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Differences and Similarities in the Pattern of Early Metabolic and Morphologic Response after Induction Chemo-Immunotherapy versus Induction Chemotherapy Alone in Locally Advanced Squamous Cell Head and Neck Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194811. [PMID: 36230733 PMCID: PMC9563870 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: In head and neck cancer patients, parameters of metabolic and morphologic response of the tumor to single-cycle induction chemotherapy (IC) with docetaxel, cis- or carboplatin are used to decide the further course of treatment. This study investigated the effect of adding a double immune checkpoint blockade (DICB) of tremelimumab and durvalumab to IC on imaging parameters and their significance with regard to tumor cell remission. Methods: Response variables of 53 patients treated with IC+DICB (ICIT) were compared with those of 104 who received IC alone. Three weeks after one cycle, pathologic and, in some cases, clinical and endoscopic primary tumor responses were evaluated and correlated with a change in 18F-FDG PET and CT/MRI-based maximum-standardized uptake values (SUVmax) before (SUVmaxpre), after treatment (SUVmaxpost) and residually (resSUVmax in % of SUVmaxpre), and in maximum tumor diameter (Dmax) before (Dmaxpre) and after treatment (Dmaxpost) and residually (resD). Results: Reduction of SUVmax and Dmax occurred in both groups; values were SUVmaxpre: 14.4, SUVmaxpost: 6.6, Dmaxpre: 30 mm and Dmaxpost: 23 mm for ICIT versus SUVmaxpre: 16.5, SUVmaxpost: 6.4, Dmaxpre: 21 mm, and Dmaxpost: 16 mm for IC alone (all p < 0.05). ResSUVmax was the best predictor of complete response (IC: AUC: 0.77; ICIT: AUC: 0.76). Metabolic responders with resSUVmax ≤ 40% tended to have a higher rate of CR to ICIT (88%; n = 15/17) than to IC (65%; n = 30/46; p = 0.11). Of the metabolic nonresponders (resSUVmax > 80%), 33% (n = 5/15) achieved a clinical CR to ICIT versus 6% (n = 1/15) to IC (p = 0.01). Conclusions: ICIT and IC quickly induce a response and 18F-FDG PET is the more accurate modality for identifying complete remission. The rate of discrepant response, i.e., pCR with metabolic nonresponse after ICIT was >30%.
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Beck M, Hartwich J, Eckstein M, Schmidt D, Gostian AO, Müller S, Rutzner S, Gaipl US, von der Grün J, Illmer T, Hautmann MG, Klautke G, Döscher J, Brunner T, Tamaskovics B, Hartmann A, Iro H, Kuwert T, Fietkau R, Hecht M, Semrau S. F18-FDG PET/CT imaging early predicts pathologic complete response to induction chemoimmunotherapy of locally advanced head and neck cancer: preliminary single-center analysis of the checkrad-cd8 trial. Ann Nucl Med 2022; 36:623-633. [PMID: 35534690 PMCID: PMC9226092 DOI: 10.1007/s12149-022-01744-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Aim In the CheckRad-CD8 trial patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell cancer are treated with a single cycle of induction chemo-immunotherapy (ICIT). Patients with pathological complete response (pCR) in the re-biopsy enter radioimmunotherapy. Our goal was to study the value of F-18-FDG PET/CT in the prediction of pCR after induction therapy. Methods Patients treated within the CheckRad-CD8 trial that additionally received FDG- PET/CT imaging at the following two time points were included: 3–14 days before (pre-ICIT) and 21–28 days after (post-ICIT) receiving ICIT. Tracer uptake in primary tumors (PT) and suspicious cervical lymph nodes (LN +) was measured using different quantitative parameters on EANM Research Ltd (EARL) accredited PET reconstructions. In addition, mean FDG uptake levels in lymphatic and hematopoietic organs were examined. Percent decrease (Δ) in FDG uptake was calculated for all parameters. Biopsy of the PT post-ICIT acquired after FDG-PET/CT served as reference. The cohort was divided in patients with pCR and residual tumor (ReTu). Results Thirty-one patients were included. In ROC analysis, ΔSUVmax PT performed best (AUC = 0.89) in predicting pCR (n = 17), with a decline of at least 60% (sensitivity, 0.77; specificity, 0.93). Residual SUVmax PT post-ICIT performed best in predicting ReTu (n = 14), at a cutpoint of 6.0 (AUC = 0.91; sensitivity, 0.86; specificity, 0.88). Combining two quantitative parameters (ΔSUVmax ≥ 50% and SUVmax PT post-ICIT ≤ 6.0) conferred a sensitivity of 0.81 and a specificity of 0.93 for determining pCR. Background activity in lymphatic organs or uptake in suspected cervical lymph node metastases lacked significant predictive value. Conclusion FDG-PET/CT can identify patients with pCR after ICIT via residual FDG uptake levels in primary tumors and the related changes compared to baseline. FDG-uptake in LN + had no predictive value. Trial registry ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03426657.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Beck
- Clinic of Nuclear Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Ulmenweg 18, 91054, Erlangen, Bayern, Germany.
| | - J Hartwich
- Clinic of Nuclear Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Ulmenweg 18, 91054, Erlangen, Bayern, Germany
| | - M Eckstein
- Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Bayern, Germany
| | - D Schmidt
- Clinic of Nuclear Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Ulmenweg 18, 91054, Erlangen, Bayern, Germany
| | - A O Gostian
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Bayern, Germany
| | - S Müller
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Bayern, Germany
| | - S Rutzner
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Bayern, Germany
| | - U S Gaipl
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Bayern, Germany
| | - J von der Grün
- Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - T Illmer
- Medical Oncology Clinic Dresden Freiberg, Dresden, Saxony, Germany
| | - M G Hautmann
- Department of Radiotherapy, Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Bayern, Germany
| | - G Klautke
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Chemnitz Hospital, Chemnitz, Sachsen, Germany
| | - J Döscher
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Universität Ulm, Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - T Brunner
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Otto Von Guericke Universität Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany
| | - B Tamaskovics
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| | - A Hartmann
- Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Bayern, Germany
| | - H Iro
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Bayern, Germany
| | - T Kuwert
- Clinic of Nuclear Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Ulmenweg 18, 91054, Erlangen, Bayern, Germany
| | - R Fietkau
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Bayern, Germany
| | - M Hecht
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Bayern, Germany
| | - S Semrau
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Bayern, Germany
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Implementation of Double Immune Checkpoint Blockade Increases Response Rate to Induction Chemotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13081959. [PMID: 33921668 PMCID: PMC8073509 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13081959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The study compares the effects on complete remission rate (CR) of a single dose of durvalumab/tremelimumab immediately after a single-cycle platinum and docetaxel as part of induction therapy for a controlled trial in head and neck cancer with chemotherapy alone from a historical collective. The CR rate was 60.3% after induction chemoimmunotherapy (ICIT; induction chemotherapy plus double immune checkpoint blockade) compared with 40.3% after induction chemotherapy (IC) alone. Patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer may benefit the most from additive double checkpoint inhibition, which is presumably due to the higher amount of infiltrating immune cells. Patients older than 60 years without HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer are unlikely to benefit. Abstract To determine whether a single dose of double immune checkpoint blockade (induction chemoimmunotherapy (ICIT)) adds benefit to induction single-cycle platinum doublet (induction chemotherapy (IC)) in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), patients treated with cisplatin 30 mg/m2 d1-3 and docetaxel 75 mg/m2 d1 combined with durvalumab 1500 mg fixed dose d5 and tremelimumab 75 mg fixed dose d5 (ICIT) within the CheckRad-CD8 trial were compared with a retrospective cohort receiving the same chemotherapy (IC) without immunotherapy. The endpoint of this analysis was the complete response rate (CR). A total of 53 patients were treated with ICIT and 104 patients with IC only. CR rates were 60.3% for ICIT and 40.3% for IC (p = 0.018). In the total population (n = 157), the most important predictor to achieve a CR was treatment type (OR: 2.21 for ICIT vs. IC; p = 0.038, multivariate analysis). The most diverse effects in CR rates between ICIT and IC were observed in younger (age ≤ 60) patients with HPV-positive OPSCCs (82% vs. 33%, p = 0.176), while there was no difference in older patients without HPV-positive OPSCCs (53% vs. 48%). The analysis provides initial evidence that ICIT could result in higher CR rates than IC. Young patients with HPV-positive OPSCCs may have the greatest benefit from additional immune checkpoint inhibitors.
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