Effect of immunotherapy-infusion time of day on survival of patients with advanced cancers: a study-level meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have become the standard of care for numerous malignancies. Emerging evidence suggests that the time of day (ToD) of ICI administration could impact the outcomes of patients with cancer. The consistency of ToD effects on ICI efficacy awaits initial evaluation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This meta-analysis integrates progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) data from studies with a defined 'cut-off' ToD. Hazard ratios (HRs) [95% confidence interval (CI)] of an earlier progression or death according to 'early' or 'late' ToD of ICIs were collected from each report and pooled.

RESULTS

Thirteen studies involved 1663 patients (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-1, 83%; males/females, 67%/33%) with non-small-cell lung cancer (47%), renal cell carcinoma (24%), melanoma (20%), urothelial cancer (5%), or esophageal carcinoma (4%). Most patients received anti-programmed cell death protein 1 or anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (98%), and a small proportion also received anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (anti-CTLA-4) (18%). ToD cut-offs were 13:00 or 14:00 (i.e. ICI median infusion time), for six studies, and 16:00 or 16:30 (i.e. reported threshold for weaker vaccination responses) for seven studies. Pooled analyses revealed that the early ToD groups had longer OS (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.42-0.58; P < 0.00001) and PFS (HR 0.51, 95% CI 0.42-0.61; P < 0.00001) compared with the late ToD groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with selected metastatic cancers seemed to largely benefit from early ToD ICI infusions, which is consistent with circadian mechanisms in immune-cell functions and trafficking. Prospective randomized trials are needed to establish recommendations for optimal circadian timing of ICI-based cancer therapies.

Conversion to resection of liver metastases from colorectal cancer with hepatic artery infusion of combined chemotherapy and systemic cetuximab in multicenter trial OPTILIV

BACKGROUND

Systemic chemotherapy typically converts previously unresectable liver metastases (LM) from colorectal cancer to curative intent resection in ∼15% of patients. This European multicenter phase II trial tested whether hepatic artery infusion (HAI) with triplet chemotherapy and systemic cetuximab could increase this rate to 30% in previously treated patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Participants had unresectable LM from wt KRAS colorectal cancer. Main non-inclusion criteria were advanced extra hepatic disease, prior HAI and grade 3 neuropathy. Irinotecan (180 mg/m(2)), oxaliplatin (85 mg/m(2)) and 5-fluorouracil (2800 mg/m(2)) were delivered via an implanted HAI access port and combined with i.v. cetuximab (500 mg/m(2)) every 14 days. Multidisciplinary decisions to resect LM were taken after every three courses. The rate of macroscopic complete resections (R0 + R1) of LM, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were computed according to intent to treat.

RESULTS

The patient population consisted of 42 men and 22 women, aged 33-76 years, with a median of 10 LM involving a median of six segments. Up to 3 extrahepatic lesions of <1 cm were found in 41% of the patients. A median of six courses was delivered. The primary end point was met, with R0-R1 hepatectomy for 19 of the 64 previously treated patients, 29.7% (95% confidence interval 18.5-40.9). Grade 3-4 neutropenia (42.6%), abdominal pain (26.2%), fatigue (18%) and diarrhea (16.4%) were frequent. Objective response rate was 40.6% (28.6-52.3). Median PFS and OS reached 9.3 (7.8-10.9) and 25.5 months (18.8-32.1) respectively. Those with R0-R1 hepatectomy had a median OS of 35.2 months (32.6-37.8), with 37.4% (23.6-51.2) alive at 4 years.

CONCLUSION

The coordination of liver-specific intensive chemotherapy and surgery had a high curative intent potential that deserves upfront randomized testing.

PROTOCOL NUMBERS

EUDRACT 2007-004632-24, NCT00852228.

Chemotherapy-induced neutropenia association with survival in metastatic colorectal cancer (MCC): Schedule dependency

454

Background: Circadian clocks control cellular proliferation and drug metabolism over 24 h. However, circadian chronomodulated chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and oxaliplatin (chronoFLO4) offered no survival benefit as compared to the non-time stipulated FOLFOX2 in an international randomized trial involving patients (pts) with previously untreated MCC (EORTC05963). We hypothesized that treatment near maximum tolerated dose could disrupt circadian clocks thus impairing the efficacy of chronoFLO4 but not of FOLFOX2.

Methods: Pts with available data (N=556) were categorized into three subgroups according to the worst grade of neutropenia experienced during treatment. Distinct multivariate models were constructed for each treatment schedule.

Results: Neutropenia (all grades) occurred in 39% of the pts on chronoFLO4 as compared to 67% of those on FOLFOX2 (p< 0.0001), with G3-4 being encountered in 7% and 25%, respectively (p< 0.0001). In both schedules, neutropenia was more frequent and more severe in women than in men (p<0.04).The occurrence (but not the severity) of neutropenia was significantly associated with improved objective response rate, progression-free and overall survival in pts on FOLFOX2 (p< 0.0001), confirming previous results by others. In pts on chronoFLO4, the occurrence of neutropenia was not associated with any efficacy advantage (p=0.36), and worst survival was observed in pts developing severe neutropenia.

Conclusions: Neutropenia was more frequent and severe in women than in men, and on FOLFOX2 than on chronoFLO4. Neutropenia was positively correlated with survival in pts on FOLFOX2 supporting intra-patient dose escalation to achieve toxicity for conventional chemotherapy. No survival prolongation was found in pts with neutropenia on chronoFLO4. Thus, reaching maximum tolerated dose was unnecessary to achieve optimal effectiveness of circadian-timed therapy, and should even be avoided.

[Table: see text]

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Feasibility of cetuximab given with a simplified schedule every 2 weeks in advanced colorectal cancer: a multicenter, retrospective analysis

Cetuximab was approved using a weekly schedule, alone or in combination with chemotherapy (CT). However, many CT regimens in metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) are delivered every 2 weeks (q2wks). Preliminary data suggested that a simplified schedule using cetuximab q2wks, 500 mg/m² would be equivalent to the standard weekly administration. Medical data of all patients with advanced CRC who received cetuximab q2wks were retrospectively collected and checked for consistency by an independent monitor in 4 European centers. Ninety-one patients were treated between 2005 and 2007 when the K-RAS mutational status of tumors was not determined routinely. They received a median of 4 (0-5) previous drugs, including previous weekly cetuximab in 38.5% of patients. Cetuximab q2wks was associated with an irinotecan-based regimen in 85.7% of patients. The median number of cetuximab administrations was 6 (1-23). Skin toxicity was observed in 68.2% of evaluable patients (grade 3 in 15%). Only one grade 1 allergy was reported. In the 84 patients beyond first-line therapy, response rate was 29.3%. The median progression-free survival was 3.0 months (range 2.2-3.8), and median overall survival was 9.0 months (range 6.2-11.8). Cetuximab q2wks appears safe and effective in heavily pretreated patients and convenient in combination with q2wks CT schedules.

Cetuximab efficacy and safety in a retrospective cohort of elderly patients with heavily pretreated metastatic colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Few data are available from clinical trials for elderly patients receiving cetuximab.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The clinical data of consecutive patients aged > or =70 years given cetuximab for metastatic CRC were retrospectively captured from hospital pharmacy registries in seven centers.

RESULTS

Fifty-six patients received cetuximab+/-with irinotecan. Median age was 76 years (70-84), 86% of patients were pretreated with fluoropyrimidines, irinotecan and oxaliplatin and 69.6% had documented resistance to irinotecan. Objective response rate was 21% (95% CI: 11-32%). The median progression-free survival was 4.4 months (95% CI: 3.0-5.7 months) and the median overall survival was 16.0 months (95% CI: 13.5-18.5 months). Skin rash occurred in 75% of the patients (11% grade 3) and diarrhea in 80% (20% grades 3-4).

CONCLUSION

Tolerability of cetuximab was acceptable in elderly patients with pretreated metastatic CRC. Efficacy appeared similar to that observed in younger patients.

Cetuximab reversal of resistance to chronomodulated chemotherapy in heavily-pretreated patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (MCC) without amplification of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene

13104

Background Skin toxicity and EGFR amplification reportedly predicted for Cetux-reversal of MCC resistance to standard chemotherapy. We explored these relations for Cetux reversal of resistance to chronomodulated chemotherapy (Chrono) with irinotecan (CPT11, peak at 5 am), 5-fluorouracil-leucovorin (FU-LV, peak at 4 am) and oxaliplatin (l-OHP, peak at 4 pm). Methods: 40 pts with progressive MCC on 3 prior chemotherapy lines received weekly Cetux (250 mg/m2) and q2–3 wks CPT11-based (30 pts) or oxaliplatin-based (10 pts) Chrono. Toxicities and response were assessed q2–3 wks and q2 months (mo) respectively. Tumor EGFR expression was determined by immunohistochemistry for all pts and gene copies by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) for 25 pts. Results: All pts had prior progression on CPT11, FU-LV and l-OHP. Median age: 61 yo; M/F: 24/16; WHO PS 0/1/2: 27/9/4; colon/rectum: 21/19; M sites 1/2/≥ 3: 12/15/13; liver/lung: 32/29; pre-existing peripheral sensory neuropathy grade ≥ 2: 11 pts. A median of 8 courses of Cetux-Chrono was given (1 to 22). Three pts withdrew for grade 4 allergy. 37 pts were assessable for other toxicities and 36 for response (1 too early). Gr 2–3 acneiform skin rash occurred in 27 pts (73%), with gr3 in 11 pts (29.7%). Other main gr 3–4 toxicities were diarrhea (27% of the pts), neutropenia (24.3%) and neuropathy (21.6%). Disease progressed in 12 pts (33.3%) and was controlled in 24 pts (66.7%) including 13 stable disease (36.1%) and 10 objective responses (8 PR and 2 CR) - 27.8% [95% C.L. 12.9 to 42.7]. EGFR was expressed in 32 pts (80%), with >10% + tumor cells for 14 pts (35%). 3/6 EGFR- pts (50%) and 7/32 EGFR+ pts (21.9%) responded. No gene amplification was documented in the 25 tumors (7 responders). A positive correlation between skin rash and disease control was suggested (p from χ2 = 0.08). Median progression free and overall survival (mo) are 5.3 [2.9–8.4] and 11.1 [8.6–13.6] respectively. Conclusions: Cetux partly alleviated MCC resistance to Chrono, independently of tumor EGFR protein expression or gene amplification, possibly through interfering with TGFα. This EGFR ligand carries poor prognosis for MCC and alters circadian clock function.

[Table: see text]