Comprehensive genome profiling in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: the precision medicine phase 2 randomized SAFIR02-Lung trial

PURPOSE

Targeted therapies (TT) and immune checkpoint blockers (ICB) have revolutionized the approach to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment in the era of precision medicine. Their impact as switch maintenance therapy based on molecular characterization is unknown.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

SAFIR02-Lung was an open-label, randomized, phase 2 trial, involving 33 centers in France. We investigated eight TT (substudy-1) and one ICB (substudy-2), compared to standard-of-care as a maintenance strategy in advanced EGFR, ALK wild-type (wt) NSCLC patients without progression after first line chemotherapy, based on high-throughput genome analysis. The primary outcome was progression-free survival (PFS).

RESULTS

Among the 175 patients randomized in substudy-1, 116 received TT (selumetinib, vistusertib, capivasertib, AZD4547, AZD8931, vandetanib, olaparib, savolitinib) and 59 standard-of-care. Median PFS was 2.7 months (95% CI 1.6-2.9) with TT vs. 2.7 months (1.6-4.1) with standard-of-care (HR 0.97, 0.7-1.36; p=0.87). There were no significant differences in PFS within any molecular subgroup. In substudy-2, 183 patients were randomized, 121 received durvalumab and 62 standard-of-care. Median PFS was 3.0 months (2.3-4.4) with durvalumab versus 3.0 months (2.0-5.1) with standard-of-care (HR=0.86; 0.62-1.20; p=0.38). Preplanned subgroup analysis showed an enhanced benefit with durvalumab in patients with PD-L1 Tumor Proportion Score (TPS) ≥ 1%, (n=29, HR=0.29; 0.11-0.75) as compared to PD-L1 <1% (n=31, HR=0.71, 0.31-1.60, interaction p= 0.036).

CONCLUSIONS

Molecular profiling can feasibly be implemented to guide treatment choice for the maintenance strategy in EGFR/ALK wt NSCLC; in the current study it did not lead to substantial treatment benefits beyond durvalumab for PD-L1 ≥ 1 patients.

Efficacy of dabrafenib-trametinib combination in BRAF V600E-mutated metastatic non–small cell lung cancer: Results of the IFCT-2004 BLaDE cohort

9082

Background: BRAF V600E mutations occur up to 2% of advanced non-small cell lung (NSCLC). Dabrafenib-trametinib (D-T) combination was associated with improved OS rates in phase II study and was approved in the 1st-line setting and further. The IFCT-2004 BLaDE study reports the D-T combination efficacy in a large French real-world multicenter cohort of advanced BRAF V600E-mutated NSCLC. Methods: Patients (pts) with advanced NSCLC harboring BRAF V600E mutation diagnosed between 01.01.2016 and 31.12.2019 and treated with D-T combination (D 300 mg + T 2 mg daily) whatever the treatment line were included. Demographic, clinical, pathological data were collected as well as data of efficacy and reason of treatment discontinuation. The primary endpoint was 12 months-OS rate in pts receiving the D-T as 2nd-line or subsequent treatment (L2+). Results: 163 pts were included in 54 centers through 32 national testing labs: 50.3 % were female, 30.2% never-smokers, 95.1 % had adenocarcinoma and PDL1 was > 1% in 78.2%. Median age was 68.3 years. At D-T initiation, 80.8 % of pts were PS 0/1, 93.9 % were stage IIIB/C ineligible for surgery or local therapy and IV, 20.9% had brain metastases and 27% received D+T as 1st line treatment (L1). At the data cutoff (30.06.2021), median (m) follow-up was 27.4 months [95% CI 22.2-31.9] and 47 pts (28.8%) remained on study treatment. 12 months-OS rate in pts receiving D+T in L2+ (n = 119) was 67.4% [95% CI 57.8-75.3] with a median progression-free survival (mPFS) of 10.4 months [95% CI 7.3-13.1]. In the 44 pts receiving D+T in L1, 12 months-OS rate was also 67.4% [95% CI 51.2-79.3] with a mPFS of 18.2 months [95% CI 7.7-21.3]. Objective response rates were 73.8% [95% CI 65.5 - 82.2] and 82.9% [95% CI 71.4 - 94.4], disease progression was observed as best response in 3.7% [95% CI 0.1 - 7.3] and 0% in L2+ and L1, respectively. Other efficacy results are detailed in the table. D-T discontinuation for toxicity was reported in 10.3% of pts. 51.2% and 43.7% of pts received subsequent treatment in L2+ and L1 respectively. For L2+ pts, subsequent treatments were immunotherapy (IO)-based in 37.2 % and chemotherapy in 58.3%. For L1 pts, subsequent treatments were (IO)-based in 42.9% and chemotherapy in 42.7%. Conclusions: Our series confirms significant efficacy of D-T combination in BRAF V600E-mutated metastatic NSCLC. These results in real-world conditions are consistent with registration studies but also support its use in 1st line setting. [Table: see text]

GALLANT-1: Galectin-3 (Gal-3) inhibitor GB1211 plus atezolizumab (atezo) in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)—A randomized, double-blind trial

TPS9152

Background: Gal-3 is a protein that binds specifically to N-acetylglucosamine-expressing carbohydrates, which are upregulated on key tumorigenic cell surface proteins. Gal-3 is widely over-expressed in the tumor microenvironment and is generally linked to poor outcomes. Gal-3 regulates immune cell function of T cells and macrophages, and promotes neovascularization and fibrosis [Peng Cancer Res 2008; Markowska J Biol Chem 2011; Kouo Cancer Immunol Res 2015]. Gal-3 sequesters interferon gamma, reduces T-cell influx, and contributes to tumor cell evasion of the immune system via LAG-3 activation [Chen PNAS 2009; Gordon-Alonso Nat Commun 2017]. Gal-3 has been identified as a marker of resistance to checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs); patients with stage IV NSCLC with high Gal-3 levels (> 70% Gal-3 immunohistochemical staining) have been shown to be resistant to the CPI pembrolizumab [Capalbo Int J Mol Sci 2019]. Animal data indicate synergy between CPI therapy and Gal-3 inhibition [Vuong Cancer Res 2019; Zhang FEBS Open Bio 2021]. Thus, inhibiting Gal-3 together with CPI-based immunotherapy may enhance tumor-specific immune responses, and overcome CPI resistance. Methods: GALLANT-1 (NCT05240131) is a 3-part, placebo-controlled phase Ib/IIa trial that will investigate safety and efficacy of GB1211 (a Gal-3 inhibitor) + atezo vs placebo + atezo in patients with advanced NSCLC. Part A will include 8–12 patients and study safety and tolerability of 200 mg and 400 mg GB1211 twice-daily + atezo (open-label). Primary endpoint is number of adverse events (AEs) after 12 weeks’ treatment and will determine the dosage for Part B. Part B will include 75–94 patients, and is a randomized, double-blind study of GB1211 + atezo or placebo + atezo. Primary endpoints are safety (number of AEs) and efficacy (percentage change from baseline in the sum of longest diameter of target lesions after 12 weeks’ treatment). Part C is an expansion study including patients from Parts A and B, with safety and efficacy assessments. Eligibility criteria: advanced or metastatic stage IIIB or IV NSCLC adenocarcinoma; measurable disease per RECIST v1.1; expression of programmed death ligand-1 on ≥50% of tumor cells; eligible for 1200 mg atezo every 3 weeks. Exclusion criteria: symptomatic, untreated, or actively progressing central nervous system metastases; prior systemic chemotherapy for treatment of recurrent advanced or metastatic disease, except if part of neoadjuvant/adjuvant therapy; prior treatment with immune CPIs and/or GB1211; presence of EGFR mutation and ALK, ROS1, and RET alterations; treatment with antineoplastic or systemic immunotherapeutic agents prior to first GB1211 dose; severe infectious disease < 4 weeks prior to first GB1211 dose; active hepatitis B or C, HIV, or COVID-19. The study is being initiated; updated enrollment status will be presented at the meeting. Clinical trial information: NCT05240131.

Postoperative radiotherapy versus no postoperative radiotherapy in patients with completely resected non-small-cell lung cancer and proven mediastinal N2 involvement (Lung ART): an open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial

BACKGROUND

In patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the use of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) has been controversial since 1998, because of one meta-analysis showing a deleterious effect on survival in patients with pN0 and pN1, but with an unclear effect in patients with pN2 NSCLC. Because many changes have occurred in the management of patients with NSCLC, the role of three-dimensional (3D) conformal PORT warrants further investigation in patients with stage IIIAN2 NSCLC. The aim of this study was to establish whether PORT should be part of their standard treatment.

METHODS

Lung ART is an open-label, randomised, phase 3, superiority trial comparing mediastinal PORT to no PORT in patients with NSCLC with complete resection, nodal exploration, and cytologically or histologically proven N2 involvement. Previous neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy was allowed. Patients aged 18 years or older, with an WHO performance status of 0-2, were recruited from 64 hospitals and cancer centres in five countries (France, UK, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium). Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to either the PORT or no PORT (control) groups via a web randomisation system, and minimisation factors were the institution, administration of chemotherapy, number of mediastinal lymph node stations involved, histology, and use of pre-treatment PET scan. Patients received PORT at a dose of 54 Gy in 27 or 30 daily fractions, on five consecutive days a week. Three dimensional conformal radiotherapy was mandatory, and intensity-modulated radiotherapy was permitted in centres with expertise. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival, analysed by intention to treat at 3 years; patients from the PORT group who did not receive radiotherapy and patients from the control group with no follow-up were excluded from the safety analyses. This trial is now closed. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00410683.

FINDINGS

Between Aug 7, 2007, and July 17, 2018, 501 patients, predominantly staged with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET (456 [91%]; 232 (92%) in the PORT group and 224 (90%) in the control group), were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive PORT (252 patients) or no PORT (249 patients). At the cutoff date of May 31, 2019, median follow-up was 4·8 years (IQR 2·9-7·0). 3-year disease-free survival was 47% (95% CI 40-54) with PORT versus 44% (37-51) without PORT, and the median disease-free survival was 30·5 months (95% CI 24-49) in the PORT group and 22·8 months (17-37) in the control group (hazard ratio 0·86; 95% CI 0·68-1·08; p=0·18). The most common grade 3-4 adverse events were pneumonitis (13 [5%] of 241 patients in the PORT group vs one [<1%] of 246 in the control group), lymphopenia (nine [4%] vs 0), and fatigue (six [3%] vs one [<1%]). Late-grade 3-4 cardiopulmonary toxicity was reported in 26 patients (11%) in the PORT group versus 12 (5%) in the control group. Two patients died from pneumonitis, partly related to radiotherapy and infection, and one patient died due to chemotherapy toxicity (sepsis) that was deemed to be treatment-related, all of whom were in the PORT group.

INTERPRETATION

Lung ART evaluated 3D conformal PORT after complete resection in patients who predominantly had been staged using (18F-FDG PET-CT and received neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy. 3-year disease-free survival was higher than expected in both groups, but PORT was not associated with an increased disease-free survival compared with no PORT. Conformal PORT cannot be recommended as the standard of care in patients with stage IIIAN2 NSCLC.

FUNDING

French National Cancer Institute, Programme Hospitalier de Recherche Clinique from the French Health Ministry, Gustave Roussy, Cancer Research UK, Swiss State Secretary for Education, Research, and Innovation, Swiss Cancer Research Foundation, Swiss Cancer League.

Tailoring maintenance chemotherapy upon response to induction chemotherapy as compared with pemetrexed continuation maintenance in advanced non-squamous NSCLC patients: Results of the IFCT-GFPC-1101 multicenter randomized phase III trial

BACKGROUND

Benefit from maintenance in advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NS-NSCLC) might favor switch maintenance after disease stabilization (SD) and continuation after objective response (OR). This trial assessed a maintenance strategy conditioned by response to cisplatin-gemcitabine (CG) with G continuation for patients with OR or switch to pemetrexed (P) for patients with SD as compared with a control arm based on the Paramount regimen.

METHODS

Eligibility criteria: age 18-70 years, ECOG PS 0-1, untreated stage IV NS-NSCLC without EGFR or ALK alteration, ineligibility to bevacizumab. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive either CG (4 cycles) followed by G maintenance in case of OR followed by P at progression, or switch to P for patients with SD, or 4 cycles of CP followed by P (control arm). Primary endpoint: overall Survival.

RESULTS

Between 2012 and 2016, 932 patients were randomized (CG: 467, CP: 465) with well-balanced characteristics. 257 patients (56.7%) in the CG arm received maintenance (G: 142, P: 113) versus 277 patients (59.7%) in the CP arm. Median number of maintenance cycles was 5 for G and P (CG induction) and 4 for P (CP induction). OS adjusted HR was 0.97 (95% CI 0.84, 1.13; p = 0.71) with a median of 10.9 months (CG) versus 10.4 (CP). HR for PFS was 0.95 (95% CI 0.83, 1.09; p = 0.45) with a median of 4.8 months for CG versus 4.5 for CP. Safety profile was as expected.

CONCLUSIONS

Adapting maintenance strategy according to response to induction chemotherapy does not improve patient outcome.

CLINICAL TRIAL INFORMATION

NCT01631136.

A Real-World Study of Patients with Advanced Non-squamous Non-small Cell Lung Cancer with EGFR Exon 20 Insertion: Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes

BACKGROUND

In Europe, few data regarding the characteristics of EGFR exon 20 insertion (20ins) mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are available.

OBJECTIVE

Using a large real-world cohort, we assessed the incidence, characteristics, and outcomes of patients with non-squamous (nsq) NSCLC harboring EGFR exon 20ins.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The Epidemio-Strategy and Medical Economics advanced and metastatic lung cancer data platform including advanced/metastatic nsqNSCLC patients from January 2015 was analyzed (cut-off date: June 30, 2020). Characteristics, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation and other mutations, treatment patterns, and clinical outcomes were assessed for patients harboring EGFR exon 20ins, common EGFR mutations, other EGFR mutations, and wild-type EGFR. Survival parameters were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method in these four groups.

RESULTS

Out of 9435 nsqNSCLC patients tested for EGFR, 1549 (16.4%) had a mutation, including 61 with EGFR exon 20ins (3.9% of all mutated EGFR). These 61 patients had a mean age of 63.6 years, were mostly female (68.9%) and non-smokers (55.7%), with de novo stage IV disease (73.8%) and performance status 0-1 (76.9%). Almost all patients (95.1%) with exon 20ins received systemic therapy (median, three lines). First-line systemic treatments consisted mainly of combination chemotherapy (70.7%), single-agent EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (10.3%), and single-agent immunotherapy (5.2%). After a median follow-up of 25.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] 22.3-32.4) months, the median real-world overall survival was 24.3 (19.1-32.6) months in patients with exon 20ins compared to 35.4 (95% CI 32.6-37.5) in patients with common EGFR mutation (n = 1049) (p = 0.049) and 19.6 (95% CI 18.6-20.5) in patients with wild-type EGFR (n = 7866) (p = 0.2).

CONCLUSIONS

This large national study in nsqNSCLC patients confirms that EGFR exon 20ins is a rare condition (0.6%). The prognosis associated with exon 20ins appears to be in line with that of wild-type EGFR, but worse than common EGFR mutations, highlighting the need for advancements for this rare population.

Central Nervous System Metastases in Thymic Epithelial Tumors: A Brief Report of Real-World Insight From RYTHMIC

Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) are rare malignancies ranging from indolent thymoma A to aggressive thymic carcinomas (TCs). Brain metastases are extremely infrequent for TETs and have only been described in case reports or small single-center series. RYTHMIC (Réseau tumeurs THYMiques et Cancer) is a French nationwide network mandated to systematically review every TET case and prospectively includes all consecutive patients discussed by national or regional tumor boards. We analyzed patients with TETs and central nervous system (CNS) metastasis during their cancer history from this large French registry. In an 8-year period, 2909 patients were included in the database, including 248 TCs (8.5%). A total of 14 patients had CNS metastases, five (36%) at diagnosis and nine (64%) at relapse. Among them, 12 patients (86%) had a diagnosis of TC and two (14%) had thymoma A and B3. Surgical biopsies were performed, and the histologic subtype for non-TC tumors was centrally confirmed. Median overall survival was 22 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.8-34.2), with longer, albeit not significant, overall survival when CNS metastases were present at diagnosis versus relapse (not reached versus 17 mo; p = 0.29); median progression-free survival was 13 versus 8 months (p = 0.06), respectively. A higher risk of death (hazard ratio = 5.34, 95% CI: 1.3-21.9, p = 0.02) and relapse (hazard ratio = 1.89, 95% CI: 0.9-3.7, p = 0.06) was observed for patients suffering from TC with brain metastases compared with those without CNS extension. CNS disease was extremely rare in our TET cohort (0.48%), reported at both diagnosis and progression, present primarily in TC, with prevalence rising to 4.9%.

First-Line Afatinib plus Cetuximab for EGFR-Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Results from the Randomized Phase II IFCT-1503 ACE-Lung Study

PURPOSE

Double inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) using a tyrosine kinase inhibitor plus a monoclonal antibody may be a novel treatment strategy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We assessed the efficacy and toxicity of afatinib + cetuximab versus afatinib alone in the first-line treatment of advanced EGFR-mutant NSCLC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this phase II, randomized, open-label study, patients with stage III/IV EGFR-positive NSCLC were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive afatinib (group A) or afatinib + cetuximab (group A + C). Oral afatinib 40 mg was given once daily; cetuximab 250 mg/m² was administered intravenously on day 15 of cycle 1, then every 2 weeks at 500 mg/m² for 6 months. The primary endpoint was time to treatment failure (TTF) rate at 9 months. Exploratory analysis of EGFR circulating tumor DNA in plasma was performed.

RESULTS

Between June 2016 and November 2018, 59 patients were included in group A and 58 in group A + C. The study was ended early after a futility analysis was performed. The percentage of patients without treatment failure at 9 months was similar for both groups (59.3% for group A vs. 64.9% for group A + C), and median TTF was 11.1 (95% CI, 8.5-14.1) and 12.9 (9.2-14.5) months, respectively. Other endpoints, including progression-free survival and overall survival, also showed no improvement with the combination versus afatinib alone. There was a slight numerical increase in grade ≥3 adverse events in group A + C. Allele frequency of the EGFR gene mutation in circulating tumor DNA at baseline was associated with shorter PFS, regardless of the treatment received.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that addition of cetuximab to afatinib does not warrant further investigation in treatment-naïve advanced EGFR-mutant NSCLC.

Outcomes of thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) with pleural metastases: Real-world insight from RYTHMIC

8578

Background: TETs are rare and potentially aggressive malignancies with high associated prevalence of autoimmune disorders (AIDs). The pleura is the main metastatic site at relapse, referred as Masaoka-Koga stage (MK) IVa. The benefit of surgical management is unknown, so we have collected outcomes of patients with MK IVa TETs in a large prospective database. Methods: RYTHMIC (Réseau tumeurs THYMiques et Cancer) is a French nationwide network mandated to systematically discuss every case of TETs. The database, hosted by IFCT (Intergroupe Francophone de Cancérologie Thoracique), prospectively includes all consecutive pts with a diagnosis of TET discussed in RYTHMIC national or regional tumor boards. We analyzed epidemiologic, clinical and pathological characteristics of patients (pts) with MK IVa TETs. Results: From January 2012 to December 2019, 2909 pts were included in the database, including 182 MK IVa (6.2%). The median age at diagnosis was 63.5 (range 9 to 91). 58/182 (32%) pts reported AIDs, 76% myasthenia gravis. 129/182 pts had synchronous pleural metastasis. 118/182 (65%) tumors were resected, of them 10 (8.4%) had only pericardial metastases. Thymoma (T) B2 rate was 35.6%, B3 17.8% and thymic carcinoma (TC) 13.5%. Induction chemotherapy (CT) was given in 46 (39%) T and 10 (8%) TC with response rate of 50% and 70% respectively. Thymectomy was performed in addition to pleurectomy in 44 pts (37.2%), pericardiectomy in 68 (57.6%), lung resection in 80 (67.8%) or pneumonectomy in 15 (12.7%). Node resection was performed in 57.6% (n = 67), 12 (18%) were positive. The complete resection rate assessed by surgeons was 57% with a median of 15 (0 to 28) resected pleural metastasis. Intrapleural chemotherapy was added for 19 (16%) pts. No mortality was reported 90 days after surgery procedure. Median follow-up was 36 months. Pleural recurrence was seen in 47 (72%) pts. Median disease-free survival (DFS) was 39 vs 16 months in resected vs not resected tumors (p < 0.0001), 5-years overall survival (OS) was 88 vs 66% (p = 0.28), respectively. Risk of relapse decreased by 60% with surgery (HR = 0.4, 95CI (0.25-0.62); p < 0.0001). Conclusions: The prevalence of MK IVa in our cohort was 6.2%. Surgery appears to be a safe and valid option for pts with MK IVa TET at diagnosis.

EGFR Exon 20 insertion: Prognostic and predictive values in advanced non-small cell lung cancer, a real-world study

9062

Background: In Europe, 10-15% of non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (nsqNSCLC) have EGFR mutations of which 5-12% are an Exon 20 insertion (20ins). Methods: Analysis of Epidemio-Strategy and Medical Economics (ESME) Advanced and Metastatic Lung cancer (AMLC) Data Platform (NCT03848052), a multicenter real-life database using a supervised, retrospective data collection process. The database includes 13737 advanced nsqNSCLC treated from January 2015 at participating centres. The cut-off date for patient follow-up for this analysis was June 30, 2020. The aim of the study was to assess real-world patient characteristics, treatment patterns and clinical outcomes of advanced nsqNSCLC EGFR 20ins. Overall survival (OS) of EGFR cohorts (20ins, 19del/L858R without 20ins, other EGFR mutations) and EGFR wild-type/not tested cohort were assessed. Results: 1549 (11.3%) nsqNSCLC had an EGFR mutation, 61 (3.9%) of whom being an EGFR 20ins. These 61 patients (pts) are mainly female (68.9%), non-smoker (55.7%), with de novo stage IIIB/IV disease (78.6%), PS 0-1 (76.9%). Median age was 68.0 years (q1-q3: 54-74). PD-L1 status was assessed in 34 (55.7%) pts, mainly (n = 20) before first line and 22 (64.7%) had negative result. Most (63.9%) pts had EGFR 20ins positive result available before first line. Almost all pts (95.1%, n = 58) received a systemic therapy with a median number of 3 (q1-q3: 1-4) lines. In first line setting, 74% of the pts received chemotherapy (mainly chemotherapy combination), 13.7% received EGFR TKI (mainly as monotherapy) and 8.6% received immunotherapy only. Median treatment duration for pts treated with CarboPem (n = 19), CisplatinPem (n = 16) and CarboTaxol (n = 6) were 4.7 (q1-q3: 2.6-6.6), 7.4 (q1-q3: 5.0-12.8) and 3.3 (q1-q3: 2.8-3.8) months, respectively. For afatinib (n = 3), erlotinib (n = 2) and gefitinib (n = 1), median treatment durations were 1.6 (q1-q3: 0.5-2.8); 1.8 (q1-q3: 1.4-2.1) and 2.3 months, respectively. After a median follow up of 36.3 (95%CI: 34.1-39.8) months, median OS was 24.3 (95%CI: 19.1-32.6) months; 1 and 2-years OS rates were 82.5% (95%CI: 69.7-90.2) and 52.6% (95%CI: 37.3-65.9), respectively. For pts with 19del/L858R without 20ins (n = 1049) and those with other EGFR mutations (n = 439) median OS were 35.4 (95%CI: 32.6-37.5) and 41.7 (95%CI: 31.9-53.5), respectively compared to 20.7 (95%CI: 20.0-21.8] months for pts EGFR wild type/not tested (n = 12188). Conclusions: This large, national real-world analysis based on medical chart data’s confirm that EGFR 20ins is a rare disease (0.4% of advanced nsqNSCLC). Currently available EGFR TKIs appear to have low efficacy and response to chemotherapy seems identical to that of EGFR wild-type/not tested pts. Prognosis for NSCLC pts with EGFR 20ins mutations was in line with that of EGFR wild type/not tested but worse than common EGFR mutations highlighting the need for advancements for this rare population.

RADIORYTHMIC: Phase III, Opened, Randomized Study of Postoperative Radiotherapy Versus Surveillance in Stage IIb/III of Masaoka Koga Thymoma after Complete Surgical Resection

INTRODUCTION

Thymomas are rare intrathoracic malignancies that may be aggressive and difficult to treat. Knowledge and level of evidence for treatment strategies are mainly based on retrospective studies or expert opinion. Currently there is no strong evidence that postoperative radiotherapy after complete resection of localized thymoma is associated with survival benefit in patients. RADIORYTHMIC is a phase III, randomized trial aiming at comparing postoperative radiotherapy versus surveillance after complete resection of Masaoka-Koga stage IIb/III thymoma. Systematic central pathologic review will be performed before patient enrollment as per the RYTHMIC network pathway.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Three hundred fourteen patients will be included; randomization 1:1 will attribute either postoperative radiotherapy (50-54 Gy to the mediastinum using intensity-modulated radiation therapy or proton beam therapy) or surveillance. Stratification criteria include histologic grading (thymoma type A, AB, B1 vs B2, B3), stage, and delivery of preoperative chemotherapy. Patient recruitment will be mainly made through the French RYTHMIC network of 15 expert centers participating in a nationwide multidisciplinary tumor board. Follow-up will last 7 years. The primary endpoint is recurrence-free survival. Secondary objectives include overall survival, assessment of acute and late toxicities, and analysis of prognostic and predictive biomarkers.

RESULTS

The first patient will be enrolled in January 2021, with results expected in 2028.

Switch maintenance chemotherapy versus observation after carboplatin and weekly paclitaxel doublet chemotherapy in elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: IFCT-1201 MODEL trial

PURPOSE

Maintenance chemotherapy is a reasonable choice for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) not progressing after induction therapy with a platinum-based doublet. Nevertheless, there have been no studies dedicated to elderly patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a randomised trial in patients aged 70-89 years, with advanced NSCLC (with neither EGFR mutation nor ALK rearrangement), who had not progressed after four cycles of monthly carboplatin and weekly paclitaxel in order to compare maintenance with either pemetrexed (500 mg/m² d1, 22) in patients with non-squamous cell carcinoma or gemcitabine (1,150 mg/m² d1, 8, 22) in squamous cell carcinoma to simple observation. The patients were required to have a performance status (PS) 0-2, mini-mental score >23, and creatinine clearance ≥45 mL/min. The primary end-point was overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

632 patients were enrolled from May 2013 to October 2016. Of the 328 (52.3%) patients randomised after induction therapy, 166 patients were assigned to the observation arm, versus 162 to the switch maintenance arm, 119 of whom received pemetrexed and 43 gemcitabine. The median OS from randomisation was 14.1 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 12.0-17.0) in the observation arm and 14 months (95% CI: 10.9-16.9) in the maintenance arm (p = 0.72). The median progression-free survival (PFS) from randomisation was 2.7 months (95% CI: 2.6-3.1) in the observation arm versus 5.7 months (95% CI: 4.8-7.1) in the maintenance arm (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Switch maintenance therapy significantly prolonged PFS but not OS and, thus, should not be proposed to elderly patients with advanced NSCLC.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Validation of the French Version of the FAMCARE-Patient (FFP-16) Questionnaire for Outpatients With Advanced-Stage Cancer

CONTEXT

Satisfaction is known to be correlated with the quality of care; it indicates the adequacy of the caregivers' responses in meeting the needs and expectations of patients. The FAMCARE-Patient questionnaire has been used to quantify satisfaction level in outpatients with advanced-stage cancers.

OBJECTIVES

To translate and cross-culturally adapt the FAMCARE-Patient questionnaire for French patients and to evaluate the psychometric properties of this version.

METHODS

The original questionnaire was translated into French and adapted to French cultural context by an expert committee. The French FAMCARE-Patient Version 16 (FFP-16) was then pilot tested among 51 patients. Subsequently, psychometric properties were evaluated in a cross-sectional study by administrating the new tool to 176 adult outpatients with advanced-stage cancer who underwent oncological care at our university hospital.

RESULTS

We performed a confirmatory factor analysis and assessed the reliability and validity of the questionnaire. The one-factor structure was confirmed, and it had an acceptable fit with a comparative fit index and root mean square error of approximation of 0.93 and 0.07, respectively. Internal reliability was high as shown by Cronbach's alpha (α = 0.95). Reproducibility was very good (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.91). The FFP-16 score was independent of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group and the overall Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale distress scores. It was significantly but weakly correlated with anxiety, well-being, and overall quality of life (Spearman's correlation coefficient = -0.18, -0.20, and 0.30, respectively; P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

We found the FFP-16 questionnaire to be a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of satisfaction in French outpatients with advanced-stage cancer.

Treatment strategies for thymic carcinoma in a real-life setting: Insights from the rythmic network

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Background: Thymic carcinomas are an aggressive and difficult to treat subset of thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) that represent a heterogeneous group of rare intrathoracic malignancies. Most of the current knowledge and guidelines tumors rely on surgically-oriented databases focusing on early-stage disease, and small prospective, single-arm trials conducted in metastatic thymic carcinomas, mostly in a refractory, late-line setting. “Réseau tumeurs THYMiques et Cancer” (RYTHMIC) is the nationwide network for TETs in France. The management of any patient has to be systematically discussed on a real-time basis at a national multidisciplinary tumor board; a database is hosted by the French Thoracic Cancer Intergroup (IFCT). Methods: We took advantage of the RYTHMIC prospective database to describe baseline characteristics, analyze treatment strategies, and provide landmark outcomes in a cohort of consecutive patients with thymic carcinoma. The inclusion period was January 2012 to April 2017. Results: A total of 213 patients were analyzed. Overall, 60 (28%) patients were considered as surgical candidates upfront, 91 (43%) received primary chemotherapy, and 62 (29%) received exclusive chemotherapy. Median OS was 49.2 months (IC95%: 34.8-63.6); OS was significantly longer in patients with a lower stage at diagnosis (p < 0.001), who were operated on upfront, as opposed to patients who received primary or exclusive chemotherapy (p < 0.001). Surgery, conducted upfront or after primary chemotherapy, was significantly associated with more prolonged OS (p < 0.001); complete resection and postoperative radiotherapy were also predictors of better outcome (p = 0.018 and p = 0.081, respectively). Exclusive chemotherapy was delivered to 62 patients with advanced disease, who all received platinum-based regimen as first-line treatment; PAC regimen was delivered to 66% of patients. Best objective response to first-line chemotherapy was partial response in 33 (53%) patients. Median PFS was 8.0 months (IC95%: 5.0-11.1). Median OS was 32.9 months (IC95%: 20.6-45.1). Response to first-line chemotherapy and squamous histology were the only significant predictors of OS (p = 0.002 and p = 0.040, respectively). Conclusions: Our cohort is the first to analyze in depth outcomes and treatment strategies in a prospective cohort of consecutive patients with thymic carcinoma. While we confirm the major prognostic impact of surgery, our data highlight the need for optimized multidisciplinary management and innovative therapies as the survival of patients remains limited.

Prevalence of autoimmune diseases in thymic epithelial tumors (TET) insights from RYTHMIC

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Background: TET are associated with autoimmune disorders (AID) in up to 30% of patients (pts). However, there have been wide variations in the reported prevalence of AID in TET pts in small single-center series. RYTHMIC (Réseau tumeurs THYMiques et Cancer) is a French network mandated to systematically discuss every case of TET. We aimed to describe the prevalence of AID in a large French population. Methods: RYTHMIC database, hosted by IFCT (Intergroupe Francophone de Cancérologie Thoracique), prospectively includes all consecutive pts with a diagnosis of TET discussed in French national or regional tumor boards. We analyzed epidemiologic, clinical and pathological characteristics of pts with TET’s related AID. Results: From January 2012 to December 2019, 2909 pts were included in the database. The mean age at diagnosis of TET was 54 and 52% were male. In the overall population, Masaoka Koga stages were well balanced with 12.6% (n = 187) stage I, 8.8% (n = 131) stage IIa, 8.4% (n = 124) stage IIb, 11.1% (n = 164) stage III and 8.5% (n = 125) stage IV. There were 364 (12.5%) events of AID in 302 pts. 62 pts (17%) had more than 1 AID. Among the events, 236 were myasthenia gravis (MG) (64.8%), 19 Hypo-gammaglobulinemia syndrome (5.2%), 15 pure red cell aplasia (4.1%), 18 thyroiditis (4.9%) and 16 systemic erythematous lupus (4.4%). Diagnosis of AID was mostly done at tumor diagnosis (n = 239, 65.7%) but some patient had AID diagnosed before diagnosis (n = 67, 18.4%) or during follow up (n = 32, 8.8%). Among pts presenting AID, B2 was the most common subtype (n = 133, 36.5%). The incidence of AID per subtype was as follow: A (n = 10/81, 12.3%), AB (n = 48/225, 21.3%), B1 (n = 35/130, 26.9%), B2 (n = 133/295, 45.0%), B3 (n = 46/113, 40.7%), thymic carcinoma (n = 16/275, 5.8%). Conclusions: The prevalence of AID in pts with TET was 12.5%, > 40% in B2 and B3 subtypes. Diagnosis of AID can be delayed compared to the diagnosis of TET. Immunotherapy indication should be carefully assessed in pts with TET other than thymic carcinoma.

Somatic profile in lung cancers is associated to reproductive factors in never-smokers women: Results from the IFCT-1002 BioCAST study

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer in women is on the rise, with a higher proportion occurring in lifelong never-smokers. Lung cancer in never-smokers (LCINS) exhibits a high frequency of driver oncogene alterations. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether exposure to reproductive factors in women with LCINS may modulate the molecular pattern.

METHODS

All newly diagnosed LCINSs were included in a prospective, observational study (IFCT-1002 BioCAST). Each patient responded to a questionnaire including reproductive factors. Biomarker test results were also collected.

RESULTS

Two hundred and sixty women were included in this analysis, and 166 alterations were characterized. EGFR mutation frequency proved greater among patients with late menarche (74% in age>14 vs. 40% and 41% for 12-14 and ≤12 years, respectively; P=0.020) and tended to decrease with increasingly late age at menopause. In multivariate analysis, EGFR mutation frequency increased by 23% per increment of 1 year of age at menarche (P=0.048), and by 9% for each year at age at first birth (P=0.035). ALK alteration frequency was greater in women with high parity (50% in≥5 vs. 12% and 7% for 1-4 and nulliparity, respectively; P=0.021).

CONCLUSION

In a cohort of women LCINSs, female hormonal factors appear to impact molecular pattern.

Efficacy of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Lung Sarcomatoid Carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have improved cancer prognosis but have not been evaluated specifically in sarcomatoid carcinoma (SC), a rare lung cancer subtype with poor prognosis. As such, our study sought to retrospectively assess the efficacy of ICI in SC.

METHODS

All consecutive patients with centrally confirmed SC treated using ICI as a second-line treatment or beyond between 2011 and 2017 were enrolled. Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) tumor expression was assessed using immunohistochemistry (SP263 clone) and the tumor mutational burden (TMB) with the Foundation One panel. TMB was considered high if it was greater than or equal to 10 mutations per megabase.

RESULTS

Overall, 37 patients with SC were evaluated, predominantly men (73%) with a median age of 63.2 years (36.8-79.7) and who were current or former smokers (94.6%). Immunotherapy (nivolumab, 86.5% of cases) was given as a second-line treatment in 54% of the patients and as third-line treatment or beyond in 46% of the patients. The objective response rate was 40.5% and disease control rate was 64.8%, regardless of PD-L1 status. Median overall survival was 12.7 months (range: 0.3-45.7). One-third of patients exhibited early progression. The median PD-L1 expression was 70% (0-100). There was a trend toward higher PD-L1 expression in responsive diseases, with an objective response rate of 58.8% in patients with PD-L1+ and 0% in the one patient with PD-L1- (p = 0.44). The median TMB was 18 (4-39) mutations per megabase, with 87.5% of the cases displaying a high TMB. There was a trend toward higher TMB in responders versus stable or progressive diseases (p = 0.2).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with SC exhibited high response rates and prolonged overall survival under ICI treatment. These data support the prospective investigation of ICI in patients with SC who are under first-line treatment.

Weekly paclitaxel plus bevacizumab versus docetaxel as second- or third-line treatment in advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer: Results of the IFCT-1103 ULTIMATE study

PURPOSE

Second-line chemotherapy regimens have demonstrated poor benefit after failure of platinum-based chemotherapy in advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (nsNSCLC).

METHODS

In this multicentre, open-label phase III trial, patients with advanced nsNSCLC treated with one or two prior lines, including one platinum-based doublet, were centrally randomised to receive 90 mg/m² of paclitaxel (D1, D8, D15) plus 10 mg/kg of bevacizumab (D1, D15) every 28 days or docetaxel (75 mg/m²) every 21 days; crossover was allowed after disease progression. Primary end-point was progression-free survival (PFS). ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT01763671.

RESULTS

One hundred sixty six patients were randomised (paclitaxel plus bevacizumab: 111, docetaxel: 55). The median PFS was longer in patients receiving paclitaxel plus bevacizumab than in patients receveing docetaxel [5·4 months versus 3·9 months, adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0·61 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0·44-0·86); p = 0·005]. Objective response rates (ORRs) were 22·5% (95% CI: 14·8-30·3) and 5·5% (95% CI: 0·0-11·5) (p = 0·006), respectively. Median overall survivals were similar (adjusted HR 1·17; p = 0·50). Crossover occurred in 21 of 55 (38·2%) docetaxel-treated patients. Grade III-IV adverse events (AEs) were reported in 45·9% and 54·5% of patients treated with paclitaxel and bevacizumab or docetaxel, respectively (p = NS), including neutropenia (19·3% versus 45·4%), neuropathy (8·3% versus 0·0%) and hypertension (7·3% versus 0·0%). Three patients died due to treatment-related AEs (1·8% in each group).

CONCLUSION

Weekly paclitaxel plus bevacizumab as second- or third-line improves PFS and ORR compared with docetaxel in patients with nsNSCLC, with an acceptable safety profile. These results place weekly paclitaxel plus bevacizumab as a valid option in this population.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION NUMBER

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01763671.

Coronary Toxicities of Anti-PD-1 and Anti-PD-L1 Immunotherapies: a Case Report and Review of the Literature and International Registries

Immunotherapy medications that target programmed death 1 protein (PD-1) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), such as nivolumab, pembrolizumab, and atezolizumab, are currently used in the first- or second-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancers, among other indications. However, these agents are associated with immune-related side effects, the most common of which are endocrinopathies, colitis, hepatitis, and interstitial pneumonitis. In contrast, coronary toxicities are rarely reported and remain poorly understood. Here, we describe the case of a patient who developed an acute coronary syndrome when treated with nivolumab as second-line therapy for metastatic pulmonary adenocarcinoma. A review of the literature, the French pharmacovigilance registry, and the World Health Organization pharmacovigilance database led to the identification of four cases of patients with coronary manifestations attributable to anti-PD1 immunotherapy (with no reported cases of patients undergoing anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy), which we describe herein. The potential mechanisms causing adverse coronary reactions to this type of therapy, which is used to treat lung cancer as well as other solid and hematological neoplastic diseases, are also discussed.

An integrated protocol for targeted mutagenesis with CRISPR-Cas9 system in the pea aphid

CRISPR-Cas9 technology is a very efficient functional analysis tool and has been developed in several insects to edit their genome through injection of eggs with guide RNAs targeting coding sequences of genes of interest. However, its implementation in aphids is more challenging. Aphids are major pests of crops worldwide that alternate during their life cycle between clonality and sexual reproduction. The production of eggs after mating of sexual individuals is a single yearly event and is necessarily triggered by a photoperiod decrease. Fertilized eggs then experience an obligate 3-month diapause period before hatching as new clonal colonies. Taking into consideration these particularities, we developed in the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum a step-by-step protocol of targeted mutagenesis based on the microinjection within fertilized eggs of CRISPR-Cas9 components designed for the editing of a cuticular protein gene (stylin-01). This protocol includes the following steps: i) the photoperiod-triggered induction of sexual morphs (2 months), ii) the mating and egg collection step (2 weeks), iii) egg microinjection and melanization, iv) the 3-month obligate diapause, v) the hatching of new lineages from injected eggs (2 weeks) and vi) the maintenance of stable lineages (2 weeks). Overall, this 7-month long procedure was applied to three different crosses in order to estimate the impact of the choice of the genetic combination on egg production dynamics by females as well as hatching rates after diapause. Mutation rates within eggs before diapause were estimated at 70-80%. The hatching rate of injected eggs following diapause ranged from 1 to 11% depending on the cross and finally a total of 17 stable lineages were obtained and maintained clonally. Out of these, 6 lineages were mutated at the defined sgRNAs target sites within stylin-01 coding sequence, either at the two alleles (2 lineages) or at one allele (4 lineages). The final germline transmission rate of the mutations was thus around 35%. Our protocol of an efficient targeted mutagenesis opens the avenue for functional studies through genome editing in aphids.

CheckMate 384: Phase IIIb/IV trial of nivolumab (nivo) 480 mg Q4W versus 240 mg Q2W after ≤ 12 months of nivo in previously treated advanced NSCLC

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Background: Nivo is approved as 240 mg Q2W in the EU and Japan and 240 mg Q2W or 480 mg Q4W in the US and Canada for second-line treatment (tx) of advanced NSCLC. Pharmacokinetic modeling in various tumors predicts that exposure, efficacy and safety can be maintained with less frequent Q4W dosing, which may provide a more convenient tx option. We present an interim analysis of efficacy and safety from CheckMate 384 (NCT02713867), an international, open-label, randomized phase 3b/4 trial evaluating less frequent nivo dosing (480 mg Q4W vs 240 mg Q2W) in patients (pts) with advanced NSCLC and prior Q2W nivo tx. Methods: Pts (N = 329) with previously treated histologically confirmed stage IIIB/IV or recurrent NSCLC, ECOG performance status 0–2, and prior tx with nivo 3 mg/kg or 240 mg Q2W for ≤12 mo, with ≥2 consecutive assessments of complete / partial response or stable disease, were randomized 1:1 to nivo 480 mg Q4W or 240 mg Q2W over a 30-min infusion. Co-primary endpoints: post-randomization (RND) progression-free survival rates (PFS) at 6 mo and 1 y. Secondary endpoints included safety. Due to tx landscape changes in NSCLC, statistical analyses were amended for a reduced sample size. One-sided 95% CIs were generated to compare PFS rates; presented data analyses are descriptive. Results: Of 166 and 163 pts randomized to 480 mg Q4W and 240 mg Q2W, 164 and 161 pts were treated, respectively. Median follow-up was 9.5 mo (480 mg Q4W) and 10.2 mo (240 mg Q2W). Baseline characteristics were balanced between tx arms. Stratified PFS rates post-RND were comparable between tx arms at 6 mo and 1 y (Table). Safety profiles were similar; any grade tx-related adverse events (TRAEs) and TRAEs leading to discontinuation were reported in 48% vs 61% and 6% vs 9% of pts with 480 mg Q4W vs 240 mg Q2W. No tx-related deaths were reported. Conclusions: Nivo 480 mg Q4W showed similar efficacy and safety to 240 mg Q2W in pts with disease control on nivo, supporting the potential use of 480 mg Q4W as a more convenient dosing option for second-line NSCLC tx. Clinical trial information: NCT02713867. [Table: see text]

Real-life efficacy of osimertinib in pretreated patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer harboring EGFR T790M mutation

Objectives The efficacy of osimertinib in pretreated patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring EGFR T790 M resistance mutation was demonstrated in clinical trials. However, data on efficacy of osimertinib in real world remain rare. Materials and methods This retrospective multicentric study analyzed T790M-positive advanced NSCLC patients enrolled in French early access program for osimertinib. Patients were pretreated with first- or second-generation EGFR tyrosine-kinase inhibitor and for a majority with chemotherapy. Primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) from osimertinib initiation. Results 205 patients (mean age, 69.5 years; female, 68.8%; adenocarcinoma, 97.5%, never-smokers, 71.5%) were analyzed. Osimertinib was used in second and third line in 18.0% and 82.0% of patients, respectively. Median PFS was 12.4 (95% CI, 10.1-15.1) months. In patients with and without cerebral metastasis, PFS was 9.7 (7.7-13.5) and 15.1 (12.0-17.1) months (p = 0.21), respectively. PFS in second and third line or more was 12.6 (6.7-17.5) and 12.4 (9.7-15.3) months, respectively. Median PFS in patients with EGFR exon 19 deletion and exon 21 mutation was 13.5 (10.1-16.0) and 9.7 (7.4-13.2) months, respectively (p = 0.049). Median OS since osimertinib initiation was 20.5 (16.9-24.3) months: 23.1 (18.6-27.8) and 18.0 (12.2-22.2) months in patients without and with cerebral metastasis (p = 0.11); 17.5 (11.6-27.8) and 21.7 (17.3-24.3) months as second or third line of treatment or more (p = 0.46), respectively. Median OS in patients with EGFR exon 19 deletion and exon 21 mutation was 23.1 (18.6-25.7) and 15.3 (11.6-21.7) months, respectively (p = 0.03). Osimertinib dosage was modified in 8.0% of patients and definitively discontinued for adverse events in 5.9%. Fifty patients benefited from rebiopsy (persistence of T790 M mutation, 44.7%; C797S mutation, 21.1%; cMET amplification, 8.0%). Conclusion In pretreated patients with T790M-mutated advanced NSCLC, the efficacy of osimertinib appears similar in real-world setting to that of clinical trials.

Anti-tumour effect of low molecular weight heparin in localised lung cancer: a phase III clinical trial

The anti-tumour and anti-metastatic properties of heparins have not been tested in patients with early stage cancer. Whether adjuvant low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) tinzaparin impacts the survival of patients with resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was investigated.

Patients with completely resected stage I, II or IIIA NSCLC were randomly allocated to receive subcutaneous tinzaparin 100 IU·kg−1 once a day for 12 weeks or no treatment in addition to standard of care. The trial was open-label with blinded central adjudication of study outcomes. The primary outcome was overall survival.

In 549 patients randomised to tinzaparin (n=269) or control (n=280), mean±sd age was 61.6±8.9 years, 190 (34.6%) patients had stage II−III disease, and 220 (40.1%) patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. Median follow-up was 5.7 years. There was no significant difference in overall survival between groups (hazard ratio (HR) 1.24, 95% CI 0.92–1.68; p=0.17). There was no difference in the cumulative incidence of recurrence between groups (subdistribution HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.68–1.30; p=0.70).

Adjuvant tinzaparin had no detectable impact on overall and recurrence-free survival of patients with completely resected stage I−IIIA NSCLC. These results do not support further clinical evaluation of LMWHs as anti-tumour agents.

Systemic Therapy in Advanced Thymic Epithelial Tumors: Insights from the RYTHMIC Prospective Cohort

INTRODUCTION

Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) are rare malignancies that may be aggressive and difficult to treat. In the advanced setting, systemic treatments may be delivered as primary therapy before surgery or definitive radiotherapy, as exclusive treatment when no focal treatment is feasible, or in the setting of recurrences. Réseau tumeurs THYMIques et Cancer (RYTHMIC) is the nationwide network for TETs in France. The objective of the study was to describe the modalities and analyze the efficacy of systemic treatments for patients with advanced TETs included in the RYTHMIC prospective database hosted by the French Thoracic Cancer Intergroup.

METHODS

All consecutive patients for whom systemic treatment was discussed at the RYTHMIC multidisciplinary tumor board from 2012 to 2015 and who received at least one cycle of treatment were included. The main end points were objective response and progression-free survival (PFS).

RESULTS

A total of 236 patients were included in this analysis. Of those 236 patients, 91 received primary chemotherapy, leading to response rates of 83% for thymomas and 75% for thymic carcinomas and a median PFS of 23.2 months. A strong predictor of longer PFS was histologic type of thymoma (p < 0.001). Exclusive chemotherapy was delivered to 54 patients. The response rates were 31% for thymomas and 37% for thymic carcinomas. The median PFS was 6.2 months, and it was correlated to response rate (p = 0.001). Systemic therapy for a first, second, third, and fourth recurrence was delivered to 114, 81, 51, and 27 patients, respectively. The response rates ranged between 15% and 39% for thymomas and 4% to 21% for thymic carcinomas. The median PFS times were 7.7, 6.2, 5.9, and 6.5 months, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Patients with advanced thymic malignancies may receive multiple lines of systemic therapy, with an opportunity for clinically relevant PFS rates for which objective response may be a surrogate. Our real-life study provides landmark efficacy data that are needed when designing clinical trials to assess innovative agents.

Association between lung cancer somatic mutations and occupational exposure in never-smokers

Occupational exposure constitutes a common risk factor for lung cancer. We observed molecular alterations in 73% of never-smokers, 35% of men and 8% of women were exposed to at least one occupational carcinogen. We report herein associations between molecular patterns and occupational exposure.BioCAST was a cohort study of lung cancer in never-smokers that reported risk factor exposure and molecular patterns. Occupational exposure was assessed via a validated 71-item questionnaire. Patients were categorised into groups that were unexposed and exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), asbestos, silica, diesel exhaust fumes (DEF), chrome and paints. Test results were recorded for EGFR, KRAS, HER2, BRAF and PIK3 mutations, and ALK alterations.Overall, 313 out of 384 patients included in BioCAST were analysed. Asbestos-exposed patients displayed a significantly lower rate of EGFR mutations (20% versus 44%, p=0.033), and a higher rate of HER2 mutations (18% versus 4%, p=0.084). ALK alterations were not associated with any occupational carcinogens. The DEF-exposed patients were diagnosed with a BRAF mutation in 25% of all cases. Chrome-exposed patients exhibited enhanced HER2 and PIK3 mutation frequency.Given its minimal effects in the subgroups, we conclude that occupational exposure slightly affects the molecular pattern of lung cancers in never-smokers. In particular, asbestos-exposed patients have a lower chance of EGFR mutations.