De-escalating adjuvant durvalumab treatment duration in stage III non-small cell lung cancer

Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Immunotherapy in Resectable NSCLC

Non-small cell lung cancer, even when diagnosed in early stages, has been linked with poor survival rates and distant recurrence patterns. Novel therapeutic approaches harnessing the immune system have been implemented in early stages, following the designated steps of advanced NSCLC treatment strategies. Immune-checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) regimens as monotherapy, combinational, or alongside chemotherapy have been intensely investigated as adjuvant, neoadjuvant, and, more recently, perioperative therapeutic strategies, representing pivotal milestones in the evolution of early lung cancer management while holding great potential for the future. The subject of current ongoing research is optimizing treatment outcomes for patient subsets with different needs and identifying biomarkers that could be predictive of response while translating the trials' endpoints to survival rates. The aim of this review is to discuss all current treatment options with the pros and cons of each, persistent challenges, and future perspectives on immunotherapy as illuminating the path to a new era for resectable NSCLC.

ImmunoChemoradiation for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Factors Influencing Survival Benefit in Combination Trials

PURPOSE

Adding immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) to concurrent chemoradiotherapy (cCRT) has improved overall survival (OS) for inoperable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Trials of cCRT-ICB are heterogeneous for factors such as tumor stage and histology, programmed cell death ligand-1 (PDL-1) status, and cCRT-ICB schedules. We therefore aimed to determine the ICB contribution to survival across studies and identify factors associated with survival gain.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Data were collated from cCRT-ICB clinical studies published 2018 to 2022 that treated 2196 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (99% stage 3). Associations between 2-year OS and ICB, CRT, patient and tumor factors were investigated using metaregression. A published model of survival after radiation therapy (RT) or CRT was extended to include ICB effects. The model was fitted simultaneously to the cCRT-ICB data and data previously compiled for RT/CRT treatments alone. The net ICB contribution (OS gain) and its associations with factors were described by fitted values of ICB terms added to the model. Statistical significance was determined by likelihood-ratio testing.

RESULTS

The gain in 2-year OS from ICB was 9.9% overall (95% CI, 7.6%, 12.2%; P = .018). Both OS gain and 2-year OS itself rose with increasing planned ICB duration (P = .008, .002, respectively) and with tumor PDL-1 ≥ 1% (P = .034, .023). Fitted OS gains were also greater for patients with stage 3B/C disease (P = .021). OS gain was not associated with tumor histology, patient performance status, radiation therapy dose, ICB drug type (anti-PDL-1 vs anti-programmed cell death-1), or whether ICB began concurrently with or after cCRT.

CONCLUSIONS

Fitted gains in 2-year OS due to ICB were higher in cohorts with greater fractions of stage 3B/C patients and patients with tumor PDL-1 ≥ 1%. OS gain was also significantly higher in a single cohort with a planned ICB duration of 2 years rather than 1, but was not associated with whether ICB treatment began during versus after CRT.

Pneumonitis After Chemoradiotherapy and Adjuvant Durvalumab in Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

PURPOSE

Adjuvant durvalumab after definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is well-tolerated in clinical trials. However, pneumonitis rates outside of clinical trials remain poorly defined with CRT followed by durvalumab. We aimed to describe the influence of durvalumab on pneumonitis rates among a large cohort of patients with stage III NSCLC.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

We studied patients with stage III NSCLC in the national Veterans Health Administration from 2015 to 2021 who received concurrent CRT alone or with adjuvant durvalumab. We defined pneumonitis as worsening respiratory symptoms with radiographic changes within 2 years of CRT and graded events according to National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.03. We used Cox regression to analyze risk factors for pneumonitis and the effect of postbaseline pneumonitis on overall survival.

RESULTS

Among 1994 patients (989 CRT alone, 1005 CRT followed by adjuvant durvalumab), the 2-year incidence of grade 2 or higher pneumonitis was 13.9% for CRT alone versus 22.1% for CRT plus durvalumab (unadjusted P < .001). On multivariable analysis, durvalumab was associated with higher risk of grade 2 pneumonitis (hazard ratio, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.09-1.93; P = .012) but not grade 3 to 5 pneumonitis (P = .2). Grade 3 pneumonitis conferred worse overall survival (hazard ratio, 2.51; 95% CI, 2.06-3.05; P < .001) but grade 2 pneumonitis did not (P = .4).

CONCLUSIONS

Adjuvant durvalumab use was associated with increased risk of low-grade but not higher-grade pneumonitis. Reassuringly, low-grade pneumonitis did not increase mortality risk. We observed increased rates of high-grade pneumonitis relative to clinical trials; the reasons for this require further study.

Optimizing the doses of cancer drugs after usual dose finding

Since the middle of the 20th century, oncology's dose-finding paradigm has been oriented toward identifying a drug's maximum tolerated dose, which is then carried forward into phase 2 and 3 trials and clinical practice. For most modern precision medicines, however, maximum tolerated dose is far greater than the minimum dose needed to achieve maximal benefit, leading to unnecessary side effects. Regulatory change may decrease maximum tolerated dose's predominance by enforcing dose optimization of new drugs. Dozens of already approved cancer drugs require re-evaluation, however, introducing a new methodologic and ethical challenge in cancer clinical trials. In this article, we assess the history and current landscape of cancer drug dose finding. We provide a set of strategic priorities for postapproval dose optimization trials of the future. We discuss ethical considerations for postapproval dose optimization trial design and review three major design strategies for these unique trials that would both adhere to ethical standards and benefit patients and funders. We close with a discussion of financial and reporting considerations in the realm of dose optimization. Taken together, we provide a comprehensive, bird's eye view of the postapproval dose optimization trial landscape and offer our thoughts on the next steps required of methodologies and regulatory and funding regimes.

Statistical methods and data visualisation of patient-reported outcomes in early phase dose-finding oncology trials: a methodological review

Background

Traditionally, within dose-finding clinical trials, treatment toxicity and tolerability are assessed by clinicians. Research has shown that clinician reporting may have inadequate inter-rater reliability, poor correlation with patient reported outcomes, and under capture the true toxicity burden. The introduction of patient-reported outcomes (PROs), where the patient can assess their own symptomatic adverse events or quality of life, has potential to complement current practice to aid dose optimisation. There are no international recommendations offering guidance for the inclusion of PROs in dose-finding trial design and analysis. Our review aimed to identify and describe current statistical methods and data visualisation techniques employed to analyse and visualise PRO data in published early phase dose-finding oncology trials (DFOTs).

Methods

DFOTs published from June 2016-December 2022, which presented PRO analysis methods, were included in this methodological review. We extracted 35 eligible papers indexed in PubMed. Study characteristics extracted included: PRO objectives, PRO measures, statistical analysis and visualisation techniques, and whether the PRO was involved in interim and final dose selection decisions.

Findings

Most papers (30, 85.7%) did not include clear PRO objectives. 20 (57.1%) papers used inferential statistical techniques to analyse PROs, including survival analysis and mixed-effect models. One trial used PROs to classify a clinicians' assessed dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs). Three (8.6%) trials used PROs to confirm the tolerability of the recommended dose. 25 trial reports visually presented PRO data within a figure or table within their publication, of which 12 papers presented PRO score longitudinally.

Interpretation

This review highlighted that the statistical methods and reporting of PRO analysis in DFOTs are often poorly described and inconsistent. Many trials had PRO objectives which were not clearly described, making it challenging to evaluate the appropriateness of the statistical techniques used. Drawing conclusions based on DFOTs which are not powered for PROs may be misleading. With no guidance and standardisation of analysis methods for PROs in early phase DFOTs, it is challenging to compare study findings across trials. Therefore, there is a crucial need to establish international guidance to enhance statistical methods and graphical presentation for PRO analysis in the dose-finding setting.

Funding

EA has been supported to undertake this work as part of a PhD studentship from the Institute of Cancer Research within the MRC/NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership. AM is supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, the Institute of Cancer Research and Imperial College.

Characterization of TCF-1 and its relationship between CD8+ TIL densities and immune checkpoints and their joint influences on prognoses of lung adenocarcinoma patients

BACKGROUND

T cell factor-1 (TCF-1) + stem-like tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (stem-like TILs) are important memory cells in the tumor microenvironment. However, their relationship with clinicopathological features, CD8+ TIL densities, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICs), and prognostic values remain unknown for lung adenocarcinomas (LUADs). In this study, we aimed to characterize TCF-1+ TILs and their prognostic significance in patients with surgically resected LUADs.

METHODS

Expression of TCF-1, CD8, and ICs including programmed death-1 (PD-1), lymphocyte activating-3 (LAG-3), and T cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing-3 (TIM-3) in TILs were estimated using immunohistochemistry of resected LUADs. The association between TCF-1 expressions and clinicopathological characteristics of patient prognoses were analyzed.

RESULTS

Positive TCF-1 expression significantly correlated with advanced pathological stage, tumor grade, CD8+ TILs density, TIM-3 expression, LAG-3 expression, and PD-1 expression. TCF-1 positivity was significantly associated with a better recurrence-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS). Subgroup analysis revealed that the TCF-1+/CD8+ group had the best RFS and OS, while the TCF-1-/CD8- group had the worst RFS and OS. Similarly, patients with TCF-1 + PD-1- had the best prognoses and patients with TCF-1-PD-1+ had the worst prognoses.

CONCLUSION

TCF-1 had relatively high positive expression and special clinicopathological features in patients with LUAD. TCF-1+ TILs were related to CD8 density, TIM-3 expression, LAG-3 expression, and PD-1 expression, and were associated with better prognoses in LUAD patients. A combination of TCF-1 and CD8 densities or PD-1 expression further stratified patients into different groups with distinct prognoses.

Adopting Weight-Based Dosing With Pharmacy-Level Stewardship Strategies Could Reduce Cancer Drug Spending By Millions

Immune checkpoint inhibitors, a class of drugs used in approximately forty unique cancer indications, are a sizable component of the economic burden of cancer care in the US. Instead of personalized weight-based dosing, immune checkpoint inhibitors are most commonly administered at "one-size-fits-all" flat doses that are higher than necessary for the vast majority of patients. We hypothesized that personalized weight-based dosing along with common stewardship efforts at the pharmacy level, such as dose rounding and vial sharing, would lead to reductions in immune checkpoint inhibitor use and lower spending. Using data from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and Medicare drug prices, we estimated reductions in immune checkpoint inhibitor use and spending that would be associated with pharmacy-level stewardship strategies, in a case-control simulation study of individual patient-level immune checkpoint inhibitor administration events. We identified baseline annual VHA spending for these drugs of approximately $537 million. Combining weight-based dosing, dose rounding, and pharmacy-level vial sharing would generate expected annual VHA health system savings of $74 million (13.7 percent). We conclude that adoption of pharmacologically justified immune checkpoint inhibitor stewardship measures would generate sizable reductions in spending for these drugs. Combining these operational innovations with value-based drug price negotiation enabled by recent policy changes may improve the long-term financial viability of cancer care in the US.

Radiation combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors for unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer: synergistic mechanisms, current state, challenges, and orientations

Until the advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), definitive radiotherapy (RT) concurrently with chemotherapy was recommended for unresectable, locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC). The trimodality paradigm with consolidation ICIs following definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy has been the standard of care since the PACIFIC trial. Preclinical evidence has demonstrated the role of RT in the cancer-immune cycle and the synergistic effect of RT combined with ICIs (iRT). However, RT exerts a double-edged effect on immunity and the combination strategy still could be optimized in many areas. In the context of LA-NSCLC, optimized RT modality, choice, timing, and duration of ICIs, care for oncogenic addicted tumors, patient selection, and novel combination strategies require further investigation. Targeting these blind spots, novel approaches are being investigated to cross the borders of PACIFIC. We discussed the development history of iRT and summarized the updated rationale for the synergistic effect. We then summarized the available research data on the efficacy and toxicity of iRT in LA-NSCLC for cross-trial comparisons to eliminate barriers. Progression during and after ICIs consolidation therapy has been regarded as a distinct resistance scenario from primary or secondary resistance to ICIs, the subsequent management of which has also been discussed. Finally, based on unmet needs, we probed into the challenges, strategies, and auspicious orientations to optimize iRT in LA-NSCLC. In this review, we focus on the underlying mechanisms and recent advances of iRT with an emphasis on future challenges and directions that warrant further investigation. Taken together, iRT is a proven and potential strategy in LA-NSCLC, with multiple promising approaches to further improve the efficacy. Video Abstract.

Locally Advanced Lung Cancer

Consolidation immunotherapy after concurrent chemoradiation has improved five-year survival rates in unresectable, locally advanced lung cancer, but disease progression and treatment personalization remain challenges. New treatment approaches with concurrent immunotherapy and consolidative novel agents are being investigated and show promising efficacy data, but at the risk of additive toxicity. Patients with PD-L1 negative tumors, oncogenic driver mutations, intolerable toxicity, or limited performance status continue to require innovative therapies. This review summarizes historical data that galvanized new research efforts, as well as ongoing clinical trials that address the challenges of current therapeutic approaches for unresectable, locally advanced lung cancer.