A new schedule of one week on/one week off temozolomide as second-line treatment of advanced neuroendocrine carcinomas (TENEC-TRIAL): a multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase II trial

BACKGROUND

There is no consensus on the second-line treatment of patients with progressive high-grade neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs G3) and large-cell lung neuroendocrine carcinoma. These patients generally have poor performance status and low tolerance to combination therapy. In this trial, we aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of temozolomide given every other week in patients with advanced platinum-pretreated NENs G3.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This trial is an open-label, non-randomized, phase II trial. Patients with platinum-pretreated metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma were treated with 75 mg/m2/day of temozolomide for 7 days, followed by 7 days of no treatment (regimen one week on/one week off). The primary endpoint was the overall response rate. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), safety and tolerability. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04122911.

RESULTS

From 2017 to 2020, 38 patients were enrolled. Among the patients with determined Ki67, 12 out of 36 (33.3%) had a Ki67 index <55% and the remaining 24 out of 36 (66.6%) had an index ≥55%. Overall response rate was 18% (7/38), including one complete response and six partial responses. The median PFS was 5.86 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.8 months-not applicable) and the median OS was 12.1 months (95% CI 5.6-20.4 months). The 1-year PFS rate was 37%. No statistically significant difference in median PFS [hazard ratio 1.3 (95% CI 0.6-2.8); P = 0.44] and median OS [hazard ratio 1.1 (95% CI 0.5-2.4); P = 0.77] was observed among patients with Ki67 <55% versus ≥55%. Only G1-G2 adverse events were registered, the most common being G1 nausea, diarrhea and abdominal pain.

CONCLUSION

One week on/one week off temozolomide shows promising activity in patients with poorly differentiated NEN. The good safety profile confirmed the possibility of using this scheme in patients with poor performance status.

Extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma of the mediastinum: Case report

Background

Ewing sarcoma (ES) represents the second most common malignant bone tumor in children and young adults. ES is not a frequent finding in sites different from the skeletal. Common sites of appearance of ES are lower extremities, the pelvis, paravertebral spaces and head and neck. Primary extraskeletal ES located in the anterior mediastinum are very rare. These neoplasms should be discussed in specialized contests with a high volume of patients treated. Here, we present an uncommon mediastinal mass challenging in its characterization and management.

Case description

A thirty-year-old woman performed a thoracic CT scan for dyspnea and persistent cough. Imaging showed a solid mass of 14 x 11 cm involving the left thorax with mediastinal deviation to the right side. Patient underwent an en bloc resection of the mass. Initial histological examination was suggestive for B3 thymoma/thymic carcinoma. Patient was then referred to our rare tumor reference center where a histological review excluded the diagnosis of thymic/thymoma neoplasms meanwhile a third revision assessed a diagnosis of ES. Patient refused adjuvant chemotherapy due to her desire of maternity and radiation therapy was not indicated because surgery was performed too many months earlier. A close follow-up was considered. After a few months the patient relapsed and first line chemotherapy was proposed. She reached a complete response at the first evaluation maintained also at the end of the protocol. In order to consolidate the obtained response, high dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (HDCT/ASCT) was suggested and the patient agreed.

Conclusions

This case underlined that, potentially, ES can arise from any soft tissue site in the body, even in rare sites such as mediastinum. The evaluation of expert centers was critical to establish a correct diagnosis and therapeutic approach in this complex case. Taking into account the time lasting from the diagnosis and the aggressiveness of this kind of neoplasm, frequently relapsing, the patient after a multidisciplinary discussion was a candidate for a multimodal treatment.

Weekly cisplatin with or without imatinib in advanced chordoma: A retrospective case-series analysis from the Italian Rare Cancers Network

BACKGROUND

To report on a retrospective case-series analysis of weekly cisplatin (wCDDP) as a single agent or combined with imatinib (wCDDP/I) in patients with advanced chordoma treated within the Italian Rare Cancer Network.

METHODS

Adult patients with a diagnosis of advanced, brachyury-positive chordoma, treated from April 2007 to October 2020 with wCDDP or wCDDP/I were retrospectively identified. Imatinib was withheld at the same time as wCDDP. Response according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed.

RESULTS

Thirty-three consecutive patients were identified (wCDDP as front-line n = 8 [24.2%]; wCDDP as a further line n = 25 [75.8%]; prior imatinib n = 25 [75.8%]; evidence of progression before starting wCDDP n = 33). Of 32 patients evaluable for response (wCDDP, n = 22 [68.8%]; wCDDP/I, n = 10 [31.3%]), best response was stable disease (SD) in 27 patients (84.3%) and progression in 5 patients (15.6%). At a median follow-up of 54 months, the median OS (m-OS) was 30.3 months (interquartile range [IQR], 18.1-56.6), the m-PFS was 8.0 months (IQR, 5.1-17.0), the 6-month PFS rate was 65.2%, and the 12-month PFS rate was 30.3%. Of 22 patients who received wCDDP, the best response was SD in 18 patients (81.8%) and progression in 4 patients (18.2%), and the m-PFS was 8.0 months (IQR, 5.1-17.0 months). Of 10 patients who received treatment with wCDDP/I, the best response was SD in 9 patients (90%) and progression in 1 patient (10%), and the m-PFS was 9.3 months (IQR, 4.9-26.5 months).

CONCLUSIONS

This series suggests that wCDDP, both as a single agent and combined with imatinib, has antitumor activity in chordoma. Although no dimensional responses were observed, 65% and 30% of previously progressive patients were progression-free at 6 and 12 months, respectively. A prospective study is warranted.

Pneumonitis in patients with thymoma and Good's syndrome

e20595

Background: The association between thymoma (T) and immunological dysregulations is well acknowledged. Good’s syndrome (GS), which occurs in approximately 6% to 11% of T patients, is characterized by hypogammaglobulinemia, few or absent B-cells (CD19+), CD4 T cells lymphopenia, abnormal CD4/CD8 T ratio and impaired T cell mitogenic response. Patients with GS have increased susceptibility to bacterial, opportunistic and viral infections related to both humoral and cell-mediated immunodeficiency. The recent Sars-Cov-2 pandemic drew attention to the clinical condition of fatal viral pneumonitis and cytokines storm. Here we reported our monocentric experience of pneumonitis in patients with T and GS before the Sars-Cov-2 pandemic. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of T patients with associated GS referred to the Rare Tumours Reference Center of University Federico II of Naples over a 10-year period (from 2009 to 2019). All the patients with radiological and/or clinical pneumonitis diagnosis were evaluated for this report. Immunological features, histopathological diagnosis and clinical outcome were registered. Results: A total of 41 patients with T and GS were identified, including 17 patients with local disease (stage I-II according to Masaoka-Koga) and 24 with advanced disease (stage III-IV). The majority (56.3%) had B2 T diagnosis. Radiological and/or clinical pneumonitis diagnosis was assessed in 23 cases (56%). Viral pneumonitis was detected in 8 patients: 3 patients with H1N1 infection, 3 patients with CMV infection, 2 patients with EBV infection. Bacterial pneumonitis was diagnosed in 9 patients (3 patients with K. pneumoniae, 4 patients with S. aureus, 2 patients with H. influenza). Opportunistic pneumonitis was found in 2 patients with Aspergillosis infection. In 2 cases no pathogenic agent was identified. The immunophenotyping, assessed in 4 patients with viral pneumonitis, displayed very low/undetectable levels of B cells, with median % value of CD3+T cells and NKT of respectively 9.8% and 0.4% of the total leukocytes. The median % of Treg was 4.7%. CD4+/CD8+ ratio was variable, ranging from 1,2 to 0,6. Interestingly the number of B cells was extremely low, independent of CD4+/CD8+ ratio. Blood levels of cytokines, chemokines and growth factors revealed elevated IL-4, Eotaxin, CCL2 / MCP-1 and CCL5 / RANTES ad strong reduction of IL-10. PDGF-BB levels were also elevated. 15 patients required admission to intensive care Six patients died for fatal pneumonitis. Conclusions: The management of T patients with GS is extremely challenging. Clear diagnostic algorithms do not yet exist and immune-profiling and quantitative immunoglobulins should be considered a part of diagnostic search in these patients. The coexistence of cancer, infections and immunosuppression may trigger life-threatening conditions, such as fatal pneumonitis, which often require intensive care and multidisciplinary approach.

A New Horizon of Liquid Biopsy in Thymic Epithelial Tumors: The Potential Utility of Circulating Cell-Free DNA

BACKGROUND

Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) are rare thoracic malignancies, commonly divided into two different histopathological entities, thymoma (T) and thymic carcinoma (TC). To date, there are no specific biomarkers for monitoring the biological course of these rare tumors. We carried out a single center study aiming at the detection of circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) and the correlation of its levels with metastatic dissemination and histological subtype in patients with TETs.

METHODS

From July 2018 to January 2020, 5-ml blood samples from 26 patients with advanced TET (aTET) (11 patients with TC and 15 patients with T) and from six patients with completely resected TET (cr-TET), were prospectively obtained before the initiation of systemic therapy. Blood samples from 10 healthy donors were used as control. The QIAamp MinElute ccfDNA Kits was used for ccfDNA isolation from plasma; real-time PCR was used for cfDNA quantification.

RESULTS

We found significantly higher ccfDNA amount in patients with T and TC compared to controls, with median ccfDNA level of 3.3 ng/µl, 11.4 ng/µl and 25.6 ng/µl, for healthy donors, T and TC patients, respectively (p<0.001). No significant difference was found between cr-TET and controls (p = 0.175). ccfDNA concentrations were higher in metastatic (M1a and M1b) compared to non-metastatic (M0) TETs (25.6 ng/µl versus 7.2 ng/µl; p= 0.037). No significant correlation was found either between ccfDNA and disease stage, according to both the Masaoka-Koga (p= 0.854) and the TNM 8th edition staging systems (p = 0.66), or between ccfDNA levels and overall tumor burden, estimated according RECIST 1.1 criteria (r = 0.07, p = 0.725).

CONCLUSIONS

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that prospectively explores detection and quantification of ccfDNA in TETs. Higher baseline cfDNA levels have been observed in both advanced T and TC comparing to the control group.

Impact of COVID-19 outbreak on cancer immunotherapy in Italy: a survey of young oncologists

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has overwhelmed the health systems worldwide. Data regarding the impact of COVID-19 on cancer patients (CPs) undergoing or candidate for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are lacking. We depicted the practice and adaptations in the management of patients with solid tumors eligible or receiving ICIs during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a special focus on Campania region.

Methods

This survey (25 questions), promoted by the young section of SCITO (Società Campana di ImmunoTerapia Oncologica) Group, was circulated among Italian young oncologists practicing in regions variously affected by the pandemic: high (group 1), medium (group 2) and low (group 3) prevalence of SARS-CoV-2–positive patients. For Campania region, the physician responders were split into those working in cancer centers (CC), university hospitals (UH) and general hospitals (GH). Percentages of agreement, among High (H) versus Medium (M) and versus Low (L) group for Italy and among CC, UH and GH for Campania region, were compared by using Fisher’s exact tests for dichotomous answers and χ² test for trends relative to the questions with 3 or more options.

Results

This is the first Italian study to investigate the COVID-19 impact on cancer immunotherapy, unique in its type and very clear in the results. The COVID-19 pandemic seemed not to affect the standard practice in the prescription and delivery of ICIs in Italy. Telemedicine was widely used. There was high consensus to interrupt immunotherapy in SARS-CoV-2–positive patients and to adopt ICIs with longer schedule interval. The majority of the responders tended not to delay the start of ICIs; there were no changes in supportive treatments, but some of the physicians opted for delaying surgeries (if part of patients’ planned treatment approach). The results from responders in Campania did not differ significantly from the national ones.

Conclusion

Our study highlights the efforts of Italian oncologists to maintain high standards of care for CPs treated with ICIs, regardless the regional prevalence of COVID-19, suggesting the adoption of similar solutions. Research on patients treated with ICIs and experiencing COVID-19 will clarify the safety profile to continue the treatments, thus informing on the most appropriate clinical conducts.

Low-dose oral etoposide is an active option for patients with heavily pre-treated thymic epithelial tumors

9074

Background: Platinum based regimens are used in the first line setting for advanced Thymic Epithelial Tumors (TETs). Angiogenesis plays an important role in TETs: VEGF is overexpressed in TETs, and associated with aggressiveness and advanced stage. Etoposide inhibits angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo by decreasing VEGF production and microvessel density. The aim of this study is to assess the activity of metronomic oral etoposide, with identification of circulating predictive and pharmacodynamics biomarkers. Methods: Patients with advanced platinum pretreated TET referred from 2014 to 2019 at Rare Tumors Reference Center of Naples, were prospectively enrolled in this study. Oral etoposide 50 mg daily for 3 weeks on and 1 week off every 28 days, has been delivered until progression of disease, complete response or unacceptable toxicity. Response rate (RR), progression free survival (PFS), toxicity and ratio between time to etoposide progression (TTPe) and time to previous best treatment progression (TTPp) were evaluated. Serum samples were prospectively obtained from ten patients with simultaneously radiological assessment. cfDNA quantification was assessed using Qubit Fluorometric Quantitation. Results: 21 patients were enrolled: median age 59 years range (41 - 88); 70% male, 60% T (4 B1, 3 B2, 4 B3, 1 B1-B2); 40% had TC. A median of 5 (range 1-9) prior therapy regimens had been administered. Median follow-up since etoposide was 5 years (range 0.5-5). Obtaining an overall response rate of 85%, 3 patients achieved complete response and 15 partial response. Median PFS was 16 months [95%CI 3-60] with respectively a median PFS of 12 for T (95%CI 3-38) and 19 for TC (95%CI 6-60). No grade 3-4 related events occurred, G1-2 myelotoxicity has been registered in 20% of patients. Therapy is still ongoing for 15 patients and all are still alive. Median TTPe was 16 months, TTPp was 9 months and TTPe / TTPp ratio equal to 1.7. The median cfDNA of 8 responder patients, before starting therapy, was 2.2 ng/μl (0.178-5.24), dropping dramatically at radiological response to 0.5 ng/μl (0.323-2.56). 2 out of 3 non-responder patients had a median baseline value of 2.49 ng/μl, increasing to 4.6 ng/μl at progression. Variation of circulating VEGF correlates with radiological response. Conclusions: Taking into account that other antiangiogenic drugs, showing some activity in second and further lines treatment, are very expensive and associated with several side effects, we suggest that low dose oral etoposide might become the preferred treatment option in heavily pretreated TETs.

Predictors of Outcomes in Patients with EGFR-Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Receiving EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Some commonly available patient or disease characteristics may be associated with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving EGFR-TKIs (epidermal growth factor receptor - tyrosine kinase inhibitors). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials (RCTs) to explore differences in outcomes associated with EGFR-TKIs among subgroups of EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients. Pooled HRs for progression or death (PFS-HRs) and pooled HRs for death (OS-HRs) were compared among sub-groups defined according to baseline clinical and demographic variables as well as type of EGFR mutation. In the entire assessable population of 4465 EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients, significant interactions with PFS were found for gender (males vs. females; pooled ratio of the PFS-HRs = 1.2; 95% CI 1.12-1.56), smoking history (smokers vs. non-smokers; pooled ratio of the PFS-HRs = 1.26; 95% CI 1.05-1.51), and type of EGFR mutation (patients with exon 21 L858R mutation vs. exon 19 deletion; pooled ratio of the PFS-HRs = 1.39; 95% CI 1.18-1.63). Male patients, smokers and patients with EGFR exon 21 L858R mutation may derive less benefit from EGFR-TKIs compared to female patients, non-smokers and patients with EGFR exon 19 deletion.

Anti-EGFR target therapy in advanced thymic epithelial tumors

8567

Background: Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs), show a high rate of EGFR immunohistochemistry (IHC) positivity, however, the prognostic and predictive role of EGFR has not yet been well defined, and contradictory data have emerged regarding the delivering of anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies in TETs. The outcomes of the largest series of thymoma patients treated with cetuximab, and its hypothetic immune-modulatory role, are here described. Methods: Seven patients with diagnosis of pre-treated advanced thymoma and score positivity 2+ and 3+ at EGFR-IHC, were treated with cetuximab as off-label modality, with a dose of 400 mg/m2 in the first cycle and 250 mg/m2 in the following cycles every 7 days, until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, withdrawal of consent. Primary endpoint was Overall Response Rate ORR, assessed radiologically. Secondary endpoints were progression Free Survival (PFS), safety, and relationship between time to cetuximab progression (TTPc) and time to previous treatment progression (TTP1). During treatment with cetuximab lymphocyte subpopulations have been carefully monitored in 4 patients affected by both thymoma and Good syndrome (GS) defined as B-cell lymphocyte counts (CD19+) <100 cells/mm3 and/or Immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels <8 g/L. Results: With a median response duration of 17 months, a partial response was achieved in five patients (ORR=71%). Statistically significant correlation was found between disease response and EGFR-IHC score 2+ vs 3+ (P, .008), which statistically correlated also with the mPFS of 14 months (95% CI, 0.0-34.5). No grade 3 or 4 adverse events were registered. TTPc was longer than TTP1 in 6/7 patients (86%), with a TTPc / TTP1 ratio equal to 2.12. During cetuximab treatment, in the longest responder patient affected also by GS, a progressive increase of IgG level and of CD4/CD8 ratio has been registered as well as an increase of both CD19+lymphocytes and CD16+ 56+ lymphocytes has been detected in all the included patients with GS. Conclusions: Despite of the small number of patients and the off-label treatment modality, the data presented are worthy of confirmation in validated prospective studies in selected population with hyper-expression of EGFR. Further studies are also needed for deeply investigate the immunomodulatory role of cetuximab which seemed to temporarily revert sever immunodeficiency in our population.

Clinical application of circulating cell-free DNA for monitoring the biological course of thymic epithelial tumors

8566

Background: Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) are rare thoracic malignancies. Widely recognized as different histopathological entities, thymoma (T) and thymic carcinoma (TC), show a different biological behavior with a higher tendency to hematogenous dissemination for TC and thoracic recurrence for T, sharing, however, a poor prognosis when characterized by high tumor burden. Up to date, there are no specific biomarkers for monitoring the biological course of these rare tumors. Analysis of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has potential applications throughout the natural course of cancer development, diagnosis and treatment, never the less several studies have suggested that cfDNA levels closely parallel overall tumor burden. For the first time the detection and the correlation of cfDNA levels with tumor burden and histological subtype of TET, has been carried on in this monocentric study. Methods: Starting from July 2018, serum samples from 19 patients with TET, 4 with completely resected TET (rTET) and 15 with advanced (aTET), were prospectively obtained before the initiation of therapy. Serum samples from 15 healthy donors were used as control. Five ml of blood was collected and processed within one hour or less, followed by centrifugation at 3000g for 10 minutes and storage at -80°C. The serum samples were processed for QiAamp MinElute cell-free DNA mini kit extraction (Qiagen). cfDNA quantification was assessed using Qubit Fluorometric Quantitation (Thermo Fisher Scientific). Clinical, and histo-pathological features of TET were assessed. Results: A median cfDNA amount in healthy donors of 0.108 ng/µl (0.083-0.868) was registered. A median cfDNA of 0.512 ng/µl (0.178-1.42) resulted for the rTET, including the value of 0.178 for the resected TC. A median cfDNA of 2.53 ng/µl (1.20-6.11) resulted for the aTET, with respectively a median of 2.845 ng/µl (1.3-5.24) and of 1.5 ng/µl (1.2-6.11) for TC and T. The highest registered level for both group of thymoma (6.11 ng/µl) and thymic carcinoma (5.24 ng/µl) correlates with the highest tumor burden. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that explore detection and quantification of cfDNA in TET. Higher baseline levels than the control group and the rTET group have been registered for both advanced T and TC. Highest levels of cfDNA may be associated with high tumor burden despite the histological subtype. We envision that further valuable information will be obtained with mutational analysis.