Real-life experience of ceritinib in crizotinib-pretreated ALK+ advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients

Representation of older patients in the safety analysis of protein kinase inhibitor registration studies

INTRODUCTION

Older patients (≥65 years old) make up the majority of the cancer population. Older patients seem to experience more adverse events (AEs) from protein kinase inhibitors (PKIs) in clinical practice. Yet they are underrepresented in clinical trials. We aimed to evaluate whether age-related safety differences were described at authorization of PKIs. Representation of older patients in registration studies was also evaluated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

European Public Assessment Reports (EPARs) of PKIs authorized between 2010 and 2015 were evaluated for the description of age-related safety- and pharmacokinetic differences. The International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirement for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) E7 guideline was applied to EPARs to assess the representation of older patients. Study results were presented descriptively.

RESULTS

Eighteen PKIs with 19 EPARs were analyzed. Age-related safety differences were described in 14 out of 19 EPARs, and age-related pharmacokinetic differences in 1 out of 19 EPARs. More than 100 older patients were included in half of the studies. Older patients were not excluded solely by age, although other inclusion and exclusion criteria negatively influenced enrollment of older patients. None of the PKIs met all criteria from the ICH E7 guideline.

DISCUSSION

Age-related safety differences are described for most PKIs. Older patients were underrepresented in PKI registration studies. Adequate representation of older patients in clinical trials for PKIs is vital, since they make up most of the cancer population.

The value of stereotactic biopsy of primary and recurrent brain metastases in the era of precision medicine

Background

Brain metastases (BM) represent the most frequent intracranial tumors with increasing incidence. Many primary tumors are currently treated in protocols that incorporate targeted therapies either upfront or for progressive metastatic disease. Hence, molecular markers are gaining increasing importance in the diagnostic framework of BM. In cases with diagnostic uncertainty, both in newly diagnosed or recurrent BM, stereotactic biopsy serves as an alternative to microsurgical resection particularly whenever resection is not deemed to be safe or feasible. This retrospective study aimed to analyze both diagnostic yield and safety of an image-guided frame based stereotactic biopsy technique (STX).

Material and methods

Our institutional neurosurgical data base was searched for any surgical procedure for suspected brain metastases between January 2016 and March 2021. Of these, only patients with STX were included. Clinical parameters, procedural complications, and tissue histology and concomitant molecular signature were assessed.

Results

Overall, 467 patients were identified including 234 (50%) with STX. Median age at biopsy was 64 years (range 29 - 87 years). MRI was used for frame-based trajectory planning in every case with additional PET-guidance in 38 cases (16%). In total, serial tumor probes provided a definite diagnosis in 230 procedures (98%). In 4 cases (1.7%), the pathological tissue did not allow a definitive neuropathological diagnosis. 24 cases had to be excluded due to non-metastatic histology, leaving 206 cases for further analyses. 114 patients (49%) exhibited newly diagnosed BM, while 46 patients (20%) displayed progressive BM. Pseudoprogression was seen in 46 patients, a median of 12 months after prior therapy. Pseudoprogression was always confirmed by clinical course. Metastatic tissue was found most frequently from lung cancer (40%), followed by breast cancer (9%), and malignant melanoma (7%). Other entities included gastrointestinal cancer, squamous cell cancer, renal cell carcinoma, and thyroid cancer, respectively. In 9 cases (4%), the tumor origin could not be identified (cancer of unknown primary). Molecular genetic analyses were successful in 137 out of 144 analyzed cases (95%). Additional next-generation sequencing revealed conclusive results in 12/18 (67%) cases. Relevant peri-procedural complications were observed in 5 cases (2.4%), which were all transient. No permanent morbidity or mortality was noted.

Conclusion

In patients with BM, frame-based stereotactic biopsy constitutes a safe procedure with a high diagnostic yield. Importantly, this extended to discerning pseudoprogression from tumor relapse after prior therapy. Thus, comprehensive molecular characterization based on minimal-invasive stereotactic biopsies lays the foundation for precision medicine approaches in the treatment of primary and recurrent BM.

High Tumor Mutation Burden and DNA Repair Gene Mutations are Associated with Primary Resistance to Crizotinib in ALK-Rearranged Lung Cancer

Background

About 20% of patients with ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) develop acquired resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) during the first 6 months. This study aimed to examine the molecular mechanisms of early TKI resistance and prognosis in ALK-rearranged NSCLC.

Methods

Ten patients with ALK-rearranged NSCLC were included: five who developed rapid resistance to crizotinib (progression-free survival (PFS) ≤3 months) and five who exhibited a good response to crizotinib (PFS ≥36 months). The tumor specimens were subjected to whole-exome sequencing (WES). The validation cohort included 19 patients with ALK-rearranged NSCLC who received crizotinib; targeted sequencing of 43 selected genes was performed. The effect of the TP53 G245S mutation on crizotinib sensitivity was tested in H3122 cells.

Results

Mutations in DNA repair-associated genes were identified in primary resistance to crizotinib. Patients with a poor response to crizotinib harbored a greater burden of somatic mutations than those with a good response [median somatic mutations, 136 (range, 72-180) vs 31 (range, 10-48)]. Compared with the patients carrying wild-type TP53 or TP53 exon 3 deletion, 29 patients with TP53 G245S mutation showed a shorter survival time (P < 0.05), with a median PFS of 3 (95% CI: 1.9-4.1) months and a median overall survival of 7 (95% CI: 3.4-10.5) months. TP53 mutation promoted the proliferation of EML4-ALK-rearranged H3122 cells by approximately 3 folds (P < 0.001). H3122 cells with TP53 mutant were more sensitive to crizotinib compared with control cells.

Conclusion

A higher mutation burden and mutations in DNA repair gene, including TP53, were potentially associated with primary resistance to crizotinib in ALK-rearranged NSCLC. An immune-checkpoint inhibition strategy could be examined, which might overcome primary resistance to crizotinib in ALK-rearranged NSCLC.

Economic burden in patients with ALK + non-small cell lung cancer, with or without brain metastases, receiving second-line anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitors

Aims: To describe the real-world economic burden of patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive (ALK+) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with post-crizotinib, second-line ALK inhibitor therapy.Materials and methods: Retrospective analysis using data from US Optum: Clinformatics Data Mart administrative claims database. Adult patients with ALK + NSCLC treated with ceritinib or alectinib as second-line ALK inhibitors between 1 January 2011 and 30 September 2017 were included. Healthcare costs and resource utilization for up to 1 year of therapy were calculated on a per-patient-per-month (PPPM) basis and stratified by presence or absence of brain metastases (BM). Multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with costs. Top ten cost drivers of non-inpatient procedure costs were recorded.Results: One hundred and twelve patients received second-line ALK inhibitors. Total mean PPPM healthcare costs were $23,984 for all patients receiving up to 1 year of post-crizotinib, second-line ALK inhibitor therapy. Total mean PPPM costs for patients with BM on or prior to post-crizotinib, second-line ALK inhibitor therapy were 1.37-times as high as those for patients without BM (p = 0.0406). Mean PPPM outpatient visits and inpatient hospitalization stays were higher for patients with BM versus no BM. The main cost drivers for non-inpatient procedures were radiation therapy, medications, and diagnostic radiology.Limitations: Analyses did not include newer ALK-directed therapies. BM development after the index date (defined as the date of the first claim for a second-line ALK inhibitor) may have been misclassified as non-BM. Findings may not be generalizable to patients with no health insurance coverage.Conclusions: Treatment of patients with ALK + NSCLC with ceritinib or alectinib as post-crizotinib, second-line ALK inhibitor therapy represents a high economic burden. Healthcare costs and resource utilization were significantly higher for patients with ALK + NSCLC with BM versus no BM.

Efficacy and safety of ceritinib in anaplastic lymphoma kinase-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

What is known and objective

Ceritinib is a new, oral, potent and selective second‐generation anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor approved by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States in April 2014. It is active in crizotinib‐resistant patients, especially in patients with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and brain metastasis. The aim of this study was to analyse the effects and side effects of ceritinib in ALK‐rearranged NSCLC.

Methods

We searched articles published from January 1980 to March 2019 in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science. The pooled estimate and 95% CI were calculated with DerSimonian‐Laird method and the random effect model.

Results and discussion

From 15 articles, 2,598 patients were included in the meta‐analysis. Eleven studies reported the ORR, and the DCR was presented in 10 studies. The ORR and DCR of ceritinib were 0.48 (95% CI, 0.39‐0.57) and 0.76 (95% CI, 0.69‐0.82), respectively. The PFS and OS were presented in nine and three eligible studies, respectively. The PFS and OS of ceritinib were 7.26 months (95% CI, 5.10‐9.43) and 18.73 months (95% CI; 14.59‐22.87). These results suggested that ceritinib can effectively treat patients with ALK‐rearranged NSCLC. Diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting were the three most common AEs and occurred in 69% (95% CI 51.7‐87.1%), 66% (95% CI 47.0‐85.8%) and 51% (95% CI 35.9‐66.8%) of patients, respectively. Considering serious gastrointestinal AEs, antiemetic and antidiarrhoeal drugs should be considered to improve a patient's tolerance to ceritinib.

What is new and conclusion

Ceritinib is effective in the treatment of patients with ALK‐rearranged NSCLC with crizotinib resistance. The DCR was up to 76%, and PFS was extended to 7.6 months. The AEs were acceptable.

Real-world anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement testing patterns, treatment sequences, and survival of ALK inhibitor-treated patients

BACKGROUND

The anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) treatment landscape is crowded following recent ALK inhibitor approvals, and updated information on real-world treatment patterns in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (aNSCLC) with ALK rearrangement (ALK+) is needed.

METHODS

This retrospective US cohort study used Flatiron Health's longitudinal electronic health record (EHR)-derived database. Patients (≥ 18 years old) diagnosed with stage IIIB/IV aNSCLC, with documented ALK rearrangement and ≥2 visits after January 1, 2011 were followed until February 28, 2016. Patients enrolled on a clinical trial or exposed to ALK inhibitors other than crizotinib or ceritinib were excluded. Treatment patterns, time and type of biomarker testing, and overall survival (OS) were analyzed.

RESULTS

Median age (n = 300) was 62.5 years; 55% female; 48% non-smokers; 8.7% central nervous system (CNS) metastases at diagnosis. Overall, 73% and 86% received their first ALK biomarker test before/at diagnosis, or before/during first-line treatment, respectively. In total, 90.0%, 78.1%, and 74.7% received first-, second-, and third-line therapy, respectively. Most patients received ALK-targeted treatment; 62% received crizotinib, of which 21% reported a dose reduction. Progression was the most common reason for crizotinib (78%) and ceritinib (41%) discontinuation. Median OS was 29.4 months (95% CI =24.7-39.6) overall; 27.1 months (95% CI =22.0-35.0) in patients with CNS metastases, and 36.9 months (95% CI =25.1-not reached) without.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite widespread crizotinib use in patients with ALK+ aNSCLC, a high proportion of patients progressed. Ongoing analyses of EHR-derived cohorts are valuable in assessing real-world testing rates and therapeutic use of ALK inhibitors.