Long-term survival of patients with advanced melanoma treated with BRAF-MEK inhibitors

Recent results of patients with advanced melanoma treated with first-line BRAF-MEK inhibitors in clinical trials showed 5-year survival in one-third of patients with a median overall survival (OS) of more than 2 years. This study aimed to investigate these patients' real-world survival and identify the characteristics of long-term survivors. The study population consisted of patients with advanced cutaneous melanoma with a BRAF-V600 mutated tumor who were treated with first-line BRAF-MEK inhibitors between 2013 and 2017. Long-term survival was defined as a minimum OS of 2 years from start therapy. The median progression-free survival (mPFS) and median OS (mOS) of real-world patients ( n  = 435) were respectively 8.0 (95% CI, 6.8-9.4) and 11.7 (95% CI, 10.3-13.5) months. Two-year survival was reached by 28% of the patients, 22% reached 3-year survival and 19% reached 4-year survival. Real-world patients often had brain metastases (41%), stage IV M1c disease (87%), ECOG PS ≥2 (21%), ≥3 organ sites (62%) and elevated LDH of ≥250 U/I (49%). Trial-eligible real-world patients had an mOS of 17.9 months. Patients surviving more than 2 years ( n  = 116) more often had an ECOG PS ≤1 (83%), normal LDH (60%), no brain metastases (60%), no liver metastases (63%) and <3 organ sites (60%). Long-term survival of real-world patients treated with first-line BRAF-MEK inhibitors is significantly lower than that of trial patients, which is probably explained by poorer baseline characteristics of patients treated in daily practice. Long-term survivors generally had more favorable characteristics with regard to age, LDH level and metastatic sites, compared to patients not reaching long-term survival.

Pembrolizumab versus placebo as post-nephrectomy adjuvant therapy for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (KEYNOTE-564): 30-month follow-up analysis of a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial

BACKGROUND

The first interim analysis of the KEYNOTE-564 study showed improved disease-free survival with adjuvant pembrolizumab compared with placebo after surgery in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma at an increased risk of recurrence. The analysis reported here, with an additional 6 months of follow-up, was designed to assess longer-term efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab versus placebo, as well as additional secondary and exploratory endpoints.

METHODS

In the multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 KEYNOTE-564 trial, adults aged 18 years or older with clear cell renal cell carcinoma with an increased risk of recurrence were enrolled at 213 hospitals and cancer centres in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Eligible participants had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1, had undergone nephrectomy 12 weeks or less before randomisation, and had not received previous systemic therapy for advanced renal cell carcinoma. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) via central permuted block randomisation (block size of four) to receive pembrolizumab 200 mg or placebo intravenously every 3 weeks for up to 17 cycles. Randomisation was stratified by metastatic disease status (M0 vs M1), and the M0 group was further stratified by ECOG performance status and geographical region. All participants and investigators involved in study treatment administration were masked to the treatment group assignment. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival by investigator assessment in the intention-to-treat population (all participants randomly assigned to a treatment). Safety was assessed in the safety population, comprising all participants who received at least one dose of pembrolizumab or placebo. As the primary endpoint was met at the first interim analysis, updated data are reported without p values. This study is ongoing, but no longer recruiting, and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03142334.

FINDINGS

Between June 30, 2017, and Sept 20, 2019, 994 participants were assigned to receive pembrolizumab (n=496) or placebo (n=498). Median follow-up, defined as the time from randomisation to data cutoff (June 14, 2021), was 30·1 months (IQR 25·7-36·7). Disease-free survival was better with pembrolizumab compared with placebo (HR 0·63 [95% CI 0·50-0·80]). Median disease-free survival was not reached in either group. The most common all-cause grade 3-4 adverse events were hypertension (in 14 [3%] of 496 participants) and increased alanine aminotransferase (in 11 [2%]) in the pembrolizumab group, and hypertension (in 13 [3%] of 498 participants) in the placebo group. Serious adverse events attributed to study treatment occurred in 59 (12%) participants in the pembrolizumab group and one (<1%) participant in the placebo group. No deaths were attributed to pembrolizumab.

INTERPRETATION

Updated results from KEYNOTE-564 support the use of adjuvant pembrolizumab monotherapy as a standard of care for participants with renal cell carcinoma with an increased risk of recurrence after nephrectomy.

FUNDING

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co, Inc, Rahway, NJ, USA.

Is adjuvant treatment for melanoma in clinical practice comparable to trials? The first population-based results

e21523

Background: Little is known about the outcome of adjuvant therapy in melanoma patients beyond the clinical trial setting. The Dutch Melanoma treatment Registry (DMTR) is a population-based registry, set up in July 2013 to monitor the safety and quality of melanoma care. Since 2019, adjuvant treated melanoma patients have also been registered in the DMTR, following approval and reimbursement of adjuvant treatment in the Netherlands in December 2018. Methods: Analyses were performed on melanoma patients treated with adjuvant anti-PD1 therapy included in the DMTR between 01-07-2018 and 31-12-2019. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze patient-, and treatment characteristics, and death as well as relapse rates. Results: Six hundred and fifty-seven patients treated with adjuvant systemic therapy were included in the DMTR. The majority (94%) of these patients was treated with anti-PD1. Twenty percent of the anti-PD1-treated patients developed grade ≥3 toxicity. Of the 279 patients with a minimum follow-up of one year after start of anti-PD1, 170 (61%) prematurely discontinued therapy. Relapse and death occurred in respectively, 38% and 12% of patients within one year of follow-up. Relapse was significantly more frequent in older patients, with high Breslow thickness and ulcerated melanomas. Conclusions: These data show more frequent premature discontinuation of adjuvant anti-PD1 in daily clinical practice than reported in the registration trials. Moreover, incidence of severe toxicity, relapse and death during adjuvant treatment appears higher in the real-world setting.

Comprehensive ambulatory monitoring during immunotherapy in patients with advanced melanoma: A prospective trial (CAMP-IT)

TPS1589

Background: The emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors has improved survival outcomes for patients with advanced melanoma. However, these treatment modalities are also associated with specific immune-related toxicities. These are often reversible after prompt recognition and initiation of appropriate management, but can result in severe morbidity and hamper health-related quality of life (HRQoL) if left undetected. Hence, accurate and regular monitoring of these patients is critical. Recent advances in mHealth technologies and the rapidly expanding armamentarium of wearable devices allow for real-time objective (vital signs and physical activity) data and patient-reported outcome measurement (PROMs) collection and, hence, serve this purpose. We hypothesize that collection of real-time objective data adds to the early detection of disease- and treatment-related adverse events. The primary objective of this study is to determine the feasibility of collecting real-time PROMs, vital signs, and physical activity data in advanced melanoma patients receiving immunotherapy using a comprehensive ambulatory monitoring platform (CAMP) that consists of a smartphone app, activity monitor, digital thermometer, and online dashboard for physicians. Methods: In this prospective multi-center trial, patients (n = 50) with advanced melanoma, scheduled to receive immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors, and with access to a smartphone are eligible for inclusion. Consenting patients will be asked to wear a FitBit Versa 2.0 during waking hours, collect daily temperature measurements using a Withings Smart Temporal thermometer, and answer weekly toxicity questionnaires (NCI PRO-CTCAE) using the smartphone app for the duration of the study (12 weeks). Primary outcome is feasibility in terms of (i) participation rates, (ii) wear-time, (iii) compliance rates with in-app questionnaires and temperature measurements, and (iv) satisfaction with the platform. Secondary exploratory outcomes include associations between CAMP-derived parameters and clinical outcomes: performance status (PS), HR-QoL scores (EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire), unplanned hospitalizations, physician-assessed adverse events, and 1-year survival outcomes. PS and HR-QoL will be rated at baseline, mid-study, and end-of-study. The occurrence of adverse events will be documented up to 12 months from baseline. Survival outcomes will be compared to a propensity score matched group from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Accrual has started in February 2021. Clinical trial information: NL8827.

Early response marker during pembrolizumab treatment in metastatic urothelial cancer: Temporal shift in peripheral CD4 T cells expressing chemokine receptors

5033

Background: Approval of PD1 blockade greatly improved treatment possibilities for patients with platinum-resistant metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC), however the current response rate for pembrolizumab is less than 25%. Since PD-L1 expression does not have predictive value in this setting, the aim of this study was to identify new markers to improve patient selection. Methods: Between Sept 2017 and Jan 2020, 84 mUC patients received pembrolizumab in a prospective biomarker discovery study (NCT03263039). Peripheral blood samples (n = 22) taken prior to and at 6 and 12 weeks after start of treatment were analyzed for frequencies of CD4 and CD8 T cells expressing co-inhibitory, co-stimulatory and chemokine receptors using multiplex flow cytometry. Plasma chemokine levels were determined using ELISA (n = 38), and fresh tumor biopsies obtained prior to and during treatment (n = 26) were analyzed for densities and phenotypes of T cells using multiplex immunofluorescence staining. T cell receptor clonality was analyzed in peripheral blood (n = 10) and tumor biopsies (n = 6) using RNA sequencing. Patients were classified as responder (complete or partial response) or non-responder (progressive disease) according to RECIST v1.1 after 12 weeks of treatment. Results: Longitudinal sampling revealed that upon treatment the frequency of CXCR3+ CD4 T cells decreased in responders, whereas the frequency of CXCR3+ CCR1+ CD4 T cells drastically increased in non-responders. Before treatment, the frequency of CD4 T cells co-expressing CXCR3 and CCR1 was already decreased in responders. Notably, in responders, the treatment-related decrease in frequency of CD4 T cells expressing chemokine receptors was accompanied by a decrease in the frequency of CD4 T cells expressing the co-inhibitory receptor PD1, whereas an increase in the frequency of CD4 T cells expressing the co-stimulatory receptor 4-1BB was observed. These findings will be complemented with chemokine levels in plasma, contexture of T cells in tumor biopsies, and T cell receptor clonality analysis. Conclusions: mUC patients responding to pembrolizumab treatment demonstrated an on-treatment decrease in frequency of CD4 T cells expressing chemokine receptors that is accompanied by a changed frequency of co-signaling receptor expressing CD4 T cells. These data show that dynamic immune phenotyping can distinguish effective from less effective immune activation by pembrolizumab, and may provide early markers for benefit from PD1 blockade in mUC patients.

European School of Internal Medicine (ESIM) in Brighton: experiences and reflections

The European School of Internal Medicine (ESIM) is a meeting aimed at young physicians training in internal medicine throughout Europe. Since 1998 the school has been held annually, and in this report we reflect on our experiences during the recent school in Brighton in July 2010. The school combined a broad mix of lectures, workshops and case presentations covering a variety of rare diseases, and both faculty and residents participated with noticeable enthusiasm, making this a special experience for all of us. The school also provided an opportunity to compare and discuss topical professional issues in internal medicine in Europe and was a memorable social gathering for physicians who share a strong interest in internal medicine.