Lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab in patients with either treatment-naive or previously treated metastatic renal cell carcinoma (Study 111/KEYNOTE-146): a phase 1b/2 study

Targeting STING elicits GSDMD-dependent pyroptosis and boosts anti-tumor immunity in renal cell carcinoma

While Stimulator-of-interferon genes (STING) is an innate immune adapter cruicial for sensing cytosolic DNA and modulating immune microenvironment, its tumor-promoting role in tumor survival and immune evasion remains largely unknown. Here we reported that renal cancer cells are exceptionally dependent on STING for survival and evading immunosurveillance via suppressing ER stress-mediated pyroptosis. We found that STING is significantly amplified and upregulated in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), and its elevated expression is associated with worse clinical outcomes. Mechanically, STING depletion in RCC cells specifically triggers activation of the PERK/eIF2α/ATF4/CHOP pathway and activates cleavage of Caspase-8, thereby inducing GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis, which is independent of the innate immune pathway of STING. Moreover, animal study revealed that STING depletion promoted infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, consequently boosting robust antitumor immunity via pyroptosis-induced inflammation. From the perspective of targeted therapy, we found that Compound SP23, a PROTAC STING degrader, demonstrated comparable efficacy to STING depletion both in vitro and in vivo for treatment of ccRCC. These findings collectively unveiled an unforeseen function of STING in regulating GSDMD-dependent pyroptosis, thus regulating immune response in RCC. Consequently, pharmacological degradation of STING by SP23 may become an attractive strategy for treatment of advanced RCC.

Systematic review of the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib in various solid tumors

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib in various types of solid tumors.

METHOD

By searching PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, CNKI, Wanfang and other databases, all the literatures about the comparison of clinical efficacy of lenvatinib in the treatment of various solid tumors. According to the criteria of inclusion and exclusion of literature, two participants screened the literature, collated the data and evaluated the literature. RevMan 5.4 software was used for meta-analysis of the included literatures.

RESULTS

A total of 12 studies were included, including 5213 patients. Meta-analysis showed that, in terms of efficacy, the risk (HR) of prolonging PFS in the treatment of various solid tumors in the lenvatinib group was 1.91 times that in the control group (HR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.58-2.31, p < 0.00001), and the risk (HR) of prolonging OS was 1.27 times that in the single targeted drug group (HR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.15-1.40, p < 0.00001). In terms of safety, the risk of adverse events in the treatment of various solid tumors in the lenvatinib group was higher than that in the control group, especially in Endocrine Toxicities, Renal/Urinary Toxicities, Vascular Toxicities, Musculoskeletal/a Connective Tissue Toxicities and Metabolism/Nutrition Toxicities.

CONCLUSIONS

Lenvatinib in various solid tumors can prolong OS and disease PFS of patients, improve the clinical benefit rate and improve the quality of life of patients. At the same time, there is a certain incidence of adverse events, and symptomatic intervention should be given in clinical medication.

Improvement of assessment in surrogate endpoint and safety outcome of single-arm trials for anticancer drugs

INTRODUCTION

Single-arm trials (SATs) and surrogate endpoints were adopted as pivotal evidence for accelerated approval of anticancer drugs for more than 30 years. However, concerns regarding clinical evidence quality in trials, particularly in the SATs of anticancer drugs have increasingly been raised. SAT may not always provide strong evidence due to the lack of control and endpoint of overall survival that is typically present in randomized controlled trials.

AREAS COVERED

Clinical trial endpoint adjudication is a crucial factor in surrogate outcome measurement to ensure the data quality of the clinical trial of anticancer drugs. In this review, we systematically discuss the characteristics of adjudications in assessments in surrogate endpoint and safety outcome respectively, which are essential for ensuring reliable and transparent outcomes. Endpoint adjudication effectively reduces potential bias and mitigates variance that may be introduced by investigators when analyzing the medical records for the surrogate endpoints. We analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each type of adjudicator and provide a summary of the roles of adjudicators.

EXPERT OPINION

By suggestion of improving data reliability and transparency in pivotal trials, this review aims to supply a strategy for better clinical investigation for anticancer drugs, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes.

Advanced renal cell carcinoma management: the Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group (LACOG) and the Latin American Renal Cancer Group (LARCG) consensus update

PURPOSE

Renal cell carcinoma is an aggressive disease with a high mortality rate. Management has drastically changed with the new era of immunotherapy, and novel strategies are being developed; however, identifying systemic treatments is still challenging. This paper presents an update of the expert panel consensus from the Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group and the Latin American Renal Cancer Group on advanced renal cell carcinoma management in Brazil.

METHODS

A panel of 34 oncologists and experts in renal cell carcinoma discussed and voted on the best options for managing advanced disease in Brazil, including systemic treatment of early and metastatic renal cell carcinoma as well as nonclear cell tumours. The results were compared with the literature and graded according to the level of evidence.

RESULTS

Adjuvant treatments benefit patients with a high risk of recurrence after surgery, and the agents used are pembrolizumab and sunitinib, with a preference for pembrolizumab. Neoadjuvant treatment is exceptional, even in initially unresectable cases. First-line treatment is mainly based on tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs); the choice of treatment is based on the International Metastatic Database Consortium (IMCD) risk score. Patients at favourable risk receive ICIs in combination with TKIs. Patients classified as intermediate or poor risk receive ICIs, without preference for ICI + ICIs or ICI + TKIs. Data on nonclear cell renal cancer treatment are limited. Active surveillance has a place in treating favourable-risk patients. Either denosumab or zoledronic acid can be used for treating metastatic bone disease.

CONCLUSION

Immunotherapy and targeted therapy are the standards of care for advanced disease. The utilization and sequencing of these therapeutic agents hinge upon individual risk scores and responses to previous treatments. This consensus reflects a commitment to informed decision-making, drawn from professional expertise and evidence in the medical literature.

Sarcoid-like reaction and hypothyroidism induced by PD-1 inhibitor treatment in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: a case report and literature review

BACKGROUND

Pembrolizumab is among the approved treatments for a variety of cancer types, including clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). It has contributed to enhancing the prognosis of renal cell carcinoma. However, it is essential to be aware of the numerous potential immune-related side effects associated with its use.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 69-year-old patient with a history of metastatic renal cell carcinoma has been undergoing treatment with Pembrolizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor. The medication has led to the development of a sarcoid-like reaction, initially misinterpreted as cancer recurrence and progression. Additionally, the patient has experienced new-onset hypothyroidism, which has been attributed to the immunotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Clinicians, including oncologists, endocrinologists, and radiologists, should maintain a high level of suspicions and awareness regarding the potential adverse events associated with newly introduced immunotherapies like pembrolizumab. This knowledge is crucial for the accurate diagnosis and appropriate management of patients receiving these treatments.

New clinical trial design in precision medicine: discovery, development and direction

In the era of precision medicine, it has been increasingly recognized that individuals with a certain disease are complex and different from each other. Due to the underestimation of the significant heterogeneity across participants in traditional "one-size-fits-all" trials, patient-centered trials that could provide optimal therapy customization to individuals with specific biomarkers were developed including the basket, umbrella, and platform trial designs under the master protocol framework. In recent years, the successive FDA approval of indications based on biomarker-guided master protocol designs has demonstrated that these new clinical trials are ushering in tremendous opportunities. Despite the rapid increase in the number of basket, umbrella, and platform trials, the current clinical and research understanding of these new trial designs, as compared with traditional trial designs, remains limited. The majority of the research focuses on methodologies, and there is a lack of in-depth insight concerning the underlying biological logic of these new clinical trial designs. Therefore, we provide this comprehensive review of the discovery and development of basket, umbrella, and platform trials and their underlying logic from the perspective of precision medicine. Meanwhile, we discuss future directions on the potential development of these new clinical design in view of the "Precision Pro", "Dynamic Precision", and "Intelligent Precision". This review would assist trial-related researchers to enhance the innovation and feasibility of clinical trial designs by expounding the underlying logic, which be essential to accelerate the progression of precision medicine.

Insights into lenvatinib resistance: mechanisms, potential biomarkers, and strategies to enhance sensitivity

Lenvatinib is a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor capable of promoting apoptosis, suppressing angiogenesis, inhibiting tumor cell proliferation, and modulating the immune response. In multiple cancer types, lenvatinib has presented manageable safety and is currently approved as an effective first-line therapy. However, with the gradual increase in lenvatinib application, the inevitable progression of resistance to lenvatinib is becoming more prevalent. A series of recent researches have reported the mechanisms underlying the development of lenvatinib resistance in tumor therapy, which are related to the regulation of cell death or proliferation, histological transformation, metabolism, transport processes, and epigenetics. In this review, we aim to outline recent discoveries achieved in terms of the mechanisms and potential predictive biomarkers of lenvatinib resistance as well as to summarize untapped approaches available for improving the therapeutic efficacy of lenvatinib in patients with various types of cancers.

Network meta-analysis of second line and beyond treatment options in metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Deciding on the optimal second-line (2L) treatment for metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remains challenging due to the limited information comparing each of the available options and the influence of the newly expanding first-line (1L) agents.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We identified phase II/III randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating 2L treatments in metastatic ccRCC. This Network Meta-analysis (NMA) evaluates the overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and severe adverse events (SAE). We used normal likelihood model to incorporate log hazard ratios (HRs), odds ratios (OR), and 95%-confidence-intervals (CI). Treatment p-scores were used for ranking. Data was analyzed in a fixed-effects model using the netmeta package in R v.1.5-0.

RESULTS

All therapies demonstrated some benefits over placebo. Lenvatinib + everolimus ranked first for OS (HR = 0.44; 95%CI = 0.24-0.82; p-score = 0.92), PFS (HR = 0.13; 95%CI = 0.07-0.24, p-score = 0.98), and ORR (OR = 35.95; 95%CI = 11.55-111.87; p-score = 0.93) compared to placebo, though with a higher SAE (OR = 5.27; p-score = 0.23). Cabozantinib ranked second for OS (HR = 0.57, p-score = 0.80), PFS (HR = 0.19; p-score = 0.86), and ORR (OR = 27.24, p-score = 0.84). Nivolumab was third for ORR (p-score = 0.79), fourth for OS (p-score = 0.69), fifth for PFS (p-score = 0.61), and last for SAE (p-score = 0.83). Lenvatinib monotherapy ranked worst SAE (OR = 5.89, p-score = 0.17) and third for OS and PFS. The latest drug, tivozanib, was sixth for PFS, OS, and ORR. The NMA matrix revealed no differential OS benefit between cabozantinib, lenvatinib + everolimus, and nivolumab. Other regimens had no significant OS benefit when compared to placebo.

CONCLUSION

Based on OS and PFS, the lenvtatinib + everolimus combination yielded superior, followed by cabozantinib and Lenvatinib monotherapies; all were limited by a worse SAE profile. Nivolumab and pazopanib had the lowest odds of SAEs.

Incidence of Cutaneous Immune-Related Adverse Events and Outcomes in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Containing Regimens: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are used to treat many cancers, and cutaneous immune-related adverse events (cirAEs) are among the most frequently encountered toxic effects. Understanding the incidence and prognostic associations of cirAEs is of importance as their uses in different settings, combinations, and tumor types expand. To evaluate the incidence of cirAEs and their association with outcome measures across a variety of ICI regimens and cancers, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of published trials of anti-programmed death-1/ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) and anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) ICIs, both alone and in combination with chemotherapy, antiangiogenic agents, or other ICIs in patients with melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and urothelial carcinoma. Key findings of our study include variable cirAE incidence among tumors and ICI regimens, positive association with increased cirAE incidence and response rate, as well as significant association between increased vitiligo incidence and overall survival. Across 174 studies, rash, pruritis, and vitiligo were the most reported cirAEs, with incidences of 16.7%, 18.0%, and 6.6%, respectively. Higher incidence of cirAEs was associated with ICI combination regimens and with CTLA-4-containing regimens, particularly with higher doses of ipilimumab, as compared to PD-1/L1 monotherapies. Outcome measures including response rate and progression-free survival were positively correlated with incidence of cirAEs. The response rate and incidence of pruritis, vitiligo, and rash were associated with expected rises in incidence of 0.17% (p = 0.0238), 0.40% (p = 0.0010), and 0.18% (p = 0.0413), respectively. Overall survival was positively correlated with the incidence of pruritis, vitiligo, and rash; this association was significant for vitiligo (p = 0.0483). Our analysis provides benchmark incidence rates for cirAEs and links cirAEs with favorable treatment outcomes at a study level across diverse solid tumors and multiple ICI regimens.

Shikonin improves the effectiveness of PD-1 blockade in colorectal cancer by enhancing immunogenicity via Hsp70 upregulation

BACKGROUND

PD-1 blockade has shown impressive clinical outcomes in colorectal cancers patients with high microsatellite instability (MSI-H). However, the majority of patients with colorectal cancer who present low microsatellite instability (MSI-L) or stable microsatellites (MSS) show little response to PD-1 blockade therapy. Here, we have demonstrated that Shikonin (SK) could induce cell death of CT26 cells via classically programmed and immunogenic pathways.

METHODS AND RESULTS

SK promoted the membrane exposure of calreticulin and upregulated the expression of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70). The upregulation of Hsp70 was dependent on ROS induced by SK and silencing of PKM2 in CT26 cells reverts ROS upregulation. Besides, SK synergizes with PD-1 blockade in CT26 tumor mice model, with the increase of intramural DC cells and CD8+ T cells. The expression of Hsp70 in tumor tissue was also increased in combinational SK plus αPD-1 therapy group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study elucidated the potential role of 'Shikonin-PKM2-ROS-Hsp70' axis in the promotion of efficacy of PD-1 blockade in CRC treatments, providing a potential strategy and targets for improving the efficacy of PD-1 blockade in colorectal cancer.

[A 2023 inventory in oncology news]

In 2023, the improvement of our therapeutic management has largely taken shape. The aim of our article is to highlight the major advances that will change our practices. These are not only in the field of treatment, but also in the improvement of supportive care. Here, we present these new developments organ by organ, cancer by cancer. You can read everything or concentrate on the cancers that are your areas of expertise. But this exhaustiveness should be representative of our current state of progress.

Vascular endothelial growth factor-targeted therapy in patients with renal cell carcinoma pretreated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: A systematic literature review

INTRODUCTION

We conducted a systematic literature review to identify evidence for use of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeted (anti-VEGF) treatment in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) following prior checkpoint inhibitor (CPI)-based therapy.

METHODS

This was a PRISMA-standard systematic literature review; registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021255568). Literature searches were conducted in MEDLINE®, Embase, and the Cochrane Library (January 28, 2021; updated September 13, 2022) to identify publications reporting efficacy/effectiveness and safety/tolerability evidence for anti-VEGF treatment in patients with RCC who had received prior CPI therapy.

RESULTS

Of 2,639 publications screened, 48 were eligible and featured 2,759 patients treated in trials and 2,209 in real-world studies (RWS). Most patients with available data were treated with anti-VEGF tyrosine kinase inhibitor-based regimens (trials: 93 %; RWS: 100 %), most commonly cabozantinib, which accounted for 46 % of trial and 62 % of RWS patients in publications with available data. Collectively, there was consistent evidence of anti-VEGF treatment activity after prior CPI therapy. Activity was reported for all anti-VEGF regimens and regardless of prior CPI-based regimen. No new safety signals were detected for subsequent anti-VEGF therapy; no studies suggested increased immune-related adverse events associated with prior CPI therapy. The results were limited by data quality; study heterogeneity prohibited meta-analyses.

CONCLUSION

Based on the available data (most commonly for cabozantinib), anti-VEGF therapy appears to be a rational treatment choice in patients with RCC who have progressed despite prior CPI-based therapy. Results from ongoing trials of combination anti-VEGF plus CPI regimen post prior CPI therapy trials will contribute more definitive evidence.

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY

Anticancer treatments that work by reducing levels of a substance in the body called Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor are known as anti-VEGF drugs. Reducing VEGF levels helps to reduce blood supply to tumors, which can slow the speed at which the cancer grows. Some other types of anticancer drugs that help the immune system to fight cancer cells are called checkpoint inhibitors. Here, we looked at published studies that investigated how anti-VEGF drugs work, and what side effects they cause, in people who have already been treated with checkpoint inhibitors for a type of kidney cancer called renal cell carcinoma. We aimed to summarize the available evidence to help doctors decide how best to use anti-VEGF drugs in these patients. We found 48 studies that included almost 5,000 patients. The results of the studies showed that anti-VEGF drugs have anticancer effects in people with renal cell carcinoma who had already been treated with checkpoint inhibitors. All of the VEGF-targeting drugs had anticancer effects, irrespective of what checkpoint inhibitor treatment people had received before. There were different amounts of evidence available for the different anti-VEGF drugs. The anti-VEGF cabozantinib had the largest amount of evidence. Importantly, previous checkpoint inhibitor treatment did not seem to affect the number or type of side-effects associated with anti-VEGF drugs. Results from ongoing, well-designed studies will be helpful to confirm these results. Our findings may be useful for doctors considering using anti-VEGF drugs in patients with renal cell carcinoma who have received checkpoint inhibitor treatment.

The role of ramucirumab plus paclitaxel as second-line therapy after failure of nivolumab plus doublet chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer

Background

Adding nivolumab to fluoropyrimidines and platinum agents has been considered a new standard first-line treatment in previously untreated human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced gastric cancer (AGC). However, there were few data on the role of ramucirumab plus paclitaxel as second-line treatment after failure of nivolumab plus doublet chemotherapy. Herein, we analyzed the efficacy and safety of second-line ramucirumab plus paclitaxel in AGC patients refractory to nivolumab plus chemotherapy.

Methods

This analysis included AGC patients with ramucirumab plus paclitaxel as second-line therapy after failing to respond to nivolumab plus doublet chemotherapy [capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (XELOX) or 5-fluorouracil plus oxaliplatin (FOLFOX)] at Samsung Medical Center, Korea. Twenty patients who progressed on nivolumab plus chemotherapy as first-line therapy were treated with ramucirumab plus paclitaxel between December 2021 and September 2022.

Results

The median age was 56 (range, 24-76) years, and 13 (65.0%) were men. Of the 20 patients, 15 (75.0%) patients received nivolumab plus capecitabine, and oxaliplatin, while 5 (25.0%) patients received nivolumab plus 5-fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin. Two showed a partial response (PR) to ramucirumab plus paclitaxel, a response rate of 10%. Patients with stable disease (SD) accounted for a disease control rate (DCR) of 55.0%. The median progression-free survival (PFS) to ramucirumab plus paclitaxel was 2.7 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.7-3.7]. Subgroup analysis showed that responders (n=7) to first-line therapy had a PFS of 6.9 months compared to 2.3 months in non-responders (n=13) to first-line therapy. The median overall survival (OS) was 6.3 months (95% CI: 5.5-8.3), representing 6.9 months (95% CI: not calculated) in responders and 6.3 months (95% CI: 3.7-8.9) in non-responders (P=0.401).

Conclusions

This analysis suggested that ramucirumab plus paclitaxel as second-line therapy might be further studied in AGC patients after failure of nivolumab plus chemotherapy. A new second-line therapy is needed in AGC patients after nivolumab plus chemotherapy.

Emerging Immunotherapy Approaches for Advanced Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

The most common subtype of renal cell carcinoma is clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). While localized ccRCC can be cured with surgery, metastatic disease has a poor prognosis. Recently, immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach for advanced ccRCC. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the evolving immunotherapeutic landscape for metastatic ccRCC. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) like PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors have demonstrated clinical efficacy as monotherapies and in combination regimens. Combination immunotherapies pairing ICIs with antiangiogenic agents, other immunomodulators, or novel therapeutic platforms such as bispecific antibodies and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy are areas of active research. Beyond the checkpoint blockade, additional modalities including therapeutic vaccines, cytokines, and oncolytic viruses are also being explored for ccRCC. This review discusses the mechanisms, major clinical trials, challenges, and future directions for these emerging immunotherapies. While current strategies have shown promise in improving patient outcomes, continued research is critical for expanding and optimizing immunotherapy approaches for advanced ccRCC. Realizing the full potential of immunotherapy will require elucidating mechanisms of response and resistance, developing predictive biomarkers, and rationally designing combination therapeutic regimens tailored to individual patients. Advances in immunotherapy carry immense promise for transforming the management of metastatic ccRCC.

Current status and future perspective of immunotherapy for renal cell carcinoma

In the last decade, the standard treatment for advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has evolved, mainly driven by the development and approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Currently, ICI monotherapy and ICI-based combinations with tyrosine kinase inhibitors and targeted therapies against mammalian target of rapamycin or vascular endothelial growth factor have become new standard treatments for first-line and subsequent-line therapies. ICIs play an important role as an adjuvant postoperative therapy, and this field is the subject of active research. Furthermore, ongoing randomized controlled trials are investigating the clinical value of more intense treatments by combining multiple effective treatments for RCC. Additionally, novel biomarkers for prognosis have been investigated. This study reviews the current evidence on immunotherapy as a treatment for RCC patients, randomized controlled trials, and ongoing studies including RCC patients and recent findings, and discusses future perspectives.

Treatment Landscape of Renal Cell Carcinoma

OPINION STATEMENT

The treatment landscape of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has evolved significantly over the past three decades. Active surveillance and tumor ablation are alternatives to extirpative therapy in appropriately selected patients. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is an emerging noninvasive alternative to treat primary RCC tumors. The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has greatly improved the overall survival of advanced RCC, and now the ICI-based doublet (dual ICI-ICI doublet; or ICI in combination with a vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, ICI-TKI doublet) has become the standard frontline therapy. Based on unprecedented outcomes in the metastatic with ICIs, they are also being explored in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant setting for patients with high-risk disease. Adjuvant pembrolizumab has proven efficacy to reduce the risk of RCC recurrence after nephrectomy. Historically considered a radioresistant tumor, SBRT occupies an expanding role to treat RCC with oligometastasis or oligoprogression in combination with systemic therapy. Furthermore, SBRT is being investigated in combination with ICI-doublet in the advanced disease setting. Lastly, given the treatment paradigm is shifting to adopt ICIs at earlier disease course, the prospective studies guiding treatment sequencing in the post-ICI setting is maturing. The effort is ongoing in search of predictive biomarkers to guide optimal treatment option in RCC.

Anlotinib as a third-line or further treatment for recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a single-arm, phase 2 clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Treatment options beyond the first-line setting for recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (RM-NPC) are limited. The role of the multitarget tyrosine kinase inhibitor anlotinib in RM-NPC is unclear.

METHODS

In this prospective, single-arm, phase 2 trial, patients with histologically confirmed RM-NPC and failure of at least two lines of prior systemic treatments were eligible. Anlotinib was given at 12 mg once daily on days 1-14 every 3 weeks until disease progression or intolerable toxicities. The primary end point was disease control rate, defined as the percentage of patients achieving complete response, partial response, or stable disease by RECIST criteria.

RESULTS

From April 2019 to March 2021, 39 patients were enrolled and received a median of 4 cycles (range, 0.5-20) of anlotinib treatment. Partial response and stable disease were observed in 8 and 20 patients, respectively. The disease control rate was 71.8%, and objective response rate was 20.5%. With a median follow-up of 17.2 months, the median progression-free survival was 5.7 months. The 12-month overall survival was 58.3%, and the median overall survival was not reached. The most frequent grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events were hand-foot syndrome (23.7%), oral mucositis (21.0%), hypertension (7.9%), and triglyceride elevation (7.9%). Hemorrhage, all grade 1 or 2, occurred in 34.2% of the patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Anlotinib monotherapy exhibited promising anti-tumor activities and disease control for heavily pretreated RM-NPC patients with a tolerable toxicity profile.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03906058.

Adverse events and oncologic outcomes with combination lenvatinib and pembrolizumab for the treatment of recurrent endometrial cancer

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate adverse events (AEs) of combination lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab for the treatment of recurrent endometrial cancer (EC) and to assess outcomes by lenvatinib starting dose.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed patients with recurrent EC treated with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab at our institution between 10/1/2019-11/30/2021. Starting dose of lenvatinib was defined as standard (20 mg) or reduced (10 mg/14 mg). AEs were manually extracted through chart review and graded using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0. PFS, overall survival (OS), and duration of response (DOR) were analyzed.

RESULTS

Forty-three patients were identified; median age was 67 years (range, 54-85). The most common histologies were serous (35%), endometrioid (23%), and carcinosarcoma (21%). Starting lenvatinib doses were 10 mg (n = 10), 14 mg (n = 10), and 20 mg (n = 23). Median number of cycles received was 8 (range, 1-42). Twenty-four patients (56%) required ≥1 lenvatinib dose reduction; 3 (7%) discontinued lenvatinib, and 1 (2%) discontinued pembrolizumab for intolerance or AE. Thirty-six patients (84%) experienced grade ≥ 3 AEs; hypertension, weight loss, anemia, fatigue, and thrombocytopenia were most common. The standard dose group experienced significantly shorter observed PFS vs the reduced dose group (P = .02). There was no difference in DOR (P = .09) or OS (P = .27) between the groups.

CONCLUSION

In clinical practice, AEs associated with combination lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab were common and comparable to Study 309/KEYNOTE-775 findings. AEs were similar regardless of starting lenvatinib dose. Further dose optimization studies of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab may be indicated in recurrent EC. Clinical trial data remain the gold standard to guide starting lenvatinib dosing.

Efficacy and safety of anti-PD-1 monotherapy versus anti-PD-1 antibodies plus lenvatinib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a real-world experience

Background

The efficacy of anti-programmed cell death (PD)-1 monotherapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC) is limited, and combination therapy with lenvatinib and pembrolizumab has shown promising results. However, comparative studies between immune monotherapies and combination therapies are lacking.

Objectives

To investigate the efficacy and safety of anti-PD-1 monotherapy (PD-1) and anti-PD-1 plus lenvatinib (PD-1 + L) in patients with aHCC to guide clinical treatment decisions.

Design

A retrospective study was conducted on a cohort of patients with aHCC who received either PD-1 monotherapy or PD-1 + L combination therapy between January 2018 and January 2020.

Methods

The study retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 94 eligible patients with aHCC, with 39 in the PD-1 group and 55 in the PD-1 + L group. The efficacy outcomes, including objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety, were assessed.

Results

With a median follow-up of 30.1 months, the PD-1 + L group demonstrated a significantly higher ORR (32.7% versus 10.3%, p = 0.013), better DCR (80.0% versus 53.8%, p = 0.012), longer median PFS (10.6 versus 4.4 months, p < 0.001) and longer median OS (18.4 versus 8.5 months, p = 0.013) than PD-1 group. For the responders, the efficacy of the two groups was durable (DOR was 11.6 versus 3.5 months, p = 0.009). Subgroup analyses based on prior tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment and the presence or absence of macrovascular tumor thrombosis or extrahepatic metastases favored the PD-1 + L group. The combination therapy was a good predictor of PFS and OS in multivariate analysis. Grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events were more common in PD-1 + L group, with higher incidences of hypertension and hand-foot skin reactions.

Conclusions

PD-1 monotherapy and PD-1 plus lenvatinib combination therapy were well-tolerated in patients with aHCC. PD-1 + L showed significantly better survival benefits than PD-1 monotherapy.

Managing Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma after Progression on Immunotherapy

Treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) after first-line immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) lacks standardization, with limited evidence from small trials and retrospective data. Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) inhibition through tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is the most widely adopted second-line treatment. Encouraging results have been seen with VEGFR-TKIs in the second-line after exposure to an ICI-based combination, achieving a response rate of 30%, and 75% of patients achieving disease control. Rechallenge with ICI alone seems safe but has limited clinical benefit. Promising regimens with combination therapies and novel drugs are being evaluated in phase 3 trials.

Checkpoint inhibitors and anti-angiogenic agents: a winning combination

The combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors and anti-angiogenic agents is a promising new approach in cancer treatment. Immune checkpoint inhibitors block the signals that help cancer cells evade the immune system, while anti-angiogenic agents target the blood vessels that supply the tumour with nutrients and oxygen, limiting its growth. Importantly, this combination triggers synergistic effects based on molecular and cellular mechanisms, leading to better response rates and longer progression-free survival than treatment alone. However, these combinations can also lead to increased side effects and require close monitoring.

Survival in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Treated With Immunotherapy and Stereotactic Radiation Therapy or Immunotherapy Alone: A National Cancer Database Analysis

Purpose

Immunotherapy (IO) has significantly improved outcomes in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Preclinical evidence suggests that responses to IO may be potentiated via immunomodulatory effects of stereotactic radiation therapy (SRT). We hypothesized that clinical outcomes from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) would demonstrate improved overall survival (OS) in patients with mRCC receiving IO + SRT versus IO alone.

Methods and Materials

Patients with mRCC receiving first-line IO ± SRT were identified from the NCDB. Conventional radiation therapy was allowed in the IO alone cohort. The primary endpoint was OS stratified by the receipt of SRT (IO + SRT vs IO alone). Secondary endpoints included OS stratified by the presence of brain metastases (BM) and timing of SRT (before or after IO). Survival was estimated using Kaplan-Meier methodology and compared via the log-rank test.

Results

Of 644 eligible patients, 63 (9.8%) received IO + SRT, and 581 (90.2%) received IO alone. Median follow-up time was 17.7 months (range, 2-24 months). Sites treated with SRT included the brain (71.4%), lung/chest (7.9%), bones (7.9%), spine (6.3%), and other (6.3%). OS was 74.4% versus 65.0% at 1 year and 71.0% versus 59.4% at 2 years for the IO + SRT and IO alone groups, respectively, although this difference did not reach statistical significance (log-rank P = .1077). In patients with BM, however, 1-year OS (73.0% vs 54.7%) and 2-year OS (70.8% vs 51.4%) was significantly higher in those receiving IO + SRT versus IO alone, respectively (pairwise P = .0261). Timing of SRT (before or after IO) did not influence OS (log-rank P = .3185).

Conclusions

Patients with BM secondary to mRCC had prolonged OS with the addition of SRT to IO. Factors such as International mRCC Database Consortium risk stratification, oligometastatic tumor burden, SRT dose/fractionation, and utilization of doublet therapy should be considered in future analyses to better identify patients who may benefit from combined IO + SRT. Further prospective studies are warranted.

Survival by Depth of Response and Efficacy by International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium Subgroup with Lenvatinib Plus Pembrolizumab Versus Sunitinib in Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma: Analysis of the Phase 3 Randomized CLEAR Study

BACKGROUND

The extent of tumor shrinkage has been deemed a predictor of survival for advanced/metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC), a disease with historically poor survival.

OBJECTIVE

To perform an exploratory analysis of overall survival (OS) by tumor response by 6 mo, and to assess the efficacy and survival outcomes in specific subgroups.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

CLEAR was an open-label, multicenter, randomized, phase 3 trial of first-line treatment of advanced clear cell RCC.

INTERVENTION

Patients were randomized 1:1:1 to lenvatinib 20 mg orally daily with pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously once every 3 wk, lenvatinib plus everolimus (not included in this analysis), or sunitinib 50 mg orally daily for 4 wk on treatment/2 wk of no treatment.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Landmark analyses were conducted to assess the association of OS with tumor shrinkage and progressive disease status by 6 mo. Progression-free survival, duration of response, and objective response rate (ORR) were analyzed by the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC) risk subgroup and by the presence of target kidney lesions. Efficacy was assessed by an independent review committee as per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

Landmark analyses by tumor shrinkage showed that patients enrolled to lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab arm with a confirmed complete response or >75% target-lesion reduction by 6 mo had a 24-mo OS probability of ≥91.7%. A landmark analysis by disease progression showed that patients with no progression by 6 mo had lower probabilities of death in both arms. Patients with an IMDC risk classification of intermediate/poor had longer median progression-free survival (22.1 vs 5.9 mo) and a higher ORR (72.4% vs 28.8%) with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab versus sunitinib. Similarly, results favored lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab in IMDC-favorable patients and those with/without target kidney lesions. Limitations of the study are that results were exploratory and not powered/stratified.

CONCLUSIONS

Lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab showed improved efficacy versus sunitinib for patients with advanced RCC; landmark analyses showed that tumor response by 6 mo correlated with longer OS.

PATIENT SUMMARY

In this report of the CLEAR trial, we explored the survival of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma by assessing how well they initially responded to treatment. We also explored how certain groups of patients responded to treatment overall. Patients were assigned to cycles of either lenvatinib 20 mg daily plus pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3 wk or sunitinib 50 mg daily for 4 wk (followed by a 2-wk break). Patients who either had a "complete response" or had their tumors shrunk by >75% within 6 mo after starting treatment with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab had better survival than those with less tumor reduction by 6 mo. Additionally, patients who had more severe disease (as per the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium) at the start of study treatment survived for longer without disease progression with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab than with sunitinib.

Axitinib Rechallenge Restores the Anticancer Effect after Nivolumab: A Case Report

The immune checkpoint inhibitor/tyrosine kinase inhibitor (ICI/TKI) combination treatment is currently the first-line treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). However, its efficacy beyond the third-line setting is expected to be relatively poor, and high-grade toxicities can develop by prior exposure to multiple drugs, resulting in a relatively poor performance in patients. Determining the best treatment regimen and sequence remains difficult and requires further investigation in patients with mRCC. In this study, two cases of mRCC, who failed several lines of TKI and nivolumab but exhibited a good anticancer effect after rechallenging with axitinib, are described. Both patients had a faster time to best response and better progression-free survival (PFS) than during previous treatments. Moreover, the axitinib dose could be reduced to 2.5 mg daily when used in combination with nivolumab while continuing to exert an impressive anticancer effect. To determine the cytotoxic effect, we performed a lymphocyte activation test and found that the level of granzyme B released by cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells was higher when axitinib was combined with nivolumab. To evaluate this result, a bioinformatics approach was used to analyze the PRISM database. In conclusion, based on the results of a lymphocyte activation test and PD-1 expression, our findings indicate that sequential therapy with axitinib rechallenge after nivolumab resistance is reasonable for the treatment of mRCC.

Atezolizumab plus cabozantinib versus cabozantinib monotherapy for patients with renal cell carcinoma after progression with previous immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment (CONTACT-03): a multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are the standard of care for first-line treatment of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, yet optimised treatment of patients whose disease progresses after these therapies is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine whether adding atezolizumab to cabozantinib delayed disease progression and prolonged survival in patients with disease progression on or after previous immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment.

METHODS

CONTACT-03 was a multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial, done in 135 study sites in 15 countries in Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. Patients aged 18 years or older with locally advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma whose disease had progressed with immune checkpoint inhibitors were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive atezolizumab (1200 mg intravenously every 3 weeks) plus cabozantinib (60 mg orally once daily) or cabozantinib alone. Randomisation was done through an interactive voice-response or web-response system in permuted blocks (block size four) and stratified by International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium risk group, line of previous immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, and renal cell carcinoma histology. The two primary endpoints were progression-free survival per blinded independent central review and overall survival. The primary endpoints were assessed in the intention-to-treat population and safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of study drug. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04338269, and is closed to further accrual.

FINDINGS

From July 28, 2020, to Dec 27, 2021, 692 patients were screened for eligibility, 522 of whom were assigned to receive atezolizumab-cabozantinib (263 patients) or cabozantinib (259 patients). 401 (77%) patients were male and 121 (23%) patients were female. At data cutoff (Jan 3, 2023), median follow-up was 15·2 months (IQR 10·7-19·3). 171 (65%) patients receiving atezolizumab-cabozantinib and 166 (64%) patients receiving cabozantinib had disease progression per central review or died. Median progression-free survival was 10·6 months (95% CI 9·8-12·3) with atezolizumab-cabozantinib and 10·8 months (10·0-12·5) with cabozantinib (hazard ratio [HR] for disease progression or death 1·03 [95% CI 0·83-1·28]; p=0·78). 89 (34%) patients in the atezolizumab-cabozantinib group and 87 (34%) in the cabozantinib group died. Median overall survival was 25·7 months (95% CI 21·5-not evaluable) with atezolizumab-cabozantinib and was not evaluable (21·1-not evaluable) with cabozantinib (HR for death 0·94 [95% CI 0·70-1·27]; p=0·69). Serious adverse events occurred in 126 (48%) of 262 patients treated with atezolizumab-cabozantinib and 84 (33%) of 256 patients treated with cabozantinib; adverse events leading to death occurred in 17 (6%) patients in the atezolizumab-cabozantinib group and nine (4%) in the cabozantinib group.

INTERPRETATION

The addition of atezolizumab to cabozantinib did not improve clinical outcomes and led to increased toxicity. These results should discourage sequential use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with renal cell carcinoma outside of clinical trials.

FUNDING

F Hoffmann-La Roche and Exelixis.

Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors for Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Bibliometric Analysis via CiteSpace from 2000 to 2022

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study was to identify the cooperation of authors, countries, institutions and explore the hot spots regarding research of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treatment in the past 22 years.

SUMMARY

Relevant original and review articles were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection from 2000 to 2022. CiteSpace software was used to perform the visualization of scientific productivity and emerging trends. Network maps were generated to evaluate the collaborations between different authors, countries, institutions, and keywords.

KEY MESSAGES

A total of 4,951 articles related to TKI for RCC treatment were identified. We observed a gradual increase in the number of publications from 2000 to 2022. The USA dominated the field in all countries, and Mem Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre (USA) had more extensive cooperating relationships with other institutions. Motzer RJ and Escudier B were two of the authority scholars in this specific field with the most publications and co-citations. Journal of Clinical Oncology had the most citations of all the journals. A total of 10 major clusters were explored based on the reference co-citation analysis. From 2000 to 2022, the research hot spots have undergone two dramatic shifts during 2006 and 2019, respectively, relevant topics were TKI and TKI combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs). At present, the research hot spots focus on CPI and targeted therapies. Bibliometric analysis is allowing researchers to recognize the current research status by providing a comprehensive overview of the development of scientific literature related to TKI for RCC treatment, and information for further research be demonstrated as well.

Efficacy and Safety of Anlotinib in Overall and Disease-Specific Advanced Gynecological Cancer: A Real-World Study

Purpose

Anlotinib is a novel oral small-molecule multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has been approved for treating non-small cell lung cancer. However, its efficacy and safety among patients with advanced gynecological cancer have not been comprehensively evaluated. We conducted this study to address this issue in the real-world setting.

Patients and Methods

Data from patients treated with Anlotinib for persistent, recurrent or metastatic gynecological cancer were collected from 17 centers from August 2018. The database lock-time was on March 2022. Anlotinib was administered orally on days 1-14 every 3 weeks until disease progression, severe toxicity occurred, or death. In this study, disease-specific advanced gynecological cancer was mainly referred to cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancer. The outcomes included objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and progression-free survival (PFS).

Results

A total of 249 patients were analyzed, with a median follow-up of 14.5 months. The overall ORR and DCR were 28.1% [95% confidence interval (CI) 22.6% to 34.1%] and 80.7% (95% CI 75.3% to 85.4%), respectively. Specifically, the ORR varied from 19.7% to 34.4% and the DCR differed from 81.7% to 90.0% in disease-specific advanced gynecological cancer. The median PFS was 6.1 months and ranged from 5.6 to 10.0 months in the overall and disease-specific advanced gynecological cancer, respectively. Larger cumulative dosage of Anlotinib (>700 mg) was in general associated with longer PFS in the overall and disease-specific advanced gynecological cancer. The most common adverse event related to Anlotinib treatment was pain/arthralgia (18.3%).

Conclusion

In conclusion, Anlotinib holds promise in treating patients with advanced gynecological cancer including its disease-specific types, with reasonable efficacy and tolerable safety.

Case Report: A case of hepatocellular carcinoma with aberrant right hepatic artery treated with transarterial chemoembolization and infusion chemotherapy separately to bilobar lesion combining with systemic therapies and sequential hepatectomy

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with a dismal prognosis is the second most deadly malignancy globally. Surgery is believed to be a curative approach. Nevertheless, there is still a considerable probability of postoperative recurrence. Most patients present in advanced stages with a surgically and oncologically unresectable disease. Systemic medicines are increasingly important to downstage the disease and further improve survival.

Case summary

A 67-year-old Chinese man with uncontrolled hepatitis B was discovered to have liver masses with abnormal serum vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) level during checkup for upper abdominal discomfort. Abdominal multiphase computerized tomography (CT) and gadoxetate disodium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed the bulky bilobar HCCs of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B and China Liver Cancer Staging stage IIa. Furthermore, the aberrant right hepatic artery (RHA) originates from the superior mesenteric artery. Due to the location being adjacent to important vasculatures and massive size of the right-sided lesion, curative resection appears to be challenging. To achieve a favorable surgical margin, repeated hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) was adopted through the variant RHA, while transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) was delivered to the left lobe to arrest tumor growth. Furthermore, sintilimab plus lenvatinib served as the sequential systemic therapy. After 5 months of conversion treatment, the partial response with a decreased serum PIVKA-II level was attained. The R0 hepatectomy was then performed without postoperative complications. The immunohistochemistry and next-generation sequencing results suggested that the two-side HCCs existing tumor heterogeneity were not completely consistent. The patient continues to be without evidence of disease.

Conclusion

Our case highlights a favorable outcome in a man with bilobar bulky HCC after undergoing the comprehensive therapeutic schedule that includes personalized intervention and systemic drug therapy. In terms of conversion therapy, our case provides a secure and practical reference for managing unresectable bilobar HCC coexisting with the aberrant hepatic artery.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors: maximizing benefit whilst minimizing toxicity

INTRODUCTION

The advent of immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of cancer; anti-tumor efficacy has been observed with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in ~20 different cancer types with durable responses in some cases. However, the risk of toxicity in the form of immune-related adverse events (irAE) partially counterbalances these benefits, and there are no FDA-approved biomarkers to categorize patients by likelihood of response or risk of irAEs.

AREAS COVERED

We conducted a thorough review of the literature of clinical studies regarding ICI and their toxicities. In this review, we synthesize the current body of literature about ICI treatment and irAE by summarizing the classes and uses of ICI, how to identify patients at risk for irAE, present the current understanding of irAE development, describe ongoing research into biomarkers of irAE, examine opportunities for irAE prevention, described management of steroid refractory irAE, and highlight future directions for development of prevention and management strategies.

EXPERT OPINION

While ongoing biomarker studies are promising, it is unlikely that there will be a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to categorizing irAE risk. In contrast, improved management and irAE prophylaxis are potentially in reach, and ongoing trials will help elucidate best practices.

Evaluating the effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors on venous thromboembolism in non-small cell lung cancer patients

OBJECTIVE

Currently, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) therapy is one of the main methods of treatment in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aimed to explore the risk factors of VTE and evaluate the effect of ICIs on VTE in patients with NSCLC.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We retrospectively studied patients with NSCLC who were divided into VTE group and without VTE (Non-VTE) group. We identified the risk factors of VTE in NSCLC patients and evaluated the effect of ICIs on VTE in NSCLC patients.

RESULTS

We found that clinical stage III-IV (P = 0.015) and Khorana score (KS) ≥ 2 (P = 0.047) were independent risk factors for the occurrence of VTE in NSCLC, and treatment with ICIs reduced the risk of VTE occurrence (P = 0.028). There were no differences of survival rates in the 12-month (P = 0.449), 24-month (P = 0.412), or 36-month (P = 0.315) between the VTE and non-VTE groups. History of anti-angiogenic therapy (P = 0.033) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (P = 0.046) were independent risk factors for VTE in NSCLC patients who were treated with ICIs.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that we should strengthen anticoagulant therapy when using ICIs for NSCLC patients with a history of anti-angiogenic therapy and COPD.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Rechallenge in Renal Cell Carcinoma: Current Evidence and Future Directions

Immune checkpoint inhibitor-based therapies represent the current standard of care in the first-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma. Despite a clear benefit in survival outcomes, a considerable proportion of patients experience disease progression; prospective data about second-line therapy after first-line treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors are limited to small phase II studies. As with other solid tumors (such as melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer), preliminary data about the clinical efficacy of rechallenge of immunotherapy (alone or in combination with other drugs) in renal cell carcinoma are beginning to emerge. Nevertheless, the role of rechallenge in immunotherapy in this setting of disease remains unclear and cannot be considered a standard of care; currently some randomized trials are exploring this approach in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. The aim of our review is to summarize main evidence available in the literature concerning immunotherapy rechallenge in renal carcinoma, especially focusing on biological rationale of resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors, on the published data of clinical efficacy and on future perspectives.

NeoAdjuvant pembrolizumab and STEreotactic radiotherapy prior to nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma (NAPSTER): A phase II randomised clinical trial

Background

Surgery remains the standard of care for localised renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Nevertheless, nearly 50% of patients with high-risk disease experience relapse after surgery, with distant sites being common. Considering improved outcomes in terms of disease-free survival with adjuvant immunotherapy with pembrolizumab, we hypothesise that neoadjuvant SABR with or without the addition of pembrolizumab before nephrectomy will lead to improved disease outcomes by evoking better immune response in the presence of an extensive reserve of tumor-associated antigens.

Methods and analysis

This prospective, open-label, phase II, randomised, non-comparative, clinical trial will investigate the use of neoadjuvant stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) with or without pembrolizumab prior to nephrectomy. The trial will be conducted at two centres in Australia that are well established for delivering SABR to primary RCC patients. Twenty-six patients with biopsy-proven clear cell RCC will be recruited over two years. Patients will be randomised to either SABR or SABR/pembrolizumab. Patients in both arms will undergo surgery at 9 weeks after completion of experimental treatment. The primary objectives are to describe major pathological response and changes in tumour-responsive T-cells from baseline pre-treatment biopsy in each arm. Patients will be followed for sixty days post-surgery.

Outcomes and significance

We hypothesize that SABR alone or SABR plus pembrolizumab will induce significant tumor-specific immune response and major pathological response. In that case, either one or both arms could justifiably be used as a neoadjuvant treatment approach in future randomized trials in the high-risk patient population.

Phase II Clinical Trial of Axitinib and Avelumab in Patients With Recurrent/Metastatic Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma

PURPOSE

We conducted a phase II trial evaluating the efficacy of VEGFR inhibitor axitinib and PD-L1 inhibitor avelumab in patients with recurrent/metastatic adenoid cystic carcinoma (R/M ACC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eligible patients had R/M ACC with progression within 6 months before enrollment. Treatment consisted of axitinib and avelumab. The primary end point was objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST 1.1; secondary end points included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity. Simon's optimal two-stage design tested the null hypothesis of ORR ≤5% versus ORR ≥20% at 6 months; ≥4 responses in 29 patients would reject the null hypothesis.

RESULTS

Forty patients enrolled from July 2019 to June 2021; 28 were evaluable for efficacy (six screen failures; six evaluable for safety only). The confirmed ORR was 18% (95% CI, 6.1 to 36.9); there was one unconfirmed partial response (PR). Two patients achieved PR after 6 months; thus, the ORR at 6 months was 14%. The median follow-up time for surviving patients was 22 months (95% CI, 16.6 to 39.1 months). The median PFS was 7.3 months (95% CI, 3.7 to 11.2 months), 6-month PFS rate was 57% (95% CI, 41 to 78), and median OS was 16.6 months (95% CI, 12.4 to not reached months). Most common treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) included fatigue (62%), hypertension (32%), and diarrhea (32%). Ten (29%) patients had serious TRAEs, all grade 3; four patients (12%) discontinued avelumab, and nine patients (26%) underwent axitinib dose reduction.

CONCLUSION

The study reached its primary end point with ≥4 PRs in 28 evaluable patients (confirmed ORR of 18%). The potential added benefit of avelumab to axitinib in ACC requires further investigation.

Real world evidence of Lenvatinib + anti PD-1 as an advanced line for metastatic melanoma

Introduction

Immunotherapy has revolutionized the prognosis of patients with metastatic melanoma. To date, the most active regimen is the combination of ipilimumab + nivolumab (ipi-nivo) achieving a response rate of nearly 60% and a median survival (OS) of 6 years. However, approximately 40% of patients experience primary resistance, while around 50% experience secondary resistance, highlighting the need for an effective second-line treatment option The recently published results on the use of lenvatinib + pembrolizumab in the advanced line setting led to the adoption of this regimen at our institution. Here we present our experience with this regimen, focusing on efficacy and safety.

Methods

Electronic medical records of patients treated at a tertiary referral melanoma center, with at least one cycle of anti PD-1 + lenvatinib from 2020 to 2023 were analyzed for baseline demographic characteristics, disease related characteristics and treatment outcomes.

Results

Forty-two patients were identified. The Response rate (RR) was 28% and the disease control rate was 38%. Responses were seen across different melanoma subtypes, including 67% in acral melanoma, 20% in uveal melanoma, and 25% in mucosal melanoma. Patients with a more aggressive disease manifested by elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) achieved a RR of 26%, while patients with active central nervous system (CNS) metastases had a RR of 31%, and an intra-cranial RR of 23%. Responses were seen across lines of treatment, with a 25% RR in the second and third lines, and a 36% RR in the fourth and fifth lines. The median progression free survival was 3 months, and the median survival was 11 months. The treatment was not easily tolerated with 31% of the patients experiencing grade 3-4 toxicity, which was manageable through dose interruptions and reductions. Only 7% of patients discontinued the treatment due to toxicity.

Conclusion

Lenvatinib in combination with anti-PD1 had demonstrated both relative safety and efficacy in patients with metastatic melanoma of all subtypes in the advanced line setting. We are eagerly anticipating the mature results of the LEAP-004 study hoping that this regimen will receive regulatory approval, paving the way for its widespread adoption in daily practice worldwide.

Camrelizumab Plus Apatinib in Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: An Open-Label, Single-Arm, Phase II Study

PURPOSE

Immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with antiangiogenic therapy reportedly have potential synergistic antitumor activity. We investigated the activity and safety of this regimen for recurrent/metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

METHODS

This single-arm, Simon two-stage study enrolled patients with recurrent/metastatic NPC who were refractory to at least first-line systemic therapy and treatment-naive to immune checkpoint inhibitors. The patients received camrelizumab 200 mg once every 3 weeks and apatinib 250 mg once per day. The primary end point was the objective response rate. Key secondary end points included disease control rate, progression-free survival, duration of response, overall survival, and safety.

RESULTS

Between October 14, 2020, and December 23, 2021, 58 patients were enrolled, and all were included in the efficacy and safety analysis set. The objective response rate was 65.5% (95% CI, 51.9 to 77.5), and the disease control rate was 86.2% (95% CI, 74.6 to 93.9). The median duration of response was not reached, and the median progression-free survival was 10.4 months (95% CI, 7.2 to 13.6), with a median follow-up duration of 12.4 months (range, 2.1-19.9 months). Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) of grade 3 or higher were reported in 34 (58.6%) patients, with the most common being hypertension (19.0%), nasopharyngeal necrosis (15.5%), headache (12.1%), AST elevation (10.3%), and creatine phosphokinase elevation (10.3%). Sixteen (27.6%) patients discontinued apatinib treatment before progression because of unbearable TRAEs, and the most common complication was nasopharyngeal necrosis (9/16; 56.3%). Recurrent nasopharyngeal lesions (odds ratio, 5.94 [95% CI, 1.45 to 24.24]) and reirradiation (odds ratio, 5.33 [95% CI, 1.15 to 24.79]) were significantly positively correlated with nasopharyngeal necrosis.

CONCLUSION

Camrelizumab plus apatinib had promising antitumor activity in patients with refractory recurrent/metastatic NPC who failed first-line therapy. Moderate to severe TRAEs were experienced by 58.6%, including nasopharyngeal necrosis associated with local recurrence and a history of reirradiation.

Current Status in Rechallenge of Immunotherapy

The treatment of malignant tumors has entered the era of immunotherapy, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have brought significant benefits to patients. However, some patients are required to discontinue treatment with ICIs owing to factors such as disease progression and intolerable side effects. Faced with limited subsequent treatment options and complex medical needs, we searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library, and the NIH clinical trials database and found that ICI rechallenge could be a relevant clinical strategy. The factors that could affect the rechallenge efficacy include the patients' characteristics, therapeutic strategy selection, and the timing of treatment. Multiple factors are used to identify target population, of which clinical features and PD-L1 expression are more potential. Both single ICI rechallenge and combination therapy may have survival benefits. Patients who have tolerated initial immunotherapy well could undergo ICI rechallenge, while patients who have experienced grade 3 or higher immune-related adverse events should be carefully assessed prior to rechallenge. Interventions and the interval between two courses of ICI will clearly have an impact on the efficacy of subsequent treatment. Preliminary data evaluation supports further investigation on ICI rechallenge to identify the factors that could contribute to its efficacy.

Metabolic adverse events of multitarget kinase inhibitors: a systematic review

PURPOSE

Multitargeted kinase inhibitors (MKIs) are used for the treatment of several cancers. By targeting multiple signaling pathways, MKIs have become cornerstones of the oncologic treatment. Although their use leads to important results in terms of survival, treatment with MKIs can determine important side effects the clinician must be aware of. Among those, arterial hypertension, mucositis and skin lesions are universally reported, while data about metabolic alterations are scarce. In our review, we focused on glucose and lipid alterations in MKI-treated patients.

METHODS

We searched for articles, published between January 2012 and December 2022, evaluating the effects on lipid and glucose metabolism of four MKIs (Cabozantinib, Lenvatinib, Sorafenib, and Vandetanib) in adult patients with cancer. We focused on drugs approved for thyroid malignancies, since a worse metabolic control may potentially impact life expectancy, due to their better overall survival rate.

RESULTS

As for glucose metabolism, the majority of the studies reported elevation of glucose levels (prevalence: 1-17%) with different grades of severity, including death. As for cholesterol, 12 studies reported worsening or new-onset hypercholesterolemia (prevalence: 4-40%). Finally, 19 studies reported different grades of hypertriglyceridemia (prevalence: 1-86%), sometimes leading to life-threatening events.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite some inherent limitations, our analysis may cast light upon some of the MKIs metabolic disorders that can impact on patients' health, especially when long-term survival is expected. Future clinical trials should consider routine assessment of glucose and lipid levels, because underdetection and underreporting of alterations can lead to the overlooking of important adverse events.

Immune checkpoint therapy-current perspectives and future directions

Immune checkpoint therapy (ICT) has dramatically altered clinical outcomes for cancer patients and conferred durable clinical benefits, including cure in a subset of patients. Varying response rates across tumor types and the need for predictive biomarkers to optimize patient selection to maximize efficacy and minimize toxicities prompted efforts to unravel immune and non-immune factors regulating the responses to ICT. This review highlights the biology of anti-tumor immunity underlying response and resistance to ICT, discusses efforts to address the current challenges with ICT, and outlines strategies to guide the development of subsequent clinical trials and combinatorial efforts with ICT.

Evolving Treatment Options for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma (mRCC)

Approximately a third of patients diagnosed with kidney cancer in the United States present with advanced disease and those who present with distant metastases historically had dismal 5-year relative survival. However, over the last several years, advancements have led to improved life expectancy and patient outcomes in those who develop advanced renal cell carcinoma. Metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mccRCC) treatment has rapidly evolved with multiple drug approvals since 2006. Moreover, multiple combination regimens including a vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (VEGF-TKI) plus immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) and the combination of ipilimumab plus nivolumab have supplanted first-line VEGF-TKI monotherapy. Thus, the insights we gained from prospective randomized controlled trials focusing on systemic therapy beyond first-line therapy in mRCC patients treated in the TKI monotherapy era quickly became less relevant with the adoption of contemporary first-line combination regimens. Herein, we will review contemporary first- and second-line therapies for mccRCC, as well as highly anticipated clinical trials looking into novel regimens beyond first-line therapy in patients who have received combination therapy.

Combination lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab in the treatment of ovarian clear cell carcinoma: A case series

Effective second-line treatment options for patients with recurrent ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) are limited. This case series sought to report tumor characteristics and oncologic outcomes in a small group of patients treated with combination lenvatinib and pembrolizumab. A retrospective analysis of patients with ovarian clear cell carcinoma treated with combination lenvatinib and pembrolizumab at a single institution was performed. Patient and tumor characteristics were collected including demographics and germline/somatic testing. Clinical outcomes were also evaluated and reported. Three patients with recurrent OCCC were included in the study. The median age of patients was 48 years old. All patients had platinum-resistant disease and had received 1-3 prior lines of therapy. The overall response rate was 100% (3/3). Progression-free survival ranged from 10 months to not-yet-reached. One patient remains on treatment, while the other two died of disease with overall survival of 14 and 27 months. Combination lenvatinib-pembrolizumab demonstrated favorable clinical response in these patients with platinum-resistant, recurrent, ovarian clear cell carcinoma.

Pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib combination therapy for advanced endometrial carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Advanced and recurrent endometrial carcinoma remains a difficult diagnosis to treat due to the limited and ineffective available treatment options following platinum and taxane chemotherapy. Patients who are microsatellite stable (MSS) or mismatch repair proficient (pMMR) have even poorer outcomes with fewer effective therapies. Fortunately, recent Phase Ib/II and Phase III trials have demonstrated that combination pembrolizumab and lenvatinib resulted in improved ORR, PFS and OS than currently used therapies in this setting.

AREAS COVERED

In this article, we review the history and notable clinical trials responsible for the advancement and status of treatment options available for advanced endometrial cancer. Most importantly, we review the recently published data on the efficacy, safety and tolerability of the combination pembrolizumab and lenvatinib in advanced and recurrent endometrial cancer.

EXPERT OPINION

The combination pembrolizumab and lenvatinib is an effective treatment regimen for patients with advanced and recurrent endometrial cancer who are MSS or pMMR who have failed prior platinum-based treatment. This combination should be routinely offered to patients following progression or recurrence of systemic platinum and taxane chemotherapy. Although this regimen is safe and effective, clinicians should be aware of the known toxicities and assess patients regularly to determine if dose modifications or interruptions are indicated.

Hepatotoxicity of Small Molecule Protein Kinase Inhibitors for Cancer

Small molecule protein kinase inhibitors (PKIs) have become an effective strategy for cancer patients. However, hepatotoxicity is a major safety concern of these drugs, since the majority are reported to increase transaminases, and few of them (Idelalisib, Lapatinib, Pazopanib, Pexidartinib, Ponatinib, Regorafenib, Sunitinib) have a boxed label warning. The exact rate of PKI-induced hepatoxicity is not well defined due to the fact that the majority of data arise from pre-registration or registration trials on fairly selected patients, and the post-marketing data are often based only on the most severe described cases, whereas most real practice studies do not include drug-related hepatotoxicity as an end point. Although these side effects are usually reversible by dose adjustment or therapy suspension, or by switching to an alternative PKI, and fatality is uncommon, all patients undergoing PKIs should be carefully pre-evaluated and monitored. The management of this complication requires an individually tailored reappraisal of the risk/benefit ratio, especially in patients who are responding to therapy. This review reports the currently available data on the risk and management of hepatotoxicity of all the approved PKIs.

YAP-Activated SATB2 Is a Coactivator of NRF2 That Amplifies Antioxidative Capacity and Promotes Tumor Progression in Renal Cell Carcinoma

Aberrant epigenetic reprogramming contributes to the progression of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Elucidation of key regulators of epigenetic reprogramming in RCC could help identify therapeutic vulnerabilities to improve treatment. Here, we report upregulation of the nuclear matrix-associated protein, special AT-rich binding protein-2 (SATB2), in RCC samples, which correlated with poor prognosis. SATB2 inhibition suppressed RCC growth and self-renewal capacities. YAP/TEAD4 activated SATB2 expression and depended on SATB2 to enhance cell proliferation. Transcriptome analysis implicated that SATB2 regulates NRF2 downstream targets to suppress oxidative stress without altering NRF2 levels. Integrated chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing analyses demonstrated that SATB2 coordinated with NRF2 to drive enhancer-promoter interactions, amplifying transcriptional activity. SATB2 recruited SWI/SNF complex subunits, including BRD7 or BRG1, to sustain DNA accessibility. Increased SATB2 triggered chromatin remodeling into configurations that rendered RCC more sensitive to SATB2 deficiency. Moreover, SATB2 ablation promoted the sensitivity of RCC to chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. Finally, targeting SATB2 or BRD7 effectively restricted the proliferation of YAP-high tumors in patient-derived xenografts and patient-derived organoids. Together, SATB2 is an oncogenic chromatin organizer in RCC, and targeting SATB2 is an effective strategy to suppress the YAP-high RCC.

SIGNIFICANCE

A YAP-SATB2-NRF2 regulatory axis amplifies antioxidative stress signaling and provides potential therapeutic targets to enhance response to chemotherapy in renal cell carcinoma.

Lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab versus sunitinib as first-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (CLEAR): extended follow-up from the phase 3, randomised, open-label study

BACKGROUND

In the primary analysis of the CLEAR study, lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab significantly improved progression-free survival and overall survival versus sunitinib in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (data cutoff Aug 28, 2020). We aimed to assess overall survival based on 7 months of additional follow-up.

METHODS

This is a protocol-prespecified updated overall survival analysis (data cutoff March 31, 2021) of the open-label, phase 3, randomised CLEAR trial. Patients with clear-cell advanced renal cell carcinoma who had not received any systemic anticancer therapy for renal cell carcinoma, including anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy, or any systemic investigational anticancer drug, were eligible for inclusion from 200 sites (hospitals and cancer centres) across 20 countries. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to receive lenvatinib (20 mg per day orally in 21-day cycles) plus pembrolizumab (200 mg intravenously every 21 days; lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab group), lenvatinib (18 mg per day orally) plus everolimus (5 mg per day orally; lenvatinib plus everolimus group [not reported in this updated analysis]) in 21-day cycles, or sunitinib (50 mg per day orally, 4 weeks on and 2 weeks off; sunitinib group). Eligible patients were at least 18 years old with a Karnofsky performance status of 70 or higher. A computer-generated randomisation scheme was used, and stratification factors were geographical region and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center prognostic groups. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival assessed by independent imaging review according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 (RECIST v1.1). In this Article, extended follow-up analyses for progression-free survival and protocol-specified updated overall survival data are reported for the intention-to-treat population. No safety analyses were done at this follow-up. This study is closed to new participants and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02811861.

FINDINGS

Between Oct 13, 2016, and July 24, 2019, 1417 patients were screened for inclusion in the CLEAR trial, of whom 1069 (75%; 273 [26%] female, 796 [74%] male; median age 62 years [IQR 55-69]) were randomly assigned: 355 (33%) patients (255 [72%] male and 100 [28%] female) to the lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab group, 357 (33%) patients (275 [77%] male and 82 [23%] female) to the sunitinib group, and 357 (33%) patients to the lenvatinib plus everolimus group (not reported in this updated analysis). Median follow-up for progression-free survival was 27·8 months (IQR 20·3-33·8) in the lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab group and 19·4 months (5·5-32·5) in the sunitinib group. Median progression-free survival was 23·3 months (95% CI 20·8-27·7) in the lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab group and 9·2 months (6·0-11·0) in the sunitinib group (stratified hazard ratio [HR] 0·42 [95% CI 0·34-0·52]). Median overall survival follow-up was 33·7 months (IQR 27·4-36·9) in the lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab group and 33·4 months (26·7-36·8) in the sunitinib group. Overall survival was improved with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab (median not reached [95% CI 41·5-not estimable]) versus sunitinib (median not reached [38·4-not estimable]; HR 0·72 [95% CI 0·55-0·93]).

INTERPRETATION

Efficacy benefits of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab over sunitinib were durable and clinically meaningful with extended follow-up. These results support the use of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab as a first-line therapy for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma.

FUNDING

Eisai and Merck Sharp & Dohme.

Prognostic and predictive biomarkers for immunotherapy in advanced renal cell carcinoma

The therapeutic algorithm of renal cell carcinoma has been revolutionized by the approval of immunotherapy agents by regulatory agencies. However, objective and durable responses are still not observed in a large number of patients, and prognostic and predictive biomarkers for immunotherapy response are urgently needed. Prognostic models used in clinical practice are based on clinical and laboratory factors (such as hypercalcaemia, neutrophil count or Karnofsky Performance Status), but, with progress in molecular biology and genome sequencing techniques, new renal cell carcinoma molecular features that might improve disease course and outcomes prediction have been highlighted. An implementation of current models is needed to improve the accuracy of prognosis in the immuno-oncology era. Moreover, several potential biomarkers are currently under evaluation, but effective markers to select patients who might benefit from immunotherapy and to guide therapeutic strategies are still far from validation.

A multicenter phase 2 single arm study of cabozantinib in patients with advanced or unresectable renal cell carcinoma pre-treated with one immune-checkpoint inhibitor: The BREAKPOINT trial (Meet-Uro trial 03)

BACKGROUND

First-line therapies based on immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) significantly improved survival of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients. Cabozantinib was shown to target kinases involved in immune-escape and to prolong survival in patients pre-treated with tyrosine-kinase-inhibitors (TKIs). The impact of ICIs combinations in first line on subsequent therapies is still unclear.

METHODS

This is an open label, multicenter, single arm, phase II study designed to assess activity, safety and efficacy of cabozantinib in mRCC patients progressed after an adjuvant or first line anti-Programmed Death (PD)-1/PD-Ligand (PD-L) 1-based therapy. Primary endpoint was progression free survival (PFS), secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR) and safety.

RESULTS

31 patients were included in the analysis. After a median (m) follow-up of 11.9 months, mPFS was 8.3 months (90%CI 3.9-17.4) and mOS was 13.8 months (95%CI 7.7-29.0). ORR was 37.9% with an additional 13 patients achieving disease stability. Grade 3-4 adverse events occurred in 47% of patients, including more frequently creatine phosphokinase (CPK) serum level elevation, neutropenia, hyponatremia, diarrhea, hand-food syndrome, oral mucositis and hypertension.

CONCLUSIONS

The BREAKPOINT trial met its primary endpoint showing that cabozantinib as second line therapy after ICIs was active in mRCC. Safety profile was manageable.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03463681 - A Study of CaBozantinib in Patients With Advanced or Unresectable Renal cEll cArcinoma (BREAKPOINT) - https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03463681.

Case report: Abolishing primary resistance to PD-1 blockade by short-term treatment of lenvatinib in a patient with advanced metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Anti-PD-1 immunotherapy has been extensively used in treatment of patients with advanced metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Several prospective clinical trials showed that the combined treatment of anti-PD-1 antibody plus lenvatinib, a potent receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), exhibited high response rate compared with single-agent sunitinib. However, whether the patients with primary resistance to PD-1 blockade could benefit from the addition of lenvatinib is still unclear. Herein, we reported a patient with mRCC who was primary resistant to pembrolizumab and achieved a durable complete response after a short-term treatment with lenvatinib. This case report indicates that the patients with primary resistance to anti-PD-1 therapy could benefit from the short-term lenvatinib in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy, and provides a useful paradigm worthy of establishing a clinical trial for mRCC patients with primary resistance to anti-PD-1 therapy.

Lenvatinib plus immune checkpoint inhibitors or locoregional therapy in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: Lessons learned and moving forwards

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the deadliest neoplasms around the world, and a major proportion of patients are diagnosed in an advanced state not amenable to curative treatment. Lenvatinib, a promising first-line targeted therapy, has shown antitumour activity in both preclinical studies and clinical trials. Emerging evidence indicates that a combination of lenvatinib plus anti-PD-1 inhibitors or locoregional therapies exerts a stronger antitumour effect than monotherapy and even offers the possibility of long-term survival while maintaining acceptable tolerability. Several studies have also shown the superiority of lenvatinib over sorafenib in combination strategies. This review addresses the rationale behind lenvatinib-based combination therapies and comprehensively summarizes various clinical studies investigating lenvatinib in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), locoregional therapies, and other systemic treatments. We discuss the unsatisfactory search for suitable biomarkers and key ongoing trials in this field.