Second-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor-therapy after immunotherapy-failure

Assessing the effectiveness and safety of lenvatinib and everolimus in advanced renal cell carcinoma: insights from the RELIEVE study's analysis of heavily pretreated patients

Background

The treatment of heavily pretreated patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) represents an unmet medical need and is still challenging.

Objectives

The primary objective was to assess the effectiveness of the lenvatinib plus everolimus combination and the secondary objective was the toxicity profile of this combination.

Design

We conducted a longitudinal retrospective study examining mRCC patients pre-treated with one or more lines of therapy among different cancer centers in Italy.

Methods

The study included patients who received the combination of lenvatinib plus everolimus as either a second-line treatment or beyond. We assessed progression-free survival (PFS), time to treatment failure (TTF), overall survival (OS), response rate (RR), and toxicity profile. In addition, we explored the potential relationship between treatment effectiveness and clinical and laboratory parameters.

Results

In all, 33 patients were assessed, the median age was 60 years, 57% had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 1-2 and. 63% received ⩾ 3 prior lines of therapy. 62% were 'intermediate risk' according to the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium and 30% were 'poor risk'. The RR was 42% (no complete response), 18% stable disease. Median OS was 11.2 months (95% CI 6.8-19.9), median PFS was 6.7 months (95% CI 0.6-30.8), and median TTF was 6.7 months (95% CI 4.8-16.6). A shorter OS was significantly associated with lymph node metastases (p = 0.043, 95% CI), neutrophils/ lymphocytes ratio (NLR) ⩾ 3 (p = 0.007), hemoglobin/red cell distribution width ratio cutoff value <0.7 was significant (p = 0.03) while a shorter PFS was associated with lung (p = 0.048) and brain metastases (p = 0.023). The most frequent G1 toxicity was diarrhea (24%), G2 was fatigue (30%), and hypertension and skin toxicity (6%) for G3.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest a clinically relevant effectiveness of lenvatinib plus everolimus combination with an acceptable toxicity profile for heavily pretreated patients with mRCC.

Antiangiogenic Properties of Axitinib versus Sorafenib Following Sunitinib Resistance in Human Endothelial Cells-A View towards Second Line Renal Cell Carcinoma Treatment

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors predominate as first-line therapy options for renal cell carcinoma. When first-line TKI therapy fails due to resistance development, an optimal second-line therapy has not yet been established. The present investigation is directed towards comparing the anti-angiogenic properties of the TKIs, sorafenib and axitinib on human endothelial cells (HUVECs) with acquired resistance towards the TKI sunitinib. HUVECs were driven to resistance by continuously exposing them to sunitinib for six weeks. They were then switched to a 24 h or further six weeks treatment with sorafenib or axitinib. HUVEC growth, as well as angiogenesis (tube formation and scratch wound assay), were evaluated. Cell cycle proteins of the CDK-cyclin axis (CDK1 and 2, total and phosphorylated, cyclin A and B) and the mTOR pathway (AKT, total and phosphorylated) were also assessed. Axitinib (but not sorafenib) significantly suppressed growth of sunitinib-resistant HUVECs when they were exposed for six weeks. This axinitib-associated growth reduction was accompanied by a cell cycle block at the G0/G1-phase. Both axitinib and sorafenib reduced HUVEC tube length and prevented wound closure (sorafenib > axitinib) when applied to sunitinib-resistant HUVECs for six weeks. Protein analysis revealed diminished phosphorylation of CDK1, CDK2 and pAKT, accompanied by a suppression of cyclin A and B. Both drugs modulated CDK-cyclin and AKT-dependent signaling, associated either with both HUVEC growth and angiogenesis (axitinib) or angiogenesis alone (sorafenib). Axitinib and sorafenib may be equally applicable as second line treatment options, following sunitinib resistance.

Kinase Inhibition in Relapsed/Refractory Leukemia and Lymphoma Settings: Recent Prospects into Clinical Investigations

Cancer is still a major barrier to life expectancy increase worldwide, and hematologic neoplasms represent a relevant percentage of cancer incidence rates. Tumor dependence of continuous proliferative signals mediated through protein kinases overexpression instigated increased strategies of kinase inhibition in the oncologic practice over the last couple decades, and in this review, we focused our discussion on relevant clinical trials of the past five years that investigated kinase inhibitor (KI) usage in patients afflicted with relapsed/refractory (R/R) hematologic malignancies as well as in the pharmacological characteristics of available KIs and the dissertation about traditional chemotherapy treatment approaches and its hindrances. A trend towards investigations on KI usage for the treatment of chronic lymphoid leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia in R/R settings was observed, and it likely reflects the existence of already established treatment protocols for chronic myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoid leukemia patient cohorts. Overall, regimens of KI treatment are clinically manageable, and results are especially effective when allied with tumor genetic profiles, giving rise to encouraging future prospects of an era where chemotherapy-free treatment regimens are a reality for many oncologic patients.

Median time to progression with TKI-based therapy after failure of immuno-oncology therapy in metastatic kidney cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-based therapy after previous immuno-oncology therapy (IO) failure has been addressed before. However, summary efficacy estimates have never been generated in these reports. We addressed this void.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We systematically examined TKI efficacy after IO-failure and generated weighted median progression-free survival (PFS) estimates for Pazopanib, Axitinib, Cabozantinib, Sunitinib. A systematic review according to PRISMA was conducted. PubMed and abstracts were queried. Only studies proving median PFS were included. Weighted medians were computed for each TKI alternative.

RESULTS

Of 245 articles, nine eligible studies were included in the current study with 952 analysed patients. Weighted PFS medians after any previous IO-based therapy were respectively 13.7 (range from 4.6 to 24.4), 8.1 (range from 4.7 to 13.2), 8.5 (range from 4.7 to 15.2) and 6.9 months (range from 2.9 to 11.6) for Pazopanib, Axitinib, Cabozantinib, Sunitinib. Specific second-line weighted PFS median was 14.8 months (range from 5.6 to 24.4), 10.1 months (range from 6.4 to 13.2), 8.7 months (range from 4.7 to 15.2) and 6.0 months (range from 2.9 to 8.0) for Pazopanib, Axitinib, Cabozantinib, Sunitinib, respectively, after first-line IO.

CONCLUSION

Pazopanib results in the longest weighted median PFS, after previous IO-failure, regardless of treatment line, as well as in specific second-line, post-first-line IO failure settings. Pending novel studies, Pazopanib appears to represent the most promising treatment option after prior IO.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibition in Advanced Bladder and Kidney Cancer: Responses and Further Management

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have an established role in the treatment of newly diagnosed metastatic kidney cancer. Treatment regimens combining nivolumab plus ipilimumab, pembrolizumab plus axitinib, nivolumab plus cabozantinib, and pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib have demonstrated superior overall survival compared with sunitinib in randomized studies. Response rates vary from 42% to 71.1% with these combinations. Atezolizumab and pembrolizumab have been approved for the treatment of cisplatin-ineligible patients with metastatic bladder cancer. These and other checkpoint inhibitors have been studied in metastatic bladder cancer and are routinely used after progression on platinum-based chemotherapy. Durable responses are observed in bladder and kidney cancer. Although some patients may experience immune-related adverse events requiring treatment discontinuation, a portion of these patients will continue to experience a response off-therapy. At the time of progression, patients with metastatic kidney cancer may be treated with antiangiogenesis agents, and there are data suggesting that they may also be treated with a rechallenge of immunotherapy. In patients with metastatic bladder cancer who have progression after immune checkpoint inhibition, there are considerable data supporting the use of enfortumab vedotin. Ongoing studies are evaluating novel combinations of immune checkpoint inhibitors with other agents; thus, the treatment landscape of metastatic bladder and kidney cancer is expected to continue to evolve rapidly.

Real-world Clinical Effectiveness of Lenvatinib/Everolimus in a Heavily Pretreated Advanced/Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Population in the US Community Oncology Setting

INTRODUCTION

Few studies have evaluated real-world effectiveness of lenvatinib (Len)/everolimus (Eve) for advanced/metastatic renal cell carcinoma (a/mRCC). This study evaluated patient profiles and clinical outcomes of second- and subsequent-line (≥ 2L) Len/Eve for a/mRCC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A longitudinal retrospective study examined adult patients initiating ≥ 2L Len/Eve for a/mRCC from May 13, 2016, to July 31, 2019. Len/Eve clinical trial participants or those treated for other primary tumors were excluded. Outcomes included objective response rate, duration of response, progression-free survival (PFS), time to treatment discontinuation, and overall survival. Time-to-event outcomes were estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods.

RESULTS

Seventy-nine patients were assessed: the median age was 64.8 years, 78.5% were Caucasian, 73.4% were male, 78.5% had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score of 0/1, 29.1% received 2L/3L Len/Eve, and the median number of prior lines of therapy was 3 (range, 1-8). At initial diagnosis, 55.7% had stage IV disease, 65.8% had International Metastatic risk scores of intermediate/poor, 19.0% favorable, and 15.2% with missing score. Thirty-one (39.2%) patients received immuno-oncology-based regimens, and 50.6% received tyrosine kinase inhibitors directly before Len/Eve initiation. The median time to treatment discontinuation was 5.7 months (95% CI, 3.3-6.9). The physician-assessed objective response rate was 55.7% (1.6% complete response and 54.1% with some degree of tumor shrinkage). The median duration of response was 9.7 months (95% CI, 5.8-17.1). The median PFS was 6.1 months (95% CI, 4.4-9.0). The median PFS for patients receiving Len/Eve post-immuno-oncology was 6.4 months (95% CI, 4.1-10.8) and for post-tyrosine kinase inhibitor 5.7 months (95% CI, 4.1-10.5). Median overall survival was 14.8 months (95% CI, 10.2-23.9).

CONCLUSION

In this longitudinal retrospective study, Len/Eve showed real-world effectiveness in clinical practice in a heavily pretreated a/mRCC patient population.