïve SCCAC patients (Stage T2‐T4, any N, M0) and ECOG‐PS ≤2, received panitumumab (6 mg/kg, day 1 and Q2W; 8 weeks), 5‐FU (1000 mg/m²/d, days 1‐4 and 29‐32), MMC (10 mg/m², days 1 and 29) and RT 45 Gy (1.8 Gy/fraction) to the primary tumor and mesorectal, iliac and inguinal lymph nodes, plus 10‐15 Gy boost dose to the primary tumor and affected lymph nodes. The primary objective was disease free survival rate (DFS) at 3‐years (expected 3‐year DFS rate: 73.7 ± 12%).

Results

Fifty‐eight patients (31 women; median age: 59 years; ECOG‐PS 0‐1:98%; TNM II [29%] (T2 or T3/N0/M0)/IIIA (T1‐T3/N1/M0 or T4/N0/M0) [21%]/IIIB (T4/N1/M0 or any T/N2 or N3/M0) [47%]/nonevaluable [4%]) were included. The median follow‐up was 45 months. The 3‐year DFS rate was 61.1% (95% CI: 47.1, 72.4). The 3‐year overall survival rate was 78.4% (95% CI: 65.1, 87.1). Eighteen patients (31.0%) required a colostomy within 2 years posttreatment. Grade 3‐4 toxicities were experienced by 53 (91%) patients. Most common grade 3‐4 treatment‐related events were radiation skin injury (40%) and neutropenia (24%). No toxic deaths occurred. Improved efficacy in colostomy‐free survival and complete response rate was observed in human papilloma virus positive patients.

Conclusions

Panitumumab addition to MMC‐5FU regimen in SCCAC patients increases toxicity and does not improve patients’ outcomes. RT plus MMC‐5FU remains the standard of care for localized SCCAC patients.

Programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor treatment is associated with acute kidney injury and hypocalcemia: meta-analysis

Background

The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the risks and incidence of nephrotoxicity and electrolyte abnormalities in patients receiving programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors.

Methods

We conducted a meta-analysis of clinical trials that monitored electrolyte levels and kidney functions during treatment with nivolumab or pembrolizumab by searching MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Database from inception through April 2017. Our protocol is registered with International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews; no.CRD42017060579.

Results

A total of 48 clinical trials with a total of 11 482 patients were included. The overall pooled risk ratios (RR) of all acute kidney injury (AKI) and all electrolyte abnormalities in patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors were 1.86 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.95-3.64] and 1.67 (95% CI 0.89-3.12), respectively. Compared with non-nephrotoxic controls, the pooled RR of AKI in patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors was 4.19 (95% CI 1.57-11.18). Prespecified subgroup analyses demonstrated a significant association between PD-1 inhibitors and hypocalcemia with a pooled RR of 10.87 (95% CI 1.40-84.16). The pooled estimated incidence rates of AKI and hypocalcemia in patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors were 2.2% (95% CI 1.5-3.0%) and 1.0% (95% CI 0.6-1.8%), respectively. Among patients who developed AKI with PD-1 inhibitors, the pooled estimated rate of interstitial nephritis was 16.6% (95% CI 10.2-26.0%).

Conclusions

Treatment with PD-1 inhibitors is associated with a higher risk of AKI compared with non-nephrotoxic agents. It will be important to characterize the AKI patients to better understand the etiology behind the event. In addition, treatment with PD-1 inhibitors is associated with an increased risk of hypocalcemia. This study highlights a rare but serious adverse event of anti-PD-1 antibodies and we recommend, in addition to electrolytes panel, routine calcium monitoring.

Treating cancer with immunotherapy in HIV-positive patients: A challenging reality

Immunotherapy has widely changed the management of different malignancies. However, efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are not well established in people living with HIV (PLWH). Population of HIV-positive patients has deeply changed after the introduction of modern antiretroviral therapy (ART) and available data of immunotherapy in this subgroup are inadequate considering that cancer has become a leading cause of death and morbidity in this population. Moreover, there are many similarities between cancer and infectious antigen stimulation so that ICIs are even under evaluation as specific HIV treatment. Most of literature on this topic is based on small case series that suggest that immunotherapy for PLWH seems to be as effective as in HIV-negative population with a good safety profile. In this article we review literature on HIV and immunotherapy and we collect many case series available in different malignancies, with a brief focus on lung cancer.

C-Reactive Protein-to-Albumin Ratio as Prognostic Marker for Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated With Chemoradiotherapy

Background: Definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is the primary treatment for non-metastatic anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC). Despite favorable treatment outcomes in general, failure rates up to 40% occur in locally advanced disease. For treatment escalation or de-escalation strategies easily assessable and valid biomarkers are needed. Methods: We identified 125 patients with ASCC treated with standard CRT at our department. C-reactive protein (CRP) to albumin ratio (CAR) was calculated dividing baseline CRP by baseline albumin levels. We used maximally selected rank statistics to dichotomize patients to high and low risk groups. Associations of CAR with clinicopathologic parameters were evaluated and the prognostic impact was tested using univariate and multivariate cox regression analysis. In a subset of 78 patients, pretreatment tumor tissue was available and CD8+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and p16^INK4a status were scored by immunohistochemistry and correlated with CAR. Results: Advanced T-stage and male gender were significantly associated with higher baseline CAR. Using the calculated cutoff of 0.117, a high baseline CAR was also associated with worse locoregional control (p = 0.002), distant metastasis-free survival (p = 0.01), disease-free survival (DFS, p = 0.002) and overall survival (OS, p < 0.001). A combined risk score incorporating N-stage and CAR, termed N-CAR score, was associated with worse outcome across all endpoints and in multivariate analysis independent of T-stage and Gender (HR 4.27, p = 0.003). In the subset of 78 patients, a strong infiltration with intratumoral CD8+ TIL was associated with a significantly lower CAR (p = 0.007). CAR is an easily accessible biomarker that is associated with DFS. Our study revealed a possible link between chronic systemic inflammation and an impaired intratumoral immune response.

Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies Targeting Immune Checkpoints for the Treatment of Solid Tumors

Recently, modulation of immune checkpoints has risen to prominence as a means to treat a number of solid malignancies, given the durable response seen in many patients and improved side effect profile compared to conventional chemotherapeutic agents. Several classes of immune checkpoint modulators have been developed. Here, we review current monoclonal antibodies directed against immune checkpoints that are employed in practice today. We discuss the history, mechanism, indications, and clinical data for each class of therapies. Furthermore, we review the challenges to durable tumor responses that are seen in some patients and discuss possible interventions to circumvent these barriers.

Phagocytosis checkpoints as new targets for cancer immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapies targeting adaptive immune checkpoints have substantially improved patient outcomes across multiple metastatic and treatment-refractory cancer types. However, emerging studies have demonstrated that innate immune checkpoints, which interfere with the detection and clearance of malignant cells through phagocytosis and suppress innate immune sensing, also have a key role in tumour-mediated immune escape and might, therefore, be potential targets for cancer immunotherapy. Indeed, preclinical studies and early clinical data have established the promise of targeting phagocytosis checkpoints, such as the CD47-signal-regulatory protein α (SIRPα) axis, either alone or in combination with other cancer therapies. In this Review, we highlight the current understanding of how cancer cells evade the immune system by disrupting phagocytic clearance and the effect of phagocytosis checkpoint blockade on induction of antitumour immune responses. Given the role of innate immune cells in priming adaptive immune responses, an improved understanding of the tumour-intrinsic processes that inhibit essential immune surveillance processes, such as phagocytosis and innate immune sensing, could pave the way for the development of highly effective combination immunotherapy strategies that modulate both innate and adaptive antitumour immune responses.

Nivolumab Treatment for Cancers in the HIV-infected Population

Nivolumab is a standard treatment option in several advanced malignancies, but safety and efficacy are still unknown in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We describe a case series of people living with HIV (PLWH) receiving nivolumab in the Veterans Health Administration (VA) and report responses and toxicities. We identified all PLWH who received nivolumab at any VA facility since 2000 in the Corporate Data Warehouse (CDW), which provides nationwide research access to VA electronic medical records. We identified 16 HIV-infected nivolumab recipients. The median number of nivolumab doses received was 6 (range, 1-32). Changes in CD4 count during therapy were variable, with 70% (7/10) of patients experiencing increases. Half of PLWH were treated for non-small-cell lung cancer; 2 for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), 2 for renal cell carcinoma, and 4 for off-label cancers. For non-small-cell lung cancer, 7 patients had evaluable responses. Although 5 of 7 patients immediately progressed, 1 had a partial response and 1 had stable disease, which were both durable. Two of 16 (14%) PLWH had complete responses; both with HL (2/2 HL, 100%). The prevalence of immune-related adverse effects was 40% overall (6/15); 27% (4/15) had pneumonitis. To our knowledge, this is the largest case series reporting outcomes with nivolumab in PLWH. Outcomes were comparable with those seen in studies of HIV-uninfected patients, and particularly interesting for HL. The reason for the high proportions of immune-related adverse effects is unclear, but needs to be confirmed in larger studies.

Nivolumab versus chemotherapy in patients with advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma refractory or intolerant to previous chemotherapy (ATTRACTION-3): a multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial

BACKGROUND

Chemotherapy for patients with advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma offers poor long-term survival prospects. We report the final analysis from our study of the immune checkpoint PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab versus chemotherapy in patients with previously treated advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

METHODS

We did a multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial (ATTRACTION-3) at 90 hospitals and cancer centres in Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the UK, and the USA. We enrolled patients aged 20 years and older with unresectable advanced or recurrent oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (regardless of PD-L1 expression), at least one measurable or non-measurable lesion per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1, a baseline Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-1, and who were refractory or intolerant to one previous fluoropyrimidine-based and platinum-based chemotherapy and had a life expectancy of at least 3 months. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to either nivolumab (240 mg for 30 min every 2 weeks) or investigator's choice of chemotherapy (paclitaxel 100 mg/m² for at least 60 min once per week for 6 weeks then 1 week off; or docetaxel 75 mg/m² for at least 60 min every 3 weeks), all given intravenously. Treatment continued until disease progression assessed by the investigator per RECIST version 1.1 or unacceptable toxicity. Randomisation was done using an interactive web response system with a block size of four and stratified according to geographical region (Japan vs rest of the world), number of organs with metastases, and PD-L1 expression. Patients and investigators were not masked to treatment allocation. The primary endpoint was overall survival, defined as the time from randomisation until death from any cause, in the intention-to-treat population that included all randomly assigned patients. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of the assigned treatment. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02569242, and follow-up for long-term outcomes is ongoing.

FINDINGS

Between Jan 7, 2016, and May 25, 2017, we assigned 419 patients to treatment: 210 to nivolumab and 209 to chemotherapy. At the time of data cutoff on Nov 12, 2018, median follow-up for overall survival was 10·5 months (IQR 4·5-19·0) in the nivolumab group and 8·0 months (4·6-15·2) in the chemotherapy group. At a minimum follow-up time (ie, time from random assignment of the last patient to data cutoff) of 17·6 months, overall survival was significantly improved in the nivolumab group compared with the chemotherapy group (median 10·9 months, 95% CI 9·2-13·3 vs 8·4 months, 7·2-9·9; hazard ratio for death 0·77, 95% CI 0·62-0·96; p=0·019). 38 (18%) of 209 patients in the nivolumab group had grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events compared with 131 (63%) of 208 patients in the chemotherapy group. The most frequent grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events were anaemia (four [2%]) in the nivolumab group and decreased neutrophil count (59 [28%]) in the chemotherapy group. Five deaths were deemed treatment-related: two in the nivolumab group (one each of interstitial lung disease and pneumonitis) and three in the chemotherapy group (one each of pneumonia, spinal cord abscess, and interstitial lung disease).

INTERPRETATION

Nivolumab was associated with a significant improvement in overall survivaland a favourable safety profile compared with chemotherapy in previously treated patients with advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and might represent a new standard second-line treatment option for these patients.

FUNDING

ONO Pharmaceutical Company and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Mitomycin and 5-fluorouracil for second-line treatment of metastatic squamous cell carcinomas of the anal canal

Background

Metastatic squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the anal canal are rare and there is no international consensus on their second‐line management. 5‐Fluorouracil (5‐FU) and mitomycin in combination with radiotherapy is the standard for locally advanced forms but its efficacy in metastatic stage has never been evaluated.

Patients and methods

We report a retrospective analysis of patients treated with 5‐FU and mitomycin from 2000 to 2017 in our institution for a metastatic SCC of the anal canal after failure of platinum‐based regimen. The main outcome was progression‐free survival (PFS) and the secondary outcomes were overall survival (OS), response rate, and toxicity.

Results

Nineteen patients, 15 women and four men, with a median age of 57 years were identified (range, 40‐79 years). Patients received a median of three cycles (1‐7) of mitomycin 5‐FU. A dose reduction was necessary in six patients (31.6%), one patient had to discontinue treatment following toxicity and no death was due to treatment toxicity was reported. An objective response was observed in five patients (26.4%, 95% CI 6.6‐46.2) including one complete response, six patients (31.6%, 95% CI 10.7‐52.5) showed tumor stabilization. Median PFS and OS were 3 months [95% CI 1‐5] and 7 months [95% CI 2.2‐11.8]. Responder had a median duration of response of 4 months [95% CI 1.8‐6.1] and one patient had 23 months duration of response. No significant difference was noted for PFS and OS for patients previously treated with mitomycin and 5‐FU at a local stage.

Conclusion

Mitomycin and 5‐FU regimen provides tumor control with acceptable tolerance. It is an option for patients with metastatic SCC of the anal canal after failure of platinum‐based chemotherapy. [Correction added on 9 October 2019, after first online publication: '5‐FU' was inadvertently removed from the Results and Conclusion and has now been added to the text.]

[Anal channel cancer: customization of dose, volume and breaching]

The conservative treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of anal canal by irradiation is recommended as first indication. Despite its rarity, significant improvements were obtained by retrospective or prospective clinical studies these 20 past years, evaluating concomitant chemotherapy and IMRT. Nevertheless, the individualisation of the treatment, over dose distribution, has poor data available. Fractionation remains classic (1.8-2.0Gy/Fr), but the optimal dose level remains under discussion. The strategy concerning the volumes and doses for the prophylactic volumes remains under discussion. This paper will describe the data published, and the recommendations of working Groups, and the main options under evaluation. To conclude, today only the absence of gap is recommended, the benefit of a one-step schedule reducing the treatment time, then increasing local control and survival, but personalised schedules remain under investigation.

Immunotherapy for cancer in people living with HIV: safety with an efficacy signal from the series in real life experience

OBJECTIVE

To report efficacy and tolerance of nivolumab or pembrolizumab, PD-1 inhibitors, in people living with HIV (PLWHIV) and cancer.

DESIGN

Series of PLWHIV cancer patients treated with anti-PD1 agents in real-life clinical practice.

METHODS

From May 2014 to January 2019, 575 HIV-infected patients have been discussed in the French CANCERVIH national multidisciplinary board and included in the network database. Twenty-three patients were treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors in daily practice. We report the demographic characteristics, CD4 T-cell counts, HIV viral loads, safety and efficacy data of these 23 PLWHIV treated in routine practice with nivolumab or pembrolizumab for nonsmall cell lung cancer (n = 21), melanoma (n = 1) and head and neck cancer (n = 1) retrospectively collected from the database CANCERVIH network. The median CD4 T-cell count at treatment initiation was 370 cells/μl (IQR: 125-1485). HIV viral load was undetectable in all patients.

RESULTS

As of 29 April 2019, with a median follow-up of 10.8 months (2.0-27.7), the median number of injections was 6 (IQR: 4-18). Only two grade 3 adverse reactions were reported (no toxic deaths or immune-related deaths). Among the 23 patients, a partial response was observed in five patients (22%), a stabilization for five (22%) and a progression in 13 (57%). Only one patient experienced a positive HIV viral load, but this occurred following ART interruption.

CONCLUSION

Treatment with PD-1 inhibitors seems to have an efficacy signal and be well tolerated in PLWHIV, including impact on CD4 lymphocyte count and HIV load, that should be monitored during treatment course (regarding real-life experience).

Dramatic response to modified docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil chemotherapy after immunotherapy in a patient with refractory metastatic anal cancer

Doublet chemotherapies are the mainstay in the management of metastatic anal cancer. Immunotherapy has been incorporated into guidelines in a refractory setting. Treatment options remain limited with tumor progression beyond immunotherapy. Modified docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil (mDCF) chemotherapy, after progression postimmunotherapy, has shown a near-complete response in our patient with metastatic anal cancer. This likely is secondary to the sequence of immunotherapy followed by chemotherapy that is yielding greater than historical responses.

Treatment-Related Adverse Events of PD-1 and PD-L1 Inhibitors in Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

IMPORTANCE

Programmed cell death (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors have been increasingly used in cancer therapy. Understanding the treatment-related adverse events of these drugs is critical for clinical practice.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the incidences of treatment-related adverse events of PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors and the differences between different drugs and cancer types.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus were searched from October 1, 2017, through December 15, 2018.

STUDY SELECTION

Published clinical trials on single-agent PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors with tabulated data on treatment-related adverse events were included.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Trial name, phase, cancer type, PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitor used, dose escalation, dosing schedule, number of patients, number of all adverse events, and criteria for adverse event reporting data were extracted from each included study, and bayesian multilevel regression models were applied for data analysis.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Incidences of treatment-related adverse events and differences between different drugs and cancer types.

RESULTS

This systematic review and meta-analysis included 125 clinical trials involving 20 128 patients; 12 277 (66.0%) of 18 610 patients from 106 studies developed at least 1 adverse event of any grade (severity), and 2627 (14.0%) of 18 715 patients from 110 studies developed at least 1 adverse event of grade 3 or higher severity. The most common all-grade adverse events were fatigue (18.26%; 95% CI, 16.49%-20.11%), pruritus (10.61%; 95% CI, 9.46%-11.83%), and diarrhea (9.47%; 95% CI, 8.43%-10.58%). The most common grade 3 or higher adverse events were fatigue (0.89%; 95% CI, 0.69%-1.14%), anemia (0.78%; 95% CI, 0.59%-1.02%), and aspartate aminotransferase increase (0.75%; 95% CI, 0.56%-0.99%). Hypothyroidism (6.07%; 95% CI, 5.35%-6.85%) and hyperthyroidism (2.82%; 95% CI, 2.40%-3.29%) were the most frequent all-grade endocrine immune-related adverse events. Nivolumab was associated with higher mean incidences of all-grade adverse events compared with pembrolizumab (odds ratio [OR], 1.28; 95% CI, 0.97-1.79) and grade 3 or higher adverse events (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 0.89-2.00). PD-1 inhibitors were associated with a higher mean incidence of grade 3 or higher adverse events compared with PD-L1 inhibitors (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.00-2.54).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Different PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors appear to have varying treatment-related adverse events; a comprehensive summary of the incidences of treatment-related adverse events in clinical trials provides an important guide for clinicians.

Role of pelvic chemoradiation therapy in patients with initially metastatic anal canal cancer: A National Cancer Database review

BACKGROUND

Although the management of localized anal canal squamous cell carcinomas is well established, the role of pelvic chemoradiation (CRT) in the treatment of patients presenting with synchronous metastatic (stage IV) disease is poorly defined. This study used a national cancer database to compare the overall survival (OS) rates of patients with synchronous metastatic disease receiving CRT to the pelvis and patients treated with chemotherapy (CT) alone.

METHODS

This study included adult patients with anal canal squamous cell carcinomas presenting with synchronous metastases diagnosed from 2004 to 2012. Multiple imputation and 2:1 propensity score matching were used to create a matched data set for testing. The proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) for the effect of the treatment group on OS. With only patients in the matched data set, the OS of the treatment groups was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method by treatment group.

RESULTS

This study started with an unmatched data set of 978 patients, and 582 patients were selected for the matched data set: 388 in the CRT group and 194 in the CT-alone group. The HR for the group effect was 0.75 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.61-0.92; P = .006). The median OS was 21.1 months in the CRT group (95% CI, 17.4-24.0 months) and 14.6 months in the CT group (95% CI, 12.2-18.4 months). The corresponding 5-year OS rates were 23% (95% CI, 18%-28%) and 14% (95% CI, 7%-21%), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In this large series analyzing OS in patients with stage IV anal cancer, CRT was associated with improved OS in comparison with CT alone. Because of the lack of prospective data in this setting, this evidence will help to guide treatment approaches in this group of patients.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of virus-associated cancers

Among all malignant tumors that threaten human health, virus-related tumors account for a large proportion. The treatment of these tumors is still an urgent problem to be resolved. The immune system is the "guard" of the human body, resisting the invasion of foreign substances such as viruses. Studies have shown that immunotherapy has clinical significance in the treatment of a variety of tumors. In particular, the emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in recent years has opened a new door to cancer therapy. Considering the potential role of ICIs in the treatment of virus-related cancers, we focused on their therapeutic effect in virus-associated cancers and explored whether the therapeutic effect in virus-associated cancers was related to virus infection status. Although there is no clear statistical significance indicates that ICIs are more effective in virus-associated cancers than non-virus infections, the efficacy of checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of virus-related cancers is promising. We believe that this research provides a good direction for the implementation of individualized precision medicine.

High IDO1 Expression Is Associated with Poor Outcome in Patients with Anal Cancer Treated with Definitive Chemoradiotherapy

BACKGROUND

This study characterizes the tumor-immune microenvironment in pretreatment, localized anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC), including two markers that have not previously been studied in ASCC: indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective review identified 63 patients with ASCC receiving definitive chemoradiation between 2005 and 2016 with pretreatment tissue available. Immunohistochemistry was used to quantify cluster of differentiation 8 (CD8), programmed cell death protein 1, programmed death-ligand 1, HLA class I, and IDO1. Cox proportional hazards models evaluated associations between outcomes and immune markers, controlling for clinical characteristics.

RESULTS

With a median follow-up of 35 months, 3-year overall survival was 78%. The only marker found to have a robust association with outcome was tumor IDO1. In general, the percentage of tumor cells expressing IDO1 was low (median 1%, interquartile range 0%-20%); however, patients with >50% of tumor cells expressing IDO1 had significantly worse overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] 4.7, p = .007) as well as higher local recurrence (HR 8.6, p = .0005) and distant metastasis (HR 12.7, p = .0002). Tumors with >50% IDO1 were also more likely to have the lowest quartile of CD8 infiltrate (<40 per high-power field, p = .024).

CONCLUSION

ASCC has a diverse immune milieu. Although patients generally do well with standard therapy, IDO1 may serve as a prognostic indicator of poor outcome and could help identify a patient population that might benefit from IDO-targeted therapies.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

After definitive chemoradiation, patients with locally advanced anal cancer may experience significant treatment morbidity and high risk of recurrence. The goal of the current study is to identify novel prognostic factors in the tumor-immune microenvironment that predict for poor outcomes after definitive chemoradiation. This study characterizes the tumor-immune microenvironment in pre-treatment, localized anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC), including two markers which have not previously been studied in ASCC: indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) and HLA class I. With a median follow-up of 3 years, this study demonstrated that high IDO1 expression is correlated with significantly worse 3-year overall survival (88% vs. 25%). Whereas recent studies of IDO1 inhibitors have shown mixed results, this study suggests that patients with anal cancer with high IDO1 expression have dismal prognosis and may represent a patient population primed for response to targeted IDO1 inhibition.

Remembering the forgotten child: the role of immune checkpoint inhibition in patients with human immunod eficiency virus and cancer

Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection have a high risk of developing virally-mediated cancers. These tumors have several features that could make them vulnerable to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) including, but not limited to, increased expression of the CTLA-4 and PD-1 checkpoints on their CD4+ T cells. Even so, HIV-positive patients are generally excluded from immunotherapy cancer clinical trials due to safety concerns. Hence, only case series have been published regarding HIV-positive patients with cancer who received ICIs, but these reports of individuals with a variety of malignancies demonstrate that ICIs have significant activity, exceeding a 65% objective response rate in Kaposi sarcoma. Furthermore, high-grade immune toxicities occurred in fewer than 10% of treated patients. The existing data suggest that the underlying biologic mechanisms that mediate development of cancer in HIV-infected patients should render them susceptible to ICI treatment. Preliminary, albeit limited, clinical experience indicates that checkpoint blockade is both safe and efficacious in this setting. Additional clinical trials that include HIV-positive patients with cancer are urgently needed.

Safety and clinical activity of PD-L1 blockade in patients with aggressive recurrent respiratory papillomatosis

Background

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a human papillomavirus (HPV)-driven disorder that causes substantial morbidity and can lead to fatal distal airway obstruction and post-obstructive pneumonias. Patients require frequent surgical debridement of disease, and no approved systemic adjuvant therapies exist.

Methods

A phase II study was conducted to investigate the clinical activity and safety of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) blockade with avelumab in patients with RRP.

Results

Twelve patients were treated. All patients with laryngeal RRP displayed improvement in disease burden, and 5 of 9 (56%) displayed partial responses. None of 4 patients with pulmonary RRP displayed a response. Using each patient’s surgical history as their own control, patients required fewer surgical interventions after avelumab treatment (p = 0.008). A subset of partial responders developed HPV-specific reactivity in papilloma-infiltrating T-cells that correlated with reduced HPV viral load and an increased Tissue Inflammation Signature.

Conclusions

Avelumab demonstrated safety and clinical activity in patients with laryngeal RRP. Further study of immune checkpoint blockade for RRP, possibly with longer treatment duration or in combination with other immunotherapies aimed at activating antiviral immunity, is warranted.

Trial registration

NCT, number NCT02859454, registered August 9, 2016.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s40425-019-0603-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Pharmacotherapy of Anal Cancer

Anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA), among other malignancies, is associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV) and its incidence continues to rise. Anal SCCA will likely remain an existing healthcare concern given compliance issues with the HPV vaccination seen in the US. Localized disease is predominantly treated with standard of care (SOC) definitive chemoradiation that has remained unchanged for decades. Clinical and molecular prognostic factors have emerged to characterize patients unresponsive to SOC, revealing the need for an alternate approach. Metastatic disease is an extremely small subset and understudied population due to its rarity. Recent prospective trials and mutational analysis have opened treatment options for this subset in need. Our review details the pharmacotherapeutic treatment in localized and metastatic anal SCCA chronologically, while also describing future outlooks.

A multicenter open-label phase II trial to evaluate nivolumab and ipilimumab for 2nd line therapy in elderly patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell cancer (RAMONA)

Background

Advanced esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) is frequently diagnosed in elderly patients. The impact of 2nd line chemotherapy is poorly defined. Recent data demonstrated effectiveness of checkpoint inhibitors in different squamous cell carcinomas. Therefore, we assess combined nivolumab/ipilimumab as 2nd line therapy in elderly ESCC patients.

Methods

RAMONA is a multicenter open-label phase II trial. The primary objective is to demonstrate a significant survival benefit of nivolumab/ipilimumab in advanced ESCC compared to historical data of standard chemotherapy. Primary endpoint is therefore overall survival (OS). Major secondary objective is the evaluation of tolerability. Time to QoL deterioration will thus be determined as key secondary endpoint. Further secondary endpoints are tumor response, PFS and safety. We aim to recruit a total of n = 75 subjects that have to be > 65 years old. Eligibility is determined by the geriatric status (G8 screening and Deficit Accumulation Frailty Index (DAFI)). A safety assessment will be performed after a 3 cycle run-in phase of nivolumab (240 mg Q2W) to justify escalation for eligible patients to combined nivolumab (240 mg Q2W) and ipilimumab (1 mg/kg Q6W), while the other patients will remain on nivolumab only. RAMONA also includes translational research sub-studies to identify predictive biomarkers, including PD-1 and PD-L1 evaluation at different time points, establishment of organoid cultures and microbiome analyses for response prediction.

Discussion

The RAMONA trial aims to implement checkpoint inhibitors for elderly patients with advanced ESCC as second line therapy. Novel biomarkers for checkpoint-inhibitor response are analyzed in extensive translational sub-studies.

Trial registration

EudraCT Number: 2017–002056-86; NCT03416244, registered: 31.1.2018.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-019-5446-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Clinical Activity of Nivolumab for Human Papilloma Virus-Related Juvenile-Onset Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis

BACKGROUND

Juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (JO-RRP) is a human papilloma virus-mediated progressive benign neoplasm that affects children and young adults. Primary management consists of regular surgical debulking to maintain airway patency and vocal function. Like condyloma acuminata, JO-RRP is associated with immune dysregulation, and T cells isolated from papillomas express an anergic phenotype. Therefore, we hypothesized that programmed death protein 1 axis inhibition could stabilize tumor growth.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We treated two patients with refractory JO-RRP using nivolumab, with the primary objective of assessing clinical activity. We explored baseline papilloma features using immunohistochemistry and comprehensive genomic profiling.

RESULTS

Both patients experienced symptomatic improvement, and interval laryngoscopies revealed a reduction in papillomatosis burden. One patient has not required subsequent surgical debridement for almost 2 years. On pathologic examination of pretreatment papillomas from both cases, infiltrating T cells were evident in the papilloma stroma, and papilloma programmed death ligand 1 expression was absent. Papilloma mutational load ranged between three and six mutations per megabase for each case. From on-treatment biopsy tissue, a higher amount of intraepithelial T cells and programmed death ligand 1 expression were detected in the papilloma.

CONCLUSION

Nivolumab appears to have promising activity in JO-RRP, and further clinical investigation with more patients in clinical trials is warranted.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

To the authors' knowledge, this article is the first report describing clinical activity with a programed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitor to treat a rare but detrimental type of respiratory tract epithelial neoplasm that afflicts young adults. Two patients were treated, and tumor features, such as mutational load, were examined with the intent to stimulate future hypotheses for translational research. The safety and activity of PD-1 inhibitors in this population still need to be corroborated in clinical trials and should not yet be adopted into clinical practice.

DNA Mismatch Repair Deficiency and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Gastrointestinal Cancers

In the recent few years, significant efforts have been undertaken for the development of different immunotherapeutic approaches against cancer. In this context, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), a novel class of immunotherapeutic drugs with the potential to unleash the immune system, have emerged as authentic game-changers for managing patients with various cancers, including gastrointestinal malignancies. Although the majority of gastrointestinal cancers are generally considered poorly immunogenic, basic research findings and data from clinical trials have proven that subset(s) of patients with various digestive tract cancers are highly responsive to ICI-based therapy. In this context, a better understanding on the role of various DNA repair pathway alterations, especially the evidence supporting the significant importance of DNA mismatch repair deficiencies and the efficacy of the anti-programmed cell death 1 drugs, have led to US Food and Drug Administration approval of 2 anti-programmed cell death 1 antibodies (pembrolizumab and nivolumab) for the treatment of patients with microsatellite instability. This review aims to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date summary for the role of DNA mismatch repair deficiency in cancer, and its importance in the development of ICI therapy. In addition, we provide insights into the spectrum of various genetic alterations underlying ICI resistance, together with the important influence that the tumor microenvironment plays in mediating the therapeutic response to this new class of drugs. Finally, we provide a comprehensive yet succinct glimpse into the most exciting preclinical discoveries and ongoing clinical trials in the field, highlighting bench-to-beside translational impact of this exciting area of research.

Immunologic Biomarkers and Biomarkers for Immunotherapies in Gastrointestinal Cancer

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers contribute significantly to the worldwide cancer burden. Pathologic evaluation is indispensable for the estimation of prognosis and therapeutic strategy. At present, immunotherapies are evolving into efficient therapeutic approaches, which are accompanied by the need for biomarkers to predict therapy response. In colorectal cancers, the only predictive biomarker for Food and Drug Administration-approved immunotherapy is the mismatch repair status. Besides, pathogenic polymerase epsilon mutations, tumor mutational burden, neoantigen load, and features of the immune contexture could soon find their way into clinical routine. Furthermore, in colorectal cancer, the Immunoscore, which is defined by the amount of CD3+ and CD8+ T-cells in the tumor center as well as at the infiltrative margin, might supplement the TNM system in the future (as TNM-Immune). This immunologic biomarker was shown to be impressively prognostic and predictive in colorectal cancer. In conclusion, there is increasing evidence of immunologic as well as predictive biomarkers for immunotherapies in GI cancers. Nevertheless, future progress is necessary for the variety of current advances to be implemented in clinical care.

Blockade of the PD-1 axis alone is not sufficient to activate HIV-1 virion production from CD4+ T cells of individuals on suppressive ART

Blockade of the programmed cell death protein/ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) pathway with monoclonal antibodies (mAb) is now commonly used for cancer immunotherapy and has therapeutic potential in chronic viral infections including HIV-1. PD-1/PD-L1 blockade could augment HIV-1-specific immune responses and reverse HIV-1 latency, but the latter effect has not been clearly shown. We tested the ability of the human anti-PD-L1 mAb BMS-936559 and the human anti-PD-1 mAb nivolumab to increase HIV-1 virion production ex vivo from different peripheral blood mononuclear cell populations obtained from donors on suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART). Fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), CD8-depleted PBMC, total CD4⁺ T cells, and resting CD4⁺ T cells were purified from whole blood of HIV-1-infected donors and cultured in varying concentrations of BMS-936559 (20, 5, or 1.25μg/mL) or nivolumab (5 or 1.25μg/mL), with or without anti-CD3/CD28 stimulatory antibodies. Culture supernatants were assayed for virion HIV-1 RNA by qRT-PCR. Ex vivo exposure to BMS-936559 or nivolumab, with or without anti-CD3/CD28 stimulation, did not consistently increase HIV-1 virion production from blood mononuclear cell populations. Modest (2-fold) increases in virus production were observed in a subset of donors and in some cell types but were not reproducible in longitudinal samples. Cell surface expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 were not associated with changes in virus production. Ex vivo blockade of the PD-1 axis alone has limited effects on HIV-1 latency.

HPV-Associated Anal Cancer in the HIV/AIDS Patient

The prevalence of anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and anal high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) remain high among HIV-infected individuals on effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). The incidence of HPV-related anal cancers has continued to increase since the introduction of ART. Therefore, ART may confer only limited benefit with respect to reducing the risk of anal HSIL and cancer. Efforts are in progress to define the efficacy of secondary prevention programs for prevention of anal cancer. In the modern ART era, anal cancer recurrence and survival outcomes are similar in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients, but HIV-infected patients may experience more toxicities. This article reviews the current literature on HPV-associated anal cancer in the HIV-infected population, including epidemiology, screening, clinical characteristics, and treatment outcomes.

Outcomes of Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 (PD-1) and Programmed Death-Ligand 1(PD-L1) Inhibitor Therapy in HIV Patients with Advanced Cancer

Due to HAART and consequent decline in mortality from infectious complications, HIV patients have an increasing burden of non-AIDS defining cancers. Data on their safety and efficacy is unknown as these patients were excluded from clinical trials due to concern of unforeseen side effects. Objectives. The main objective of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors in HIV patients being treated for advanced cancers and to assess the impact of these drugs on HIV status of the patients specifically CD4 count and HIV viral load. Materials and Methods. This was a retrospective analysis of data of 17 patients HIV treated with one of the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors (Nivolumab, Pembrolizumab, Atezolizumab, Durvalumab, or Avelumab) for advanced cancer. Results. 10 out of 17 patients responded to therapy. 7 patients, all of whom had shown response to therapy, were alive and 4 were still on checkpoint inhibitor. 10 patients including all 7 nonresponders had died. Responders had minimum of 15 weeks of response while one had ongoing continued response at 34 weeks. Side effects were seen in 7 patients and only one patient needed cessation of therapy. CD4 counts were stable on treatment while HIV RNA remained undetectable. Conclusion. PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors appear to have comparable efficacy and tolerable side effect profile and have no effect on HIV markers when used in HIV patients with advanced cancers.

Rationale for combination of radiation therapy and immune checkpoint blockers to improve cancer treatment

Radiation therapy for cancer is considered to be immunosuppressive. However, the cellular response after radiation therapy may stimulate or suppress an immune response. The effect may vary with the tumor type and occasionally tumor regressions have been observed outside the irradiated volume, both in animal studies and in the clinic. A renewed interest in the role of immunity for the observed effect of radiation came with the current recognized role of immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs) for control of selected cancer types. We therefore here review preclinical studies and clinical reports on the interaction of ICBs and radiation as a basis for further clinical trials. Some tumor types where the combination of these modalities seems especially promising are also proposed.

The Management and Prevention of Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Our aim is to discuss the current established management of care and associated prevention strategies of anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA). In general, the development of SCCA is commonly linked to a prior history of HPV. Unfortunately, HPV vaccination continues to be underutilized in the United States versus other countries. Increased acknowledgment of the importance of HPV vaccination as an anticancer vaccine should be encouraged. The present standard of care is primary chemoradiotherapy (CRT), which results in a high level of disease control for small, early-stage SCCA. More advanced cancers still fare poorly with this treatment, and the disease relapses locoregionally in the majority of cases (30%-50% of patients), resulting in an abdominoperineal resection. Current treatment recommendations are associated with substantial morbidity; alternative radiation doses and/or novel combinations of agents with CRT are needed to improve quality of life and oncologic outcomes. Cytotoxic chemotherapy remains the standard of care for treatment-naïve patients with metastatic disease, with a possible new treatment paradigm of carboplatin/weekly paclitaxel. In addition, immune checkpoint inhibition appears to have a promising role in the setting of patients with refractory disease. Several clinical trials with immunotherapeutic and vaccine approaches for locally advanced and metastatic anal cancer are ongoing, as are HPV-agnostic umbrella trials. Whenever possible, clinical trial enrollment is always encouraged for further therapeutic development in the setting of a rare cancer, given the potentially substantial global impact for other HPV-associated malignancies.

A Phase II Study of Tumor-infiltrating Lymphocyte Therapy for Human Papillomavirus-associated Epithelial Cancers

PURPOSE

Cellular therapy is an emerging cancer treatment modality, but its application to epithelial cancers has been limited. This clinical trial evaluated tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy for the treatment of patients with metastatic human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated carcinomas.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The trial was a phase II design with two cohorts, cervical cancers and noncervical cancers. Cell infusion was preceded by a lymphocyte-depleting conditioning regimen and followed by systemic high-dose aldesleukin.

RESULTS

Objective tumor responses occurred in 5 of 18 (28%) patients in the cervical cancer cohort and 2 of 11 (18%) patients in the noncervical cancer cohort. Two of the responses in cervical cancer were complete and are ongoing 67 and 53 months after treatment. Responses in the noncervical cancer cohort were in anal cancer and oropharyngeal cancer. The HPV reactivity of the infused T cells correlated with clinical response. Peripheral blood repopulation with HPV-reactive T cells also correlated with clinical response.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings support the concept that cellular therapy can mediate the regression of epithelial cancers, and they suggest the importance of predictive biomarkers and novel treatment platforms for more effective therapies.

Risk of fatigue in cancer patients treated with anti programmed cell death-1/anti programmed cell death ligand-1 agents: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

We aimed to assess the incidence and relative risk (RR) of fatigue in cancer patients treated with anti programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and anti programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) agents.

PATIENTS & METHODS

Eligible studies were selected according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Incidence, RR and 95% CIs were calculated using random or fixed-effects models.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight studies were included in this analysis, with a total of 11,719 patients. The incidences were 23.4 and 2.1% for all- and high-grade fatigue, respectively. The highest incidence of high-grade fatigue was reported by the combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab. Overall RR of high-grade fatigue with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 compared with chemotherapy or targeted therapy was 0.48.

CONCLUSION

Treatment with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 agents correlates with lower incidence and RR of fatigue compared with standard therapies.

Experimental and investigational drugs for the treatment of anal cancer

INTRODUCTION

Squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCCA) is a rare malignancy, but its incidence rates have been increasing in the last decade. Studies have demonstrated that up to 47% of patients with locally advanced disease have high-risk features for treatment failure. The potential high rates of recurrence after standard chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced disease and the lack of established care for metastatic disease have created an urgent need for the evaluation of new drugs that will ultimately improve the efficacy of treatment.

AREAS COVERED

This review presents results of recent phase-I and -II clinical trials which evaluate novel therapeutic modalities. The review also describes the findings of comprehensive genomic profiling studies which provide insights for promising therapeutics.

EXPERT OPINION

HPV vaccination is underutilized in the United States and as a result, HPV-associated malignancies are likely to continue for several decades; however, pivotal breakthroughs may create a foundation for distinctive treatment approaches for other HPV-associated malignancies for which no other standard of care exists.

Comparative Molecular Analyses of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Esophageal Adenocarcinoma, and Gastric Adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Gastroesophageal cancers are often grouped together even though cancers that originate in the esophagus often exhibit different histological features, geographical distribution, risk factors, and clinical characteristics than those originating in the stomach. Herein, we aimed to compare the molecular characteristics of three different gastroesophageal cancer types: esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), and gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC).

SUBJECTS, MATERIALS, AND METHODS

In total, 3,342 gastroesophageal cancers were examined. Next-generation sequencing was performed on genomic DNA isolated from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor samples using the NextSeq platform. Tumor mutational burden was measured by counting all nonsynonymous missense mutations, and microsatellite instability was examined at over 7,000 target microsatellite loci. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization techniques were also performed.

RESULTS

When compared with EAC and GAC, ESCC showed significantly lower mutational rates within APC, ARID1A, CDH1, KRAS, PTEN, and SMAD4, whereas more frequent mutations were observed in BAP1, CDKN2A, FOXO3, KMT2D, MSH6, NOTCH1, RB1, and SETD2. Human epidermal growth receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression was observed in 13% of EAC compared with 6% of GAC and 1% of ESCC (p < .0001). Compared with EAC and GAC, ESCC exhibited higher expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) (27.7% vs. 7.5% vs. 7.7%, p < .0001). We observed that FGF3, FGF4, FGF19, CCND1 (co-localized on 11q13), and FGFR1 were significantly more amplified in ESCC compared with EAC and GAC (p < .0001).

CONCLUSION

Molecular comparisons between ESCC, EAC, and GAC revealed distinct differences between squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas in each platform tested. Different prevalence of HER2/neu overexpression and amplification, and immune-related biomarkers between ESCC, EAC, and GAC, suggests different sensitivity to HER2-targeted therapy and immune checkpoint inhibition. These findings bring into question the validity of grouping patients with EAC and ESCC together in clinical trials and provide insight into molecular features that may represent novel therapeutic targets.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

This study highlights the genomic heterogeneity of gastroesophageal cancers, showing striking molecular differences between tumors originating from different locations. Moreover, this study showed that esophageal squamous cell carcinomas exhibit a unique molecular profile, whereas gastric adenocarcinomas and esophageal adenocarcinomas have some similarities, supporting the fact that adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas are completely different diseases, irrespective of the tumor location. This raises the question of whether treatment of gastroesophageal tumors should be determined according to histological subtype and molecular targets rather than anatomical site. These findings provide insights that could enable physicians to better select patients and inform therapeutic choices in order to improve clinical outcome.

Checkpoint inhibitor use in two heart transplant patients with metastatic melanoma and review of high-risk populations

Due to the unique side-effect profile of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), groups of patients deemed to be at high risk of complications were excluded from trials that proved the efficacy and safety of these agents in patients with various malignancies. Among these excluded patients were those with prior solid organ transplantation, chronic viral infections and pre-existing autoimmune diseases including paraneoplastic syndromes. We present follow-up on a patient from a previously published case report with an orthotopic heart transplantation who was treated with both cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 and PD-1 inhibition safely, without organ rejection. Additionally, we describe the case of a patient with a cardiac allograft who also did not experience organ rejection after treatment with pembrolizumab. Through smaller trials, retrospective analyses, case series and individual case reports, we are accumulating initial data on how these agents are tolerated by the aforementioned groups. Our survey of the literature has found more evidence of organ transplant rejection in patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors than those treated with inhibitors of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4. Patients with chronic viral infections, especially hepatitis C, seem to have little to no risk of treatment-related increase in serum RNA levels. The literature contains few documented cases of devastating exacerbations of pre-existing autoimmune disease during treatment with ICIs, and flares seem to be easily controlled by immunosuppression in the vast majority of cases. Last, several cases allude to a promising role for disease-specific antibodies and other serum biomarkers in identifying patients at high risk of developing certain immune-related adverse events, detecting subclinical immune-related adverse event onset, and monitoring treatment response to immunosuppressive therapy in patients treated with ICIs. Though these excluded populations have not been well studied in randomized placebo-controlled trials, we may be able to learn and derive hypotheses from the existing observational data in the literature.