Analysis of Response and Progression Patterns of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Recurrent or Metastatic Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma: A Post Hoc Analysis of Two KCSG Phase II Trials

Purpose

In this study, we evaluated 66 patients diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) enrolled in two Korean Cancer Study Group trials to investigate the response and progression patterns in recurrent and/or metastatic ACC treated with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGFR-TKIs).

Materials and Methods

We evaluated 66 patients diagnosed with ACC who were enrolled in the Korean Cancer Study Group trials. The tumor measurements, clinical data, treatment outcomes, and progression patterns of therapy were analyzed.

Results

In the 66 patients (53 receiving axitinib and 13 receiving nintedanib), the disease control rate was 61%, and 3 patients achieved partial response. The median follow-up, median progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival, and 6-month PFS rate were 27.6, 12.4, and 18.1 months and 62.1%, respectively. Among 42 patients who experienced progression, 27 (64.3%) showed target lesion progression. Bone metastasis was an independent poor prognostic factor.

Conclusion

Overall, most patients demonstrated stable disease with prolonged PFS; however, prominent target lesion progression occurred in some patients. Thus, PFS may capture VEGFR-TKI efficacy better than the objective response rate.

Durvalumab ± Tremelimumab + Platinum-Etoposide in Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer (CASPIAN): Outcomes by PD-L1 Expression and Tissue Tumor Mutational Burden

PURPOSE

In the CASPIAN trial, first-line durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide (EP) significantly improved overall survival (OS) versus EP alone in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). We report exploratory analyses of CASPIAN outcomes by programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression and tissue tumor mutational burden (tTMB).

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Patients were randomized (1:1:1) to durvalumab (1,500 mg) plus EP, durvalumab plus tremelimumab (75 mg) plus EP, or EP alone. Treatment effects in PD-L1 and tTMB subgroups were estimated using an unstratified Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

The PD-L1 and tTMB biomarker-evaluable populations (BEP) comprised 54.4% (438/805) and 35.2% (283/805) of the intention-to-treat population, respectively. PD-L1 prevalence was low: 5.7%, 25.8%, and 28.3% had PD-L1 expression on ≥1% tumor cells (TC), ≥1% immune cells (IC), and ≥1% TCs or ICs, respectively. OS benefit with durvalumab plus EP versus EP was similar across PD-L1 subgroups, with HRs all falling within the 95% confidence interval (CI) for the PD-L1 BEP (0.47‒0.79). OS benefit with durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus EP versus EP was greater in PD-L1 ≥1% versus <1% subgroups, although CIs overlapped. There was no evidence of an interaction between tTMB and treatment effect on OS (durvalumab plus EP vs. EP, P = 0.916; durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus EP vs. EP, P = 0.672).

CONCLUSIONS

OS benefit with first-line durvalumab plus EP in patients with ES-SCLC was observed regardless of PD-L1 or tTMB status. PD-L1 expression may prove to be a useful biomarker for combined treatment with PD-(L)1 and CTLA-4 inhibition, although this requires confirmation with an independent dataset. See related commentary by Rolfo and Russo, p. 652.

Artificial intelligence-powered spatial analysis of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes as a predictive biomarker for axitinib in adenoid cystic carcinoma

BACKGROUND

This study analyzed the predictive value of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) analysis in recurrent or metastatic (R/M) adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) treated with axitinib.

METHODS

Patients from a multicenter, prospective phase II trial evaluating axitinib efficacy in R/M ACC were included in this study. H&E whole-side images of archival tumor tissues were analyzed by Lunit SCOPE IO, an AI-powered spatial TIL analyzer.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven patients were included in the analysis. The best response was stable disease, and the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 11.1 months (95% CI, 9.2-13.7 months). Median TIL densities in the cancer and surrounding stroma were 25.8/mm2 (IQR, 8.3-73.0) and 180.4/mm2 (IQR, 69.6-342.8), respectively. Patients with stromal TIL density >342.5/mm2 exhibited longer PFS (p = 0.012).

CONCLUSIONS

Cancer and stromal area TIL infiltration were generally low in R/M ACC. Higher stromal TIL infiltration was associated with a longer PFS with axitinib treatment.

A Multicenter, Prospective, Observational Study to Evaluate Ethanol-Induced Symptoms in Patients Receiving Docetaxel Chemotherapy

PURPOSE

Several previous studies and case reports have reported ethanol-induced symptoms in patients receiving anticancer drugs containing ethanol. Most docetaxel formulations contain ethanol as a solvent. However, there are insufficient data on ethanol-induced symptoms when docetaxel-containing ethanol is administered. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency and pattern of ethanol-induced symptoms during and after docetaxel administration. The secondary purpose was to explore the risk factors for ethanol-induced symptoms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a prospective, multicenter, observational study. The participants filled out ethanol-induced symptom questionnaire on the day of chemotherapy and the following day.

RESULTS

Data from 451 patients were analyzed. The overall occurrence rate of ethanol-induced symptoms was 44.3% (200/451 patients). The occurrence rate of facial flushing was highest at 19.7% (89/451 patients), followed by nausea in 18.2% (82/451 patients), and dizziness in 17.5% (79/451 patients). Although infrequent, unsteady walking and impaired balance occurred in 4.2% and 3.3% of patients, respectively. Female sex, presence of underlying disease, younger age, docetaxel dose, and docetaxel-containing ethanol amount were significantly associated with the occurrence of ethanol-induced symptoms.

CONCLUSION

The occurrence of ethanol-induced symptoms was not low in patients receiving docetaxel-containing ethanol. Physicians need to pay more attention to the occurrence of ethanol-induced symptoms and prescribe ethanol-free or low-ethanol-containing formulations to high-risk patients.

Dosimetric comparison between RapidArc and HyperArc in hippocampal-sparing whole-brain radiotherapy with a simultaneous integrated boost

The HyperArc technique is known for generating high-quality radiosurgical treatment plans for intracranial lesions or hippocampal-sparing whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT). However, there is no reported feasibility of using the HyperArc technique in hippocampal-sparing WBRT with a simultaneous integrated boost (SIB). This study aimed to compare dosimetric parameters of 2 commercially-available volumetric-modulated arc radiotherapy techniques, HyperArc and RapidArc, when using hippocampal-sparing WBRT with a SIB to treat brain metastases. Treatment plans using HyperArc and RapidArc techniques were generated retrospectively for 19 previously treated patients (1 to 3 brain metastases). The planning target volumes for the whole brain (excluding the hippocampal avoidance region; PTVWB) and metastases (PTVmet) were prescribed 25 and 45 Gy, respectively, in 10 fractions. Each plan included homogeneous and inhomogeneous delivery to the PTVmet. Dosimetric parameters for the target (conformity index [CI], homogeneity index [HI], target coverage [D95%]), and nontarget organs at risk were compared for the HyperArc and RapidArc plans. For homogeneous delivery, dosimetric parameters, including mean CI, HI, and target coverage in PTVWB and PTVmet, were superior for HyperArc than RapidArc plans (all p < 0.01). The PTVWB and PTVmet target coverage for HyperArc plans was significantly greater than for RapidArc plans (96.17% vs 93.38%, p < 0.01; 94.02% vs 92.21%, p < 0.01, respectively). HyperArc plans had significantly lower mean hippocampal Dmax and Dmin values than RapidArc plans (Dmax: 15.53 Gy vs, 16.71 Gy, p < 0.01; Dmin: 8.33 Gy vs 8.93 Gy, p < 0.01, respectively). Similarly, inhomogeneous delivery of hyperArc produced a superior target and lower hippocampal dosimetric parameters than RapidArc, except for the HI of PTVmet (all p < 0.01). HyperArc generated superior conformity and target coverage with lower hippocampal doses than RapidArc. HyperArc could be an attractive technique for hippocampal-sparing WBRT with an SIB.

Efficacy and Safety of Chemotherapy in Elderly Patients with Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer

BACKGROUND/AIMS

The incidence of pancreatic cancer (PC) is gradually increasing among elderly individuals, but there are insufficient clinical data on elderly individuals. To determine the efficacy and safety of chemotherapy, we compared the. the outcomes of elderly patients with unresectable PC.

METHODS

We enrolled patients aged 75 years or older diagnosed with PC from 1 January 2010 to 30 November 2021. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to reduce the heterogeneity of the study population. For efficacy evaluation, the median overall survival (OS) was estimated for the chemotherapy and nonchemotherapy groups. Chemotherapy tolerability evaluations were also investigated.

RESULTS

The study included 115 patients, 47 of whom received chemotherapy and 68 who did not. After PSM, compared with the nonchemotherapy group, the chemotherapy group had more myocardial infarctions (14.6 vs. 0.0%, p < 0.001) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (4.4 vs. 0.0%, p = 0.043). The primary endpoint, median OS, was significantly different in the with vs. without chemotherapy groups (203 vs. 106 days, p = 0.013). In the chemotherapy group, 10 patients (21.3%) discontinued treatment due to adverse events. However, there were no reports of death due to severe adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that chemotherapy improved median OS among elderly patients. These data could support the use of chemotherapy for elderly patients with unresectable PC.

Predictive Biomarkers for Immune-Checkpoint Inhibitor Treatment Response in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has one of the highest mortality rates among solid cancers. Late diagnosis and a lack of efficacious treatment options contribute to the dismal prognosis of HCC. Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based immunotherapy has presented a new milestone in the treatment of cancer. Immunotherapy has yielded remarkable treatment responses in a range of cancer types including HCC. Based on the therapeutic effect of ICI alone (programmed cell death (PD)-1/programmed death-ligand1 (PD-L)1 antibody), investigators have developed combined ICI therapies including ICI + ICI, ICI + tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), and ICI + locoregional treatment or novel immunotherapy. Although these regimens have demonstrated increasing treatment efficacy with the addition of novel drugs, the development of biomarkers to predict toxicity and treatment response in patients receiving ICI is in urgent need. PD-L1 expression in tumor cells received the most attention in early studies among various predictive biomarkers. However, PD-L1 expression alone has limited utility as a predictive biomarker in HCC. Accordingly, subsequent studies have evaluated the utility of tumor mutational burden (TMB), gene signatures, and multiplex immunohistochemistry (IHC) as predictive biomarkers. In this review, we aim to discuss the current state of immunotherapy for HCC, the results of the predictive biomarker studies, and future direction.

Comparison of survival between de novo stage IV and recurrent stage IV gastric cancer

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Background: The characteristics and prognosis of de novo metastatic gastric cancer and recurrent metastatic gastric cancer have not yet been elucidated. Here, we compare prognosis and characteristics of patients with de novo versus recurrent gastric cancer. Methods: This retrospective study included 301 advanced pathologically confirmed gastric cancer patients who received palliative chemotherapy between 2012 and 2022. The de novo cohort was included of patients who presented with distant metastasis at diagnosis and recurrent metastatic cohort was composed of patients with metastasis after curative gastrectomy. We analyzed prognostic association by Cox regression and compared survival time of both cohorts using the Kaplan-meire method. Results: A total of 167 de novo and 112 recurrent patients were included. There were no differences noted among the patients with de novo disease and recurrent metastatic disease with respect to age, sex, ECOG, primary cancer location and pathologic features. Patients in the recurrent group versus de novo group were longer duration of chemotherapy (1.16 ± 1.18 years versus 0.85 ± 0.84, P = 0.01) and lower mean body mass index. (20.22 ± 2.78 versus 21.93 ± 3.38, p < 0.001) The median overall survival in the de novo group was 11.6 versus s 14.4 months in the recurrent group. ( P = 0.02) In a multivariate analysis, the age of 70 years or older at the time of stage 4 diagnosis was independently associated with shorter survival. Conclusions: De novo and recurrent metastatic gastric cancer characterize distinguished subpopulations. And advanced gastric cancer with distant recurrence has significantly better survival versus those with de novo cohort. This differences between de novo and recurrent gastric cancer could facilitate discussions about patient selection of clinical trial and help with advanced personalized treatment. [Table: see text]

Changes of Immune Cell Fractions in Patients Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

Simple Summary

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are currently widely used in many types of cancer. However, some patients could not benefit from ICIs. In addition, a standardized biomarker for predicting the efficacy of ICIs is currently unavailable. Thus, we determined whether peripheral blood immune cells could be predicting markers. In contrast with previous studies, we focused on changes in immune cell fraction and the relationship between efficacy of ICIs including response rate and survival outcomes. Results revealed significant correlations between changes in NKp46-/CD56+ NK cell fraction and treatment outcomes with ICIs.

Abstract

Background: With the development of immunology, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been widely used in various cancer treatments. Although some patients can benefit from ICIs, other patients have no response to ICIs or suffer from hyperprogression. There has been no biomarker for predicting the efficacy of ICIs. Thus, the objective of this study was to find biomarkers for predicting the efficacy of ICIs using peripheral blood. Methods: Adults patients planned to be treated with ICIs were enrolled in this study. Blood sampling was carried out before and after administration of ICIs. Changes of immune cell fraction were analyzed for each patient. Results: Among 182 patients enrolled, immune cell analysis was performed for 90 patients. The objective response rate was 14.4% (n = 13/90). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 6.0 months (95% CI: 3.1–8.9 months), and the median overall survival (OS) was 13.9 months (95% CI: 5.6–22.2 months). Significant benefits in ORR and OS were shown for patients with increased NKp46-/CD56+ NK cells (p = 0.033 and p = 0.013, respectively). The PFS tended to be longer in these patients, although the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.050). Conclusion: Changes of immune cell fraction before and after administration of ICIs could be a novel biomarker for predicting the efficacy of immunotherapy.

Brief report: Impact of brain metastases on treatment patterns and outcomes with first-line durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide in extensive-stage SCLC (CASPIAN)

Introduction

In the phase 3 study involving the use of durvalumab with or without tremelimumab in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy in untreated extensive-stage SCLC (CASPIAN study), first-line durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide (EP) significantly improved overall survival (OS) versus EP alone (p = 0.0047). We report exploratory subgroup analyses of treatment patterns and outcomes according to the presence of baseline brain or central nervous system metastases.

Methods

Patients (WHO performance status 0 or 1), including those with asymptomatic or treated-and-stable brain metastases, were randomized to four cycles of durvalumab plus EP followed by maintenance durvalumab until progression or up to six cycles of EP and optional prophylactic cranial irradiation. Prespecified analyses of OS and progression-free survival (PFS) in subgroups with or without brain metastases used unstratified-Cox proportional hazards models. The data cutoff was on January 27, 2020.

Results

At baseline, 28 out of 268 patients (10.4%) in the durvalumab plus EP arm and 27 out of 269 patients (10.0%) in the EP arm had known brain metastases, of whom 3 of 28 (10.7%) and 4 of 27 (14.8%) had previous brain radiotherapy, respectively. Durvalumab plus EP (versus EP alone) prolonged OS (hazard ratio, 95% confidence interval) in patients with (0.79, 0.44–1.41) or without (0.76, 0.62–0.92) brain metastases, with similar PFS results (0.73, 0.42–1.29 and 0.80, 0.66–0.97, respectively). Among patients without brain metastases, similar proportions in each arm developed new brain lesions as part of their first progression (8.8% and 9.5%), although 8.3% in the EP arm received prophylactic cranial irradiation. Similar proportions in each arm received subsequent brain radiotherapy (20.5% and 21.2%), although more common in patients with than without baseline brain metastases (45.5% and 18.0%).

Conclusions

The OS and PFS benefit with first-line durvalumab plus EP were maintained irrespective of the presence of brain metastases, further supporting its standard-of-care use.

Safety and anti-tumor effects of vismodegib in patients with refractory advanced gastric cancer: A single-arm, phase-II trial

This phase-II study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03052478) aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of vismodegib, an inhibitor targeting the Hedgehog signaling pathway, in patients with refractory advanced gastric cancer. Patients with refractory advanced gastric cancer, whose disease had progressed after undergoing standard therapies, were enrolled in this phase-II trial of vismodegib. Vismodegib (150 mg) was administered orally once a day for a 21-day cycle. The primary endpoint was objective response rate, and the secondary endpoints were overall survival and safety profile. Tumor biopsies were obtained before vismodegib treatment. We conducted whole-exome and transcriptome sequencing to analyze biomarkers. Twenty-three patients were enrolled in this study. Among 19 patients who were eligible for response evaluation, only one showed stable disease, yielding a disease control rate of 5.3%. Median overall survival was 74 days (95% confidence interval, 74-151 days). Treatment-related adverse events of any grade were reported in seven patients (31.8%), and most were grade 1 or 2. Whole transcriptome data showed that the Hedgehog signaling pathway was not enriched in patient samples. This is the first clinical trial demonstrating the clinical activity and safety of vismodegib monotherapy in refractory advanced gastric cancer patients. Further well-designed clinical trials should be conducted to select advanced gastric cancer patients who are likely to benefit from vismodegib.

Modified FOLFIRINOX versus S-1 as second-line chemotherapy in gemcitabine-failed metastatic pancreatic cancer patients: A randomised controlled trial (MPACA-3)

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of modified FOLFIRINOX (mFOLFIRINOX) as a second-line chemotherapy treatment for metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (mPAC), remains unclear. This multi-center randomised phase III trial aimed to elucidate the efficacy of mFOLFIRINOX as a second-line chemotherapy treatment for mPAC patients with good performance status.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eighty mPAC patients (age, 19-75 years) refractory to first-line gemcitabine-based chemotherapy were randomly selected to receive mFOLFIRINOX or S-1. mFOLFIRINOX comprised oxaliplatin (65 mg/m²), irinotecan (135 mg/m²), and leucovorin (400 mg/m²) on day 1 and continuous 5-FU infusion (1000 mg/m²) over 24 h on days 1-2 every 2 weeks. S-1 comprised body surface area-dependent oral S-1, divided into two doses per day on days 1-28 every 6 weeks.

RESULTS

Overall survival was the primary endpoint. The objective response and disease control rates were higher in the mFOLFIRINOX than in the S-1 group (15% versus 2%; p = .04 and 67% versus 37%; p = .007). The median progression-free survival rates were 5.2 and 2.2 months in the mFOLFIRINOX and S-1 groups, respectively (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: .4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: .2-.6; p < .001). The median overall survival rates were 9.2 and 4.9 months in the mFOLFIRINOX and S-1 groups, respectively (adjusted HR: .4; 95% CI: .2-.7; p = .002). Grade 3-4 adverse events occurred in 56% and 17% of the patients in the mFOLFIRINOX and S-1 groups, respectively (p < .001).

CONCLUSION

Administration of mFOLFIRINOX as a second-line chemotherapy treatment for mPAC patients refractory to gemcitabine-based chemotherapy resulted in increased survival rates than S-1 treatment alone.

Real-world efficacy and safety of nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine-cisplatin in patients with advanced biliary tract cancers: a multicenter retrospective analysis

Background

A recent phase II trial reported prolonged survival in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC) following treatment with nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine-cisplatin (Gem/Cis/nab-P). We aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of Gem/Cis/nab-P in Asian patients with advanced BTC in a real-world setting.

Methods

We reviewed the data of patients who received Gem/Cis/nab-P for the management of advanced BTC between September 2019 and April 2021 at four institutes in Korea. Patients were classified into the Gem/Cis/nab-P and nab-P addition groups depending on the starting point of nab-P administration.

Results

A total of 178 patients treated with Gem/Cis/nab-P were included in the study. Of these, 43.8% had intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), 34.8% had extrahepatic CCA, and 21.3% had gall bladder cancer. A total of 117 (65.7%) patients received Gem/Cis/nab-P as the first-line treatment, while 61 (34.3%) were treated with gemcitabine-cisplatin-based chemotherapy followed by nab-P addition. The objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate in all patients were 42.1% and 84.8%, respectively. The ORR in the Gem/Cis/nab-P group was 47.9%, while that in the nab-P addition group was 31.1%. The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 8.5 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 6.9-10.1] and 14.6 months (95% CI, 10.2-19.0), respectively. In patients who received Gem/Cis/nab-P as initial treatment, the median PFS was 9.4 months (95% CI, 7.9-10.9) and the median OS was not-reached (95% CI, not available). Anemia (n = 42, 23.6%), neutropenia (n = 40, 22.5%), and thrombocytopenia (n = 16, 9.0%) were the most common grade 3-4 toxicities. A total of 20 patients (11.2%) had conversions from unresectable to resectable disease and underwent surgery with curative intent.

Conclusion

Gem/Cis/nab-P showed favorable real-life efficacy and safety outcomes in Korean patients with advanced BTC, which was consistent with the phase II trial outcomes.

Randomized Phase II Study of Axitinib versus Observation in Patients with Recurred or Metastatic Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma

PURPOSE

The role of chemotherapy in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is controversial because ACC is usually stable without chemotherapy and the lack of randomized trials. Here, we conducted the first randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of axitinib as compared with observation in ACC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this multicenter, prospective phase II trial, we enrolled patients with recurrent or metastatic ACC whose cancer had progressed within the past 9 months. Patients were randomly assigned to either axitinib (5 mg twice daily) or observation at a 1:1 ratio. Crossover from observation to axitinib was permitted after progression. The primary endpoint was a 6-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate. The secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), PFS, duration of response, and adverse events.

RESULTS

Sixty patients were allocated to the axitinib or observation group, with response evaluation conducted in 54 patients. With a median follow-up of 25.4 months, the 6-month PFS rate was 73.0% with axitinib and 23.0% with observation. Median PFS was longer in the axitinib arm (10.8 months vs. 2.8 months, P < 0.001). The ORR of axitinib was 0.0%, but the disease control rate was 100.0% with axitinib and 51.9% with observation. Median OS was not reached with axitinib, but was 27.2 months with observation (P = 0.226). The most frequently reported adverse events for axitinib were oral mucositis and fatigue.

CONCLUSIONS

In this first randomized trial in patients with ACC, axitinib significantly increased the 6-month PFS rate as compared with observation. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02859012).

Modified FOLFIRINOX versus S-1 as second-line chemotherapy in patients with gemcitabine-failed metastatic pancreatic cancer: A randomized phase III trial (MPACA-3)

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Background: Modified FOLFIRINOX (mFOLFIRINOX) consisting of 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin has been assessed as second-line treatment of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer in retrospective and phase II studies. However, the result was not confirmed by randomized controlled trial. Methods: A randomized, open-label, phase III trial was conducted at 9 institutions in Korea. Patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (mPAC) and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-1 who failed to first-line gemcitabine-based chemotherapy were randomly assigned to receive mFOLFIRINOX or S-1. The primary endpoint was overall survival. Results: A total of 80 patients were enrolled from March 2017 to December 2019. The accrual of patients was early terminated due to clear difference of efficacy in the interim analysis and expectation of poor recruitment due to conflicting adjuvant regimens. Objective response and disease control rates were 15.4% vs. 2.4% ( p= 0.041) and 66.7% vs. 36.6% ( p= 0.007) in the mFOLFIRINOX and S-1 arms, respectively. The median progression-free survival was 5.2 and 2.2 months in the mFOLFIRINOX and S-1 arms, respectively ( p= 0.002). The median overall survival was 9.2 and 4.9 months in the mFOLFIRINOX and S-1 arms, respectively ( p= 0.048). The adjusted hazard ratio of the mFOLFIRINOX arm to the S-1 arm for overall survival was 0.402 (95% confidence interval 0.223-0.725, p= 0.002). All grade 3-4 adverse events occurred in 56.5% and 17.1% in the mFOLFIRINOX and S-1 arms, respectively ( p< 0.001). However, only one patient in each arm prematurely discontinued treatment due to toxicity and there was no treatment-related mortality in both arms. Minimally important differences in the health-related quality of life were not observed in both arms. Conclusions: mFOLFIRINOX as second-line treatment in mPAC patients failed to gemcitabine-based chemotherapy demonstrated a survival benefit versus S-1 alone with acceptable toxicities. Clinical trial information: KCT0003534.

Relationship between heavy metal exposure and type 2 diabetes: a large-scale retrospective cohort study using occupational health examinations

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the associations between heavy metal exposure and serum ferritin levels, physical measurements and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Changwon, the location of this study, is a Korean representative industrial city. Data were obtained from medical check-ups between 2002 and 2018.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 34 814 male subjects were included. Of them, 1035 subjects with lead exposure, 200 subjects with cadmium exposure and the 33 579 remaining were assigned to cohort A, cohort B and the control cohort, respectively. Data including personal history of alcohol and smoking, age, height, weight, the follow-up duration, haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting blood sugar (FBS), ferritin levels, and lead and cadmium levels within 1 year after exposure were collected.

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE

In subjects without diabetes, changes in FBS and HbA1c were analysed through repeated tests at intervals of 1 year or longer after the occupational exposure to heavy metals.

RESULTS

In Cohort A, DM was diagnosed in 33 subjects. There was a significant difference in lead concentrations between the subjects diagnosed with DM and those without DM during the follow-up period (3.94±2.92 mg/dL vs 2.81±2.03 mg/dL, p=0.002). Simple exposure to heavy metals (lead and cadmium) was not associated with DM in Cox regression models (lead exposure (HR) 1.01, 95% CI: 0.58 to 1.77, p 0.971; cadmium exposure HR 1.48, 95% CI: 0.61 to 3.55, p=0.385). Annual changes in FBS according to lead concentration at the beginning of exposure showed a positive correlation (r=0.072, p=0.032).

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrated that simple occupational exposure to heavy metals lead and cadmium was not associated with the incidence of DM. However, lead concentrations at the beginning of the exposure might be an indicator of DM and glucose elevations.

Durvalumab, with or without tremelimumab, plus platinum-etoposide versus platinum-etoposide alone in first-line treatment of extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (CASPIAN): updated results from a randomised, controlled, open-label, phase 3 trial

BACKGROUND

First-line durvalumab plus etoposide with either cisplatin or carboplatin (platinum-etoposide) showed a significant improvement in overall survival versus platinum-etoposide alone in patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) in the CASPIAN study. Here we report updated results, including the primary analysis for overall survival with durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus platinum-etoposide versus platinum-etoposide alone.

METHODS

CASPIAN is an ongoing, open-label, sponsor-blind, randomised, controlled phase 3 trial at 209 cancer treatment centres in 23 countries worldwide. Eligible patients were aged 18 years or older (20 years in Japan) and had treatment-naive, histologically or cytologically documented ES-SCLC, with a WHO performance status of 0 or 1. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1:1) in blocks of six, stratified by planned platinum, using an interactive voice-response or web-response system to receive intravenous durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus platinum-etoposide, durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide, or platinum-etoposide alone. In all groups, patients received etoposide 80-100 mg/m² on days 1-3 of each cycle with investigator's choice of either carboplatin area under the curve 5-6 mg/mL/min or cisplatin 75-80 mg/m² on day 1 of each cycle. Patients in the platinum-etoposide group received up to six cycles of platinum-etoposide every 3 weeks and optional prophylactic cranial irradiation (investigator's discretion). Patients in the immunotherapy groups received four cycles of platinum-etoposide plus durvalumab 1500 mg with or without tremelimumab 75 mg every 3 weeks followed by maintenance durvalumab 1500 mg every 4 weeks. The two primary endpoints were overall survival for durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide versus platinum-etoposide and for durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus platinum-etoposide versus platinum-etoposide in the intention-to-treat population. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of study treatment. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03043872.

FINDINGS

Between March 27, 2017, and May 29, 2018, 972 patients were screened and 805 were randomly assigned (268 to durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus platinum-etoposide, 268 to durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide, and 269 to platinum-etoposide). As of Jan 27, 2020, the median follow-up was 25·1 months (IQR 22·3-27·9). Durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus platinum-etoposide was not associated with a significant improvement in overall survival versus platinum-etoposide (hazard ratio [HR] 0·82 [95% CI 0·68-1·00]; p=0·045); median overall survival was 10·4 months (95% CI 9·6-12·0) versus 10·5 months (9·3-11·2). Durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide showed sustained improvement in overall survival versus platinum-etoposide (HR 0·75 [95% CI 0·62-0·91]; nominal p=0·0032); median overall survival was 12·9 months (95% CI 11·3-14·7) versus 10·5 months (9·3-11·2). The most common any-cause grade 3 or worse adverse events were neutropenia (85 [32%] of 266 patients in the durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus platinum-etoposide group, 64 [24%] of 265 patients in the durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide group, and 88 [33%] of 266 patients in the platinum-etoposide group) and anaemia (34 [13%], 24 [9%], and 48 [18%]). Any-cause serious adverse events were reported in 121 (45%) patients in the durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus platinum-etoposide group, 85 (32%) in the durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide group, and 97 (36%) in the platinum-etoposide group. Treatment-related deaths occurred in 12 (5%) patients in the durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus platinum-etoposide group (death, febrile neutropenia, and pulmonary embolism [n=2 each]; enterocolitis, general physical health deterioration and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, pneumonia, pneumonitis and hepatitis, respiratory failure, and sudden death [n=1 each]), six (2%) patients in the durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide group (cardiac arrest, dehydration, hepatotoxicity, interstitial lung disease, pancytopenia, and sepsis [n=1 each]), and two (1%) in the platinum-etoposide group (pancytopenia and thrombocytopenia [n=1 each]).

INTERPRETATION

First-line durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide showed sustained overall survival improvement versus platinum-etoposide but the addition of tremelimumab to durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide did not significantly improve outcomes versus platinum-etoposide. These results support the use of durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide as a new standard of care for the first-line treatment of ES-SCLC.

FUNDING

AstraZeneca.

A randomized phase III trial comparing adjuvant single-agent S1, S-1 with oxaliplatin, and postoperative chemoradiation with S-1 and oxaliplatin in patients with node-positive gastric cancer after D2 resection: the ARTIST 2 trial☆

BACKGROUND

Adjuvant chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy are some of the standards of care for gastric cancer (GC). The Adjuvant chemoRadioTherapy In Stomach Tumors (ARTIST) 2 trial compares two adjuvant chemotherapy regimens and chemoradiotherapy in patients with D2-resected, stage II or III, node-positive GC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The ARTIST 2 compared, in a 1:1:1 ratio, three adjuvant regimens: oral S-1 (40-60 mg twice daily 4 weeks on/2 weeks off) for 1 year, S-1 (2 weeks on/1 week off) plus oxaliplatin 130 mg/m² every 3 weeks (SOX) for 6 months, and SOX plus chemoradiotherapy 45 Gy (SOXRT). Randomization was stratified according to surgery type (total or subtotal gastrectomy), pathologic stage (II or III), and Lauren histologic classification (diffuse or intestinal/mixed). The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS) at 3 years; a reduction of 33% in the hazard ratio (HR) for DFS with SOX or SOXRT, when compared with S-1, was considered clinically meaningful. The trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT0176146).

RESULTS

A total of 546 patients were recruited between February 2013 and January 2018 with 182, 181, and 183 patients in the S-1, SOX, and SOXRT arms, respectively. Median follow-up period was 47 months, with 178 DFS events observed. Estimated 3-year DFS rates were 64.8%, 74.3%, and 72.8% in the S-1, SOX, and SOXRT arms, respectively. HR for DFS in the control arm (S-1) was shorter than that in the SOX and SOXRT arms: S-1 versus SOX, 0.692 (P = 0.042) and S-1 versus SOXRT, 0.724 (P = 0.074). No difference in DFS was found between SOX and SOXRT (HR 0.971; P = 0.879). Adverse events were as anticipated in each arm, and were generally well-tolerated and manageable.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with curatively D2-resected, stage II/III, node-positive GC, adjuvant SOX or SOXRT was effective in prolonging DFS, when compared with S-1 monotherapy. The addition of radiotherapy to SOX did not significantly reduce the rate of recurrence after D2 gastrectomy.

Patient-reported outcomes with first-line durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide versus platinum-etoposide in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (CASPIAN): a randomized, controlled, open-label, phase III study

OBJECTIVES

In the phase III CASPIAN study, first-line durvalumab plus etoposide in combination with either cisplatin or carboplatin (EP) significantly improved overall survival (primary endpoint) versus EP alone in patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) at the interim analysis. Here we report patient-reported outcomes (PROs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Treatment-naïve patients with ES-SCLC received 4 cycles of durvalumab plus EP every 3 weeks followed by maintenance durvalumab every 4 weeks until progression, or up to 6 cycles of EP every 3 weeks. PROs, assessed with the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (QLQ-C30) version 3 and its lung cancer module, the Quality of Life Questionnaire-Lung Cancer 13 (QLQ-LC13), were prespecified secondary endpoints. Changes from baseline to disease progression or 12 months in prespecified key disease-related symptoms (cough, dyspnea, chest pain, fatigue, appetite loss) were analyzed with a mixed model for repeated measures. Time to deterioration (TTD) of symptoms, functioning, and global health status/quality of life (QoL) from randomization was analyzed.

RESULTS

In the durvalumab plus EP and EP arms, 261 and 260 patients were PRO-evaluable. Patients in both arms experienced numerically reduced symptom burden over 12 months or until progression for key symptoms. For the improvements from baseline in appetite loss, the between-arm difference was statistically significant, favoring durvalumab plus EP (difference, -4.5; 99% CI: -9.04, -0.04; nominal p = 0.009). Patients experienced longer TTD with durvalumab plus EP versus EP for all symptoms (hazard ratio [95% CI] for key symptoms: cough 0.78 [0.600‒1.026]; dyspnea 0.79 [0.625‒1.006]; chest pain 0.76 [0.575‒0.996]; fatigue 0.82 [0.653‒1.027]; appetite loss 0.70 [0.542‒0.899]), functioning, and global health status/QoL.

CONCLUSION

Addition of durvalumab to first-line EP maintained QoL and delayed worsening of patient-reported symptoms, functioning, and global health status/QoL compared with EP.

Durvalumab ± tremelimumab + platinum-etoposide in first-line extensive-stage SCLC (ES-SCLC): Updated results from the phase III CASPIAN study

9002

Background: CASPIAN is an open-label, Phase 3 study of durvalumab (D) ± tremelimumab (T) + etoposide and either cisplatin or carboplatin (EP) for pts with 1L ES-SCLC. At the planned interim analysis (data cutoff Mar 11, 2019; 63% maturity), D + EP demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in OS compared with EP alone (HR 0.73 [95% CI 0.59–0.91]; p=0.0047). Here we present a planned updated analysis of OS for D + EP vs EP and the first results for D + T + EP vs EP. Methods: Treatment-naïve pts with ES-SCLC (WHO PS 0/1) were randomized 1:1:1 to D 1500 mg + EP q3w, D 1500 mg + T 75 mg + EP q3w, or EP q3w. In the IO arms, pts received 4 cycles of EP + D ± T, followed by maintenance D 1500 mg q4w until disease progression. Pts received one additional dose of T 75 mg post EP in the D + T + EP arm. In the EP arm, pts received up to 6 cycles of EP and optional PCI (investigator’s discretion). The two primary endpoints were OS for D + EP vs EP and for D + T + EP vs EP. Results: 268, 268 and 269 pts were randomized to D + EP, D + T + EP and EP, respectively; baseline characteristics were generally well balanced across arms. As of Jan 27, 2020, the median follow-up was 25.1 mo, 82% maturity. D + EP continued to demonstrate improvement in OS vs EP, with a HR of 0.75 (95% CI 0.62–0.91; nominal p=0.0032); median OS 12.9 vs 10.5 mo, respectively. 22.2% of pts were alive at 2 y with D + EP vs 14.4% of pts with EP. D + T + EP numerically improved OS vs EP, however this did not reach statistical significance per the prespecified statistical plan: HR 0.82 (95% CI 0.68–1.00; p=0.0451 [p≤0.0418 required for stat sig]); the median OS was 10.4 mo and 23.4% of pts were alive at 2 y. Secondary endpoints of PFS and ORR remained improved with D + EP vs EP and will be presented. Confirmed investigator-assessed ORR was similar for D + T + EP vs EP (58.4% vs 58.0%). Median PFS was similar for D + T + EP vs EP (4.9 mo vs 5.4 mo), but the 12-mo PFS rate was numerically higher (16.9% vs 5.3%); PFS HR 0.84 (95% CI 0.70–1.01). In the D + EP, D + T + EP and EP arms, respectively, incidences of all-cause AEs of Grade 3/4 were 62.3%, 70.3% and 62.8%; AEs leading to discontinuation 10.2%, 21.4% and 9.4%; and AEs leading to death 4.9%, 10.2% and 5.6%. Conclusions: The addition of durvalumab to EP continued to demonstrate improvement in OS compared with a robust control arm, further supporting this regimen as a new standard of care for 1L ES-SCLC offering the flexibility of platinum choice. No additional benefit was observed when T was combined with D + EP in this pt population. Safety findings in all arms remained consistent with the known safety profiles of all agents. Clinical trial information: NCT03043872.

Randomized phase II study of axitinib versus observation in patients with recurred or metastatic adenoid cystic carcinoma

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Background: Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) does not respond to cytotoxic chemotherapy. Several anti-angiogenic agents were evaluated in single arm phase II trials. However, the role of chemotherapy is still controversial, because of natural stable disease course without chemotherapy and lack of randomized trial. We firstly conducted a randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of axitinib compared to observation. Methods: In this multicenter, prospective phase II trial, we enrolled recurred, metastatic ACC patients who progressed within 9 months. Patients were randomly assigned either axitinib (5mg twice daily) or observation arm with 1:1 ratio. Crossover to the axitinib arm was permitted for patients in the observation arm who had disease progression. The primary endpoint was 6-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate. The secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), PFS, duration of response and adverse events. Results: A total of 60 patients randomly allocated to axitinib (N=30) and observation arm (N=30) and response evaluation was conducted in 57 patients. With a median follow-up of 25.4 months, the 6-month PFS rate was 73.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 54.8 to 88.1%) in the axitinib arm and 23.2% (95% CI, 9.3 to 41.1%) in the observation arm (hazard ratio, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.45; P < 0.001). Median PFS was 10.8 months in axitinib arm and 2.8 months in observation arm ( P < 0.001). The ORR was 3.3% (95% CI, 0.1 to 17.2%) in the axitinib arm, and 0% (95% CI, 0 to 12.8%) in the observation arm. The disease control rate was 100% (95% CI, 88.4 to 100%) in the axitinib arm and 51.9% (95% CI, 32.0 to 71.3%) in the observation arm. After crossover, ORR of axitinib in the observation arm was 11.1% (95% CI, 2.4 to 29.2%). Median OS was not reached in axitinib arm, 28.5 months in observation arm ( P = 0.688). The most frequently reported adverse events of axitinib were grade 1 or 2 oral mucositis and fatigue. Detailed data of adverse events and mutational profile data will be presented. Conclusions: In this first randomized trial in patients with recurred or metastatic ACC, axitinib significantly increased 6-month PFS rate compared to observation. Clinical trial information: NCT02859012 .

The prognostic significance of the advanced lung cancer inflammation index(ALI) in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer: A retrospective study

e16613

Background: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is the second most common primary cancer, but the prognosis is poor and aggressive therapies provide only limited benefit when it is in advanced stage. Many studies were conducted to find significant prognostic factors to predict clinical outcomes, but there is no definitive parameter or scoring model yet in this disease. This study is a retrospective analysis to test various kinds of prognostic scoring systems including the advanced lung cancer inflammation (ALI) index, a new prognostic model, for patients treated for advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Methods: We retrospectively searched medical records of patients who were diagnosed with advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma between January 2012 and December 2017 and actively treated at a single tertiary regional cancer center. Patients who received only supportive care, or had active infection concomitantly were excluded. 60 patients were identified, and we reviewed and analyzed their baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes. Various types of inflammation or nutritional scoring systems, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), Onodera’s prognostic nutritional index (OPNI), the advanced lung cancer inflammation (ALI) index were concurrently calculated and significance for patients’ survival was evaluated. Results: In 50 patients with metastatic stage and 10 patients with locally advanced disease, the median overall survival was 13.97 months (95% confidence interval (CI) 7.99 – 19.95). ALI of 28.5 was determined as the optimal cut-off value for prediction of 1-year survival by receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve with an AUC value of 0.671 (sensitivity and specificity were 77.8% and 60.6%, respectively). 26 patients with ALI > 28.5 had significantly better overall survival compared with 34 patients with ALI≤28.5 (19.2 months vs. 8.73 months, p= .007). NLR above 2.8 only showed mildly significant difference for overall survival (OS), and the OPNI failed to predict prognosis of these patients. In multivariate analysis, there was no independent prognostic factor observed to have association with overall survival. Conclusions: The advanced lung cancer inflammation (ALI) index showed a potential to be a new prognostic model for advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Further cohort studies to expand population size may be worth.

First-line durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide in extensive-stage (ES)-SCLC (CASPIAN): Impact of brain metastases on treatment patterns and outcomes

9068

Background: In the Phase 3, randomized, open-label CASPIAN study, first-line durvalumab (D) added to etoposide plus either cisplatin or carboplatin (EP) significantly improved OS vs EP alone (HR 0.73 [95% CI 0.59–0.91]; p = 0.0047) in pts with ES-SCLC at the planned interim analysis. Here we describe treatment patterns and outcomes for pts according to brain metastases. Methods: Treatment-naïve pts (WHO PS 0/1) with ES-SCLC received 4 cycles of D 1500 mg + EP q3w followed by maintenance D 1500 mg q4w until disease progression (PD) or up to 6 cycles of EP q3w and optional prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI; investigator’s discretion). Pts with either asymptomatic or treated and stable brain metastases were eligible. Brain imaging was suggested for pts with suspected brain metastases, but was not mandated at screening or during treatment. The primary endpoint was OS. Analysis of OS and PFS in pt subgroups with and without brain metastases was prespecified. Other analyses in these subgroups were post hoc. Data cutoff: Mar 11, 2019. Results: At baseline, 28 (10.4%) of 268 pts in the D + EP arm and 27 (10.0%) of 269 pts in the EP arm had known brain metastases; of these, only 3 pts (~11% of those with baseline brain metastases) in each arm received radiotherapy (RT) to the brain prior to study entry. D + EP consistently improved OS vs EP in pts with or without known brain metastases at baseline (HR 0.69 [95% CI 0.35–1.31] and 0.74 [0.59–0.93], respectively); PFS was also consistently improved with D + EP regardless of the presence or not of baseline brain metastases (HR 0.73 [0.42–1.29] and 0.78 [0.64–0.95]). Among pts without known brain metastases at baseline, similar proportions developed new brain metastases at first PD in the D + EP (20/240; 8.3%) and EP arms (23/242; 9.5%), despite 19 (7.9%) pts in the EP arm having received PCI. Overall, 48 of 268 (17.9%) and 49 of 269 (18.2%) pts in the D + EP and EP arms received RT to the brain subsequent to study treatment; rates remained similar across the D + EP and EP arms regardless of baseline brain metastases (11 of 28 [39.3%] and 11 of 27 [40.7%] pts with known baseline brain metastases, compared to 37 of 240 [15.4%] and 38 of 242 [15.7%] pts without known baseline brain metastases). Conclusions: In CASPIAN, OS and PFS outcomes were improved with D + EP vs EP regardless of baseline brain metastases, consistent with the ITT analyses. Rates of new brain metastases at first PD were similar between arms, although PCI was permitted only in the control arm. Rates of subsequent RT to the brain were also similar in both arms. Clinical trial information: NCT03043872.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Epidermal Growth Factor Ointment for Treating Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitor-Induced Skin Toxicities

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) inhibitors in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), pancreatic cancer (PC), or colorectal cancer (CRC) has been demonstrated. However, dermatological reactions to these inhibitors can cause significant physical and psychosocial discomfort. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of EGF ointment for EGFR inhibitor-related skin adverse events (ERSEs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter, pilot phase III trial enrolled patients with NSCLC, PC, or CRC treated with EGFR inhibitors. Patients with grade ≥2 ERSEs were included. Patients were randomized to three treatment arms: arm 1, placebo; arm 2, 1 ppm of EGF ointment; and arm 3, 20 ppm of EGF ointment. Patients applied ointment to their skin lesions twice daily.

RESULTS

Efficacy evaluation was available for 80 patients (9 for PC, 28 for NSCLC, and 43 for CRC). Responses were 44.4% in arm 1, 61.5% in arm 2, and 77.8% in arm 3. There was a linear correlation between EGF concentrations and responses (p = .012). Quality of life (QoL) was assessed for 74 patients. Maximum changes in composite scores by Skindex-16 after treatment were significantly different among arms (mean ± SD: -5.2 ± 8.6 for arm 1, -11.7 ± 14.2 for arm 2, and - 18.6 ± 17.7 for arm 3; p = .008). EGF arms showed significant improvement in emotions (p = .005) and functioning (p = .044) scores over the placebo arm.

CONCLUSION

EGF ointment is effective for managing ERSEs. It can also improve patients' QoL compared with placebo. Clinical trial identification number. NCT02284139 IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Patients with non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, or colorectal cancer who are treated with epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) inhibitors may experience dermatologic reactions to their treatment. This study investigated the benefit of an EGF ointment in the treatment of these adverse events and observed the ointment to be effective in managing EGFR inhibitor-related skin adverse events.

Durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide versus platinum-etoposide in first-line treatment of extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (CASPIAN): a randomised, controlled, open-label, phase 3 trial

BACKGROUND

Most patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) have extensive-stage disease at presentation, and prognosis remains poor. Recently, immunotherapy has demonstrated clinical activity in extensive-stage SCLC (ES-SCLC). The CASPIAN trial assessed durvalumab, with or without tremelimumab, in combination with etoposide plus either cisplatin or carboplatin (platinum-etoposide) in treatment-naive patients with ES-SCLC.

METHODS

This randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial was done at 209 sites across 23 countries. Eligible patients were adults with untreated ES-SCLC, with WHO performance status 0 or 1 and measurable disease as per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, version 1.1. Patients were randomly assigned (in a 1:1:1 ratio) to durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide; durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus platinum-etoposide; or platinum-etoposide alone. All drugs were administered intravenously. Platinum-etoposide consisted of etoposide 80-100 mg/m² on days 1-3 of each cycle with investigator's choice of either carboplatin area under the curve 5-6 mg/mL per min or cisplatin 75-80 mg/m² (administered on day 1 of each cycle). Patients received up to four cycles of platinum-etoposide plus durvalumab 1500 mg with or without tremelimumab 75 mg every 3 weeks followed by maintenance durvalumab 1500 mg every 4 weeks in the immunotherapy groups and up to six cycles of platinum-etoposide every 3 weeks plus prophylactic cranial irradiation (investigator's discretion) in the platinum-etoposide group. The primary endpoint was overall survival in the intention-to-treat population. We report results for the durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide group versus the platinum-etoposide group from a planned interim analysis. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of their assigned study treatment. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03043872, and is ongoing.

FINDINGS

Patients were enrolled between March 27, 2017, and May 29, 2018. 268 patients were allocated to the durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide group and 269 to the platinum-etoposide group. Durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide was associated with a significant improvement in overall survival, with a hazard ratio of 0·73 (95% CI 0·59-0·91; p=0·0047]); median overall survival was 13·0 months (95% CI 11·5-14·8) in the durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide group versus 10·3 months (9·3-11·2) in the platinum-etoposide group, with 34% (26·9-41·0) versus 25% (18·4-31·6) of patients alive at 18 months. Any-cause adverse events of grade 3 or 4 occurred in 163 (62%) of 265 treated patients in the durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide group and 166 (62%) of 266 in the platinum-etoposide group; adverse events leading to death occurred in 13 (5%) and 15 (6%) patients.

INTERPRETATION

First-line durvalumab plus platinum-etoposide significantly improved overall survival in patients with ES-SCLC versus a clinically relevant control group. Safety findings were consistent with the known safety profiles of all drugs received.

FUNDING

AstraZeneca.

Phase II study of R-CVP followed by rituximab maintenance therapy for patients with advanced marginal zone lymphoma: consortium for improving survival of lymphoma (CISL) study

Background

The response rate and survival improvement for rituximab, a CD20-targeting monoclonal antibody, have been demonstrated in marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) as monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapeutic regimens, yet relapses still occur despite treatment completion. Thus, extending the period of remission in MZL patients remains an essential goal. This multicenter, single-arm, open-label phase II study evaluated the survival efficacy of 2 years of rituximab-maintenance therapy in patients with stage III–IV CD20-positive MZL who had responded to first-line R–CVP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisolone). The objective of this study was to determine whether rituximab maintenance following R–CVP warrants further investigation.

Methods

Prior to rituximab-maintenance therapy, patients received 6–8 cycles of first-line R–CVP therapy for stage III–IV MZL. Rituximab (375 mg/m²), cyclophosphamide (750 mg/m²), and vincristine (1.4 mg/m²; maximum 2 mg) were administered via an intravenous infusion on day 1 of each 3-week cycle, while oral prednisolone (100 mg) was given on days 1–5 of each 3-week cycle. The patients who achieved complete response (CR), partial response (PR), or stable disease (SD) to R–CVP treatment, were prescribed rituximab-maintenance therapy which was administered intravenously at a dose of 375 mg/m² every 8 weeks for up to 12 cycles. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and treatment safety.

Results

47 patients were enrolled, of whom, 45 (96%) received rituximab-maintenance treatment. Fifteen (33%) patients had nodal MZL. Following R–CVP first-line therapy, 20 (44%), 22 (49%), and 3 (7%) patients achieved CR, PR, and SD, respectively. After a median follow-up of 38.2 months, their observed 3-year PFS rate was 81%. During the rituximab-maintenance, 6 PR and 1 SD patients achieved CR following the administration of R–CVP. Elevated LDH and the presence of B symptoms were found to be significant prognostic factors for PFS (P = 0.003) and demonstrated a 3-year OS rate of 90%. Rituximab-maintenance therapy was well tolerated, and the common treatment-emergent adverse events were sensory neuropathy (18%), myalgia (13%), fatigue (9%), and neutropenia (9%).

Conclusion

Rituximab-maintenance therapy following first-line R–CVP demonstrated good PFS in patients with stage III–IV MZL, in addition to a favorable toxicity profile.

Trial registration clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01213095

Tumor Genomic Profiling Guides Patients with Metastatic Gastric Cancer to Targeted Treatment: The VIKTORY Umbrella Trial

The VIKTORY (targeted agent eValuation In gastric cancer basket KORea) trial was designed to classify patients with metastatic gastric cancer based on clinical sequencing and focused on eight different biomarker groups (RAS aberration, TP53 mutation, PIK3CA mutation/amplification, MET amplification, MET overexpression, all negative, TSC2 deficient, or RICTOR amplification) to assign patients to one of the 10 associated clinical trials in second-line (2L) treatment. Capivasertib (AKT inhibitor), savolitinib (MET inhibitor), selumetinib (MEK inhibitor), adavosertib (WEE1 inhibitor), and vistusertib (TORC inhibitor) were tested with or without chemotherapy. Seven hundred seventy-two patients with gastric cancer were enrolled, and sequencing was successfully achieved in 715 patients (92.6%). When molecular screening was linked to seamless immediate access to parallel matched trials, 14.7% of patients received biomarker-assigned drug treatment. The biomarker-assigned treatment cohort had encouraging response rates and survival when compared with conventional 2L chemotherapy. Circulating tumor (ctDNA) analysis demonstrated good correlation between high MET copy number by ctDNA and response to savolitinib. SIGNIFICANCE: Prospective clinical sequencing revealed that baseline heterogeneity between tumor samples from different patients affected response to biomarker-selected therapies. VIKTORY is the first and largest platform study in gastric cancer and supports both the feasibility of tumor profiling and its clinical utility.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1325.

ARTIST 2: Interim results of a phase III trial involving adjuvant chemotherapy and/or chemoradiotherapy after D2-gastrectomy in stage II/III gastric cancer (GC)

4001

Background: Adjuvant chemotherapy and/or chemoradiotherapy have been the standard of care in GC for years, supported by randomized trials. We compared the efficacy of different chemotherapy regimens and chemoradiotherapy in patients with D2-resected, stage II/III, node-positive GC. Methods: From Feb 2013 through Nov 2018, we randomly assigned, in a 1:1:1 ratio, patients with pathologically-staged II or III, node-positive, D2-resected GC, to receive adjuvant S-1 (40-60 mg twice daily 4-weeks-on/2-weeks-off) for one year, S-1 (2-weeks-on/1-week-off) plus oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2 (SOX) for six months, or SOX plus chemoradiotherapy 45 Gy (SOXRT). Randomization was stratified according to the type of surgery (total or subtotal gastrectomy), stage (II or III), and Lauren histologic classification (diffuse or intestinal). The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS). A total of 900 patients had to be enrolled to demonstrate superiority of SOX or SOXRT to S-1 (hazard ratio [HR] 0.667), with 90% power at a two-sided significance level of 5%. Results: A total of 538 patients were included for this interim efficacy analysis. Median age was 58 years, men constituted 65%, and stage II and III were 31% and 69%, respectively. Baseline tumor and patient characteristics were balanced between treatment arms. Adverse events were as anticipated in each arm, generally well-tolerated and manageable. DFS in the control arm (S-1) were significantly shorter than in SOX and SOXRT arms (stratified HR for recurrence): S-1 vs. SOX, 0.617 (P = 0.016) and S-1 vs. SOXRT, 0.686 (P = 0.057). The DFS at 3-years was found to be 65%, 78% and 73% in S-1, SOX and SOXRT arms, respectively. No difference in DFS between SOX and SOXRT was found (HR 0.910, P = 0.667). Based on the results after the observation of 145 recurrence events at the cutoff date of Dec 27, 2018, the independent data monitoring committee considered the results sufficient to meet the endpoint of the trial and recommended early stopping of the trial. Conclusions: In patients with curatively D2-resected, stage II/III, node-positive GC, adjuvant SOX or SOXRT was effective in prolonging DFS, when compared to S-1 monotherapy. Clinical trial information: NCT0176146.

Sedation for terminally ill cancer patients: A multicenter retrospective cohort study in South Korea

Sedation therapy is a potential solution to providing relief from refractory symptoms at end of life. The aim of this study was to investigate actual sedation practice and physician characteristics associated with the use of sedation for terminally ill cancer patients in South Korea.A retrospective review was conducted on consecutive patients who had died from cancer at seven tertiary medical centers between January 2010 and October 2015. The use of sedation was defined as the administration of sedative agents to relieve intolerable symptoms within the last 2 weeks preceding death. Patients and physician characteristics and information on the use of sedation were collected.A total of 8309 patients were included in the study. Sedatives were administered in 1334 patients (16.1%) for the following indications: delirium in 39.3%, intractable pain in 23.1%, and dyspnea in 21.9%. Median duration of sedation from initiation to death was 3 days. The use of sedation depended on physician specialty and experience. Family physicians used sedation most often (57.6%), followed by medical oncologists (13.9%), other internists (10.7%), and surgical oncologists (9.4%). The use of sedation was highest for physicians with >5 to 10 years practice experience (22.1%) and lowest for those in practice for 5 years or less (10.2%). The proportion of patients receiving sedation also varied markedly across participating institutions (range, 7.0%-49.7%).This large cohort study provides insight into sedation practice for terminally ill cancer patients in South Korea. Our study shows that the use of sedation depends on physician background and institution. A nation-wide guidelines and continued education on end-of-life sedation are required in South Korea.

Efficacy and safety of compound tri-metal stent placement for malignant perihilar biliary obstruction

Background

Despite many attempts to improve the patency rate of biliary stents in patients with inoperable perihilar cholangiocarcinomas, the longevity of these stents has not been satisfactory. The purpose of the present study is to report technical outcomes and clinical efficacy of the placement of compound tri-metal stent in patients with malignant perihilar biliary obstruction.

Materials and Methods

Retrospective analysis was performed of the medical records of 26 consecutive patients with inoperable malignant perihilar biliary obstruction who underwent compound tri-metal stent placement through a percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage tube from January 2012 to April 2017.

Results

Placement of the compound tri-metal stent was successfully completed in all 26 patients (technical success, 100%). There was neither procedure-related mortality nor 30-day mortality. None of these patients underwent additional metallic stent placement within 60 days secondary to recurrent cholangitis or stent occlusion. Successful drainage was achieved in 25 (96.2%) of 26 patients who received a compound tri-metal stent. Patients treated with compound tri-metal stent placement had a median stent patency of 145 days (range, 24-426 weeks) and a median survival time of 188 days (range, 37-1732 days).

Conclusions

Placement of compound tri-metal stent in patients with malignant perihilar biliary obstruction may offer a safe and effective alternate technique to improve biliary drainage and stent patency.

Chemotherapy versus Best Supportive Care in Advanced Biliary Tract Carcinoma: A Multi-institutional Propensity Score Matching Analysis

Purpose

Although chemotherapy is recommended by various guidelines for advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC), the evidence supporting its use over best supportive care (BSC) is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the survival benefit of chemotherapy over that of BSC in advanced BTC patients.

Materials and Methods

Advanced BTC patientswith a good performance status (Eastern CooperativeOncologyGroup [ECOG] 0-2) were eligible for the study. Data were retrospectively collected from four tertiary cancer centers and analyzed using propensity score matching (PSM). Of the 604 patients enrolled, 206 received BSC and 398 received chemotherapy. PSM analysis was performed using the following variables: age, ECOG status, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, white blood cell level, albumin level, total bilirubin level, and aspartate aminotransferase level. The sample size of each group was 164 patients after PSM. Median survival was compared between the two groups by using the Kaplan-Meier method, and prognostic factors were investigated using Cox proportional regression analysis.

Results

In post-PSM analysis, the respective median survival for the chemotherapy and BSC groups was dependent on the following prognostic factors: total population, 12.0 months vs. 7.5 months (p=0.001); locally advanced disease, 16.7 months vs. 13.4 months (p=0.490); cancer antigen 19-9 ≤ 100 IU/mL, 12.7 months vs. 10.6 months (p=0.330); and CEA ≤ 3.4 ng/mL, 17.1 months vs. 10.6 months (p=0.052).

Conclusion

Chemotherapy improved overall survival of patients with advanced BTC who had a good performance status. However, this survival benefit was not observed in BTC patients with locally advanced disease or with lower tumor marker. Individualized approach is needed for initiation of palliative chemotherapy in advanced BTC.

Antiemetic Corticosteroid Rotation from Dexamethasone to Methylprednisolone to Prevent Dexamethasone-Induced Hiccup in Cancer Patients Treated with Chemotherapy: A Randomized, Single-Blind, Crossover Phase III Trial

BACKGROUND

To assess whether the rotation of dexamethasone to methylprednisolone decreases the intensity of dexamethasone-induced hiccup (DIH) in cancer patients treated with chemotherapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Adult patients who experienced DIH within 3 days after the administration of dexamethasone as an antiemetic were screened. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to receive dexamethasone (n = 33) or methylprednisolone (n = 32) as an antiemetic (randomization phase). In the next cycle of chemotherapy, the dexamethasone group received methylprednisolone and vice versa in the methylprednisolone group (crossover phase). The primary endpoint was the difference in hiccup intensity as measured using the numeric rating scale (NRS) between two groups.

RESULTS

No female patients were enrolled, although the study did not exclude them. At the randomization phase, hiccup frequency was 28/33 (84.8%) in the dexamethasone group versus 20/32 (62.5%) in the methylprednisolone group (p = .04). Intensity of hiccup was significantly higher in the dexamethasone group than that in the methylprednisolone group (mean NRS, 3.5 vs. 1.4, p < .001). At the crossover phase, hiccup intensity was further decreased after the rotation of dexamethasone to methylprednisolone in the dexamethasone group (mean NRS, 3.5 to 0.9, p < .001), while it was increased by rotating methylprednisolone to dexamethasone in the methylprednisolone group (mean NRS, 1.4 to 3.3, p = .025). There were no differences in emesis intensity between the two groups at either the randomization or crossover phases. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01974024.

CONCLUSION

Dexamethasone-induced hiccup is a male-predominant phenomenon that can be ameliorated by rotating dexamethasone to methylprednisolone without compromising the antiemetic efficacy.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

In this randomized, multicenter, phase III trial, hiccup intensity was significantly lower when the antiemetic corticosteroid was rotated from dexamethasone to methylprednisolone without a change in emesis intensity than that when dexamethasone was maintained. At the crossover phase, hiccup intensity was increased again if dexamethasone was readministered instead of methylprednisolone. The present study demonstrated that dexamethasone-induced hiccup can be improved by rotating from dexamethasone to methylprednisolone without compromising its antiemetic efficacy.

Detection of combined procalcitonin and c-reactive protein applied in the diagnosis of bacterial infections

In recent years, procalcitonin and C-reactive protein have been used as important indexes in the detection of inflammation. In order to analyze the combined detection of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein in infected patients, 57 subjects in the Clinical Laboratory of Zhengzhou Maternal and Child Health Hospital with a bacterial infection were selected as the observation group. Correspondingly, 57 non-infected subjects were selected for the control group. The procalcitonin and C-reactive protein levels in the included cases were analyzed and compared by extracting peripheral blood. The results showed that the two indexes of C-reactive protein (46.13±8.24 mg/L) and procalcitonin (6.61±3.45 ug/L) of the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P less than 0.05). The positive rates of C-reactive protein (71.93%) and procalcitonin (91.23%) of the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P less than0.05). Within the observation group, the C-reactive protein and procalcitonin levels in the infected patients after 2 and 3 days of treatment, decreased significantly (P less than 0.05). This study indicates that the combined detection of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein in patients with bacterial infections is effective and can be used in clinical settings.

Performance evaluations of hybrid modulation with different optical labels over PDQ in high bit-rate OLS network systems

Two orthogonal modulation optical label switching(OLS) schemes, which are based on payload of polarization multiplexing-differential quadrature phase shift keying(POLMUX-DQPSK or PDQ) modulated with identifications of duobinary (DB) label and pulse position modulation(PPM) label, are researched in high bit-rate OLS network. The BER performance of hybrid modulation with payload and label signals are discussed and evaluated in theory and simulation. The theoretical BER expressions of PDQ, PDQ-DB and PDQ-PPM are given with analysis method of hybrid modulation encoding in different the bit-rate ratios of payload and label. Theoretical derivation results are shown that the payload of hybrid modulation has a certain gain of receiver sensitivity than payload without label. The sizes of payload BER gain obtained from hybrid modulation are related to the different types of label. The simulation results are consistent with that of theoretical conclusions. The extinction ratio (ER) conflicting between hybrid encoding of intensity and phase types can be compromised and optimized in OLS system of hybrid modulation. The BER analysis method of hybrid modulation encoding in OLS system can be applied to other n-ary hybrid modulation or combination modulation systems.

Is There a Role for Adjuvant Therapy in R0 Resected Gallbladder Cancer?: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to assess the role of adjuvant therapy in stage I-III gallbladder cancer (GBC) patients who have undergone R0 resection.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Clinical data were collected on 441 consecutive patients who underwent R0 resection for stage I-III GBC. Eligible patients were classified into adjuvant therapy and surveillance only groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) between the two groups was performed, adjusting clinical factors.

RESULTS

In total, 84 and 279 patients treated with adjuvant therapy and followed up with surveillance only, respectively, were included in the analysis. Before PSM, the 5-year relapse-free survival (RFS) rate was lower in the adjuvant therapy group than in the surveillance only group (50.8% vs. 74.8%, p < 0.001), although there was no statistically significant difference in the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate (66.2% vs. 79.5%, p=0.089). After the PSM, baseline characteristics became comparable and there were no differences in the 5-year RFS (50.8% vs. 64.8%, p=0.319) and OS (66.2% vs. 70.4%, p=0.703) rates between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that fluoropyrimidine-based adjuvant therapy is not indicated in stage I-III GBC patients who have undergone R0 resection.

Factors Influencing Clinicians' Choice of Adjuvant S-1 versus Capecitabine plus Oxaliplatin after Curative Gastrectomy in Patients with Gastric Cancer

Purpose: Two recent randomized, phase III trials in Asia (ACTS-GC and CLASSIC) documented the survival benefit of postoperative chemotherapy after D2 lymph node dissection in patients with gastric cancer. We sought to determine what factors influenced clinicians' choices of either S-1 or capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (CAPOX) as adjuvant therapy after curative D2 gastrectomy.

Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinicopathologic factors and adjuvant treatments for 435 patients from nine centers in Korea who were treated with either S-1 or CAPOX adjuvant chemotherapy after undergoing curative D2 gastrectomy between January 2013 and July 2014.

Results: Of the 435 patients, 204 (46.9%) were treated with S-1 and 231 (53.1%) were treated with CAPOX. The median age at diagnosis was 61 years (range, 30-88). CAPOX was prescribed more often for patients who were 65 years of age or younger than for patients who were age 65 or older (77.1% vs. 22.9%, P<0.0001). Of the patients in stage II, 121 (60.8%) were treated with S-1 and 78 (39.2%) were given CAPOX; however, of those in stage III, 83 (35.2%) received S-1 and 153 (64.8%) were treated with CAPOX (P<0.0001).

Conclusions: Clinicians only preferred CAPOX for younger patients with stage III gastric cancer after curative D2 gastrectomy. However, for elderly patients, clinicians more chose S-1 regardless of the stage.

Treatment outcomes and clinical relevance of the Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index in Korean follicular lymphoma patients treated with chemotherapy

BACKGROUND/AIMS

The Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) and FLIPI2 are well-known prognostic models for patients with follicular lymphoma (FL). However, their prognostic relevance has not been examined before in Korean patients with FL.

METHODS

We reviewed clinical and laboratory information from our database of patients between 1995 and 2012. In total, 125 patients were stratified in three categories according to FLIPI or FLIPI2 scores: low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups. We compared FLIPI and FLIPI2 in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Among the 125 patients, the prognostic value of FLIPI and FLIPI2 was evaluated in 73 patients who fulfilled the criteria of both prognostic models. Risk stratification by FLIPI and FLIPI2 showed significant differences in unfavorable parameters among each risk group, particularly between low- and intermediate-risk groups. The high-risk group b was significantly associated with poor PFS on both FLIPI and FLIPI2 (p < 0.05). However, the OS was significantly different only in the risk groups determined by FLIPI2 (p = 0.042). In a subgroup analysis of patients who received rituximab-containing chemotherapy, the risk stratification of both prognostic models showed a significant impact on PFS, especially in the low-risk group.

CONCLUSIONS

FLIPI and FLIPI2 are appropriate prognostic models in Korean FL patients, especially for discriminating low-risk patients from intermediate- and high-risk groups.

Intrinsic resistance to sunitinib in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma

AIM

Although targeting angiogenesis with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) inhibitors has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma, primary, intrinsic resistance to the VEGFR inhibitor sunitinib is not fully understood in a subset of metastatic RCC (mRCC) patients.

METHODS

Between 2008 and 2012, a total of 134 patients with mRCC were treated with first-line sunitinib at one of six tertiary centers. Patients in whom progressive disease was the best response were classified as the intrinsic resistance group. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on the recognized baseline parameters.

RESULTS

Among 134 patients, 33 (25%) intrinsically resistant to sunitinib were identified. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that the number of metastatic sites (OR = 3.6) and neutrophilia (OR = 7.4) were independently associated with development of intrinsic resistance. There were significant differences with regard to overall survival (P = 0.001) and progression-free survival (P < 0.0001) between the patients with and without intrinsic resistance.

CONCLUSIONS

Intrinsic resistance to first-line sunitinib treatment is associated with a dismal prognosis in mRCC patients. Patients with known high-risk factors (poor performance, neutrophilia, elevated lactate dehydrogenase) and multiple metastatic sites including the liver may experience a limited benefit from sunitinib. Greater understanding of the underlying mechanism and molecular biomarkers for detecting intrinsically resistant disease is needed.

Chemotherapy versus best supportive care in patients with advanced biliary tract carcinoma: A propensity score-matched analysis

316

Background: Although chemotherapy is endorsed by various guidelines for advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC), the evidence of chemotherapy over best supportive care (BSC) is limited. However, prospective randomized trial with BSC control arm is unrealizable. The aim of this study is to investigate the survival benefit of chemotherapy over BSC in patients with advanced BTC. Methods: Advanced BTC patients with good performance status (ECOG 0-2) were eligible for the study. Data were retrospectively collected in the four tertiary cancer centers and analyzed through propensity score-matching (PSM) to minimize bias. Of 810 enrolled patients cohort, 206 patients received BSC only without any palliative chemotherapy, versus 604 patients were treated with chemotherapy. PSM analysis was performed using the following variables: Age, ECOG, Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and White blood cell (WBC). The sample size of each group was 171 patients after PSM. Overall survival (OS) was compared between the two groups using the Kaplan-Meier method and prognostic factors were investigated by cox proportional regression. Results: In pre-PSM analysis, the OS for chemotherapy group and BSC group, respectively, were as follows: total population, 15.2 vs 7.0 months (p < 0.001); metastatic disease, 12.7 vs 6.2 months (p < 0.001); locally advanced disease, 28.0 vs 13.4 months (p = 0.01); ECOG 0-1, 17.0 vs 8.8months (p < 0.001); CA 19-9 < 100, 13.9 vs 5.9 months (p = 0.001) and CA 19-9 ≥ 100, 11.8 vs 6.0 months (p < 0.001). In post-PSM 171 pair analysis, the respective OS for chemotherapy group and BSC group were depending on the prognostic factors as follows : total population, 12.7 vs 7.0 months (p < 0.001); metastatic disease, 10.9 vs 8.1 months(p= 0.001); locally advanced disease, 20.8 vs 15.9 months (p = 0.416); ECOG 0-1, 14.5 vs 11.5 months(p < 0.001); CA 19-9 < 100, 12.8 vs 12.7 months (p = 0.472) and CA 19-9 ≥ 100, 11.8 vs 8.2 months (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Chemotherapy improved OS in advanced BTC with good performance status compared BSC. However, the survival benefit was not demonstrated in BTC patients with locally advanced disease or with lower serum CA19-9 tumor marker.

The role of adjuvant therapy after R0 resection for patients with intrahepatic and perihilar cholangiocarcinoma

302

Background: There is still debated regarding the optimal treatment strategy in cholangiocarcinoma (CC) after curative resection. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of adjuvant therapy in R0-resected intrahepatic and perihilar CC. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent R0 resection for intrahepatic and perihilar CC between January 2001 and December 2013 at six cancer centers. Adjuvant therapy consisted of chemotherapy (CT), chemoradiotherapy (CRT), or radiotherapy (RT). The outcomes of our study were recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify prognostic factors for survival. Results: A total of 137 patients were included in the analysis; 58.4% of patients had intrahepatic CC and 25.5% had lymph node involvement. Seventy-three patients (53.3%) received adjuvant therapy (CT/CRT/RT: 48/13/12, respectively). A greater percentage of patients receiving adjuvant therapy had stage III-IVA (P = 0.010), high histologic grade (P = 0.035), and positive lymph nodes (P = 0.088). Multivariable analysis identified positive nodes (hazard ratio (HR), 3.60; P < 0.001), poor tumor differentiation (HR, 2.35, P = 0.048), and high baseline CA 19-9 level (HR, 1.97; P = 0.013) as predictors of decreased OS. The effect of adjuvant therapy varied according to the treatment modality. Adjuvant CRT was significantly associated with longer RFS (HR, 0.44; P = 0.036) but OS benefit was non-significant HR, 0.56; P = 0.245). In node-positive patients, CRT had a trend for longer OS (HR, 0.24; P = 0.097). In contrast, CT did not improve RFS (HR, 1.13; P = 0.617) or OS (HR, 1.70; P = 0.114). RT alone was associated shorter RFS (HR 3.08; P = 0.009) and OS (HR, 6.86, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Adjuvant CT and RT were not associated with a survival advantage in R0-resected intrahepatic and perihilar CC. CRT appears to be appropriate treatment after complete resection especially in lymph node-positive patients.

Role of adjuvant therapy after R0 resection for patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma

355

Background: There is still debated regarding the optimal treatment strategy in cholangiocarcinoma after curative resection. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of adjuvant therapy in R0-resected distal cholangiocarcinoma. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent R0 resection for distal cholangiocarcinoma between January 2001 and December 2013 at six cancer centers in Korea. Adjuvant therapy consisted of chemotherapy (CT), chemoradiotherapy (CRT), or radiotherapy (RT). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify prognostic factors for overall survival (OS). Results: A total of 158 patients were included in the analysis; 47 patients (29.7%) had lymph node involvement. Fifty-six patients (35.4%) received adjuvant therapy (CT/CRT/RT: 27/20/9, respectively). Patients with advanced TNM stage (p = 0.001), T3/T4 disease (p = 0.009), positive lymph nodes (p = 0.052) and elevated CA 19-9 (p = 0.071) were more likely to receive adjuvant therapy. The effect of adjuvant therapy varied according to the treatment modality. Multivariable analysis showed a significant improvement in OS with CRT (Hazard ratio (HR) 0.25, 95% CI 0.08-0.83, p = 0.024) and CT (HR 0.21, 95% CI 0.08-0.53, p = 0.001). However, RT alone was associated with shorter OS (HR 2.38, p = 0.040), along with T3/T4 disease (HR 2.12, p = 0.012) and positive lymph nodes (HR 2.30, p = 0.008). In the subset analysis according to lymph node status, adjuvant therapy not including RT alone was associated with a significant OS advantage both in node-negative patients (median, 103.3 vs. 54.9 months, p = 0.037) and node-positive patients (not reached vs. 22.6 months, p = 0.013). Conclusions: Our results showed that patients receiving adjuvant CT or CRT had significant improvement in OS. In addition, the benefit of adjuvant therapy (except RT alone) was observed even in patients with negative lymph nodes.

Nanoparticle formation in a chemical storage room as a new incidental nanoaerosol source at a nanomaterial workplace

Chemical storage rooms located near engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) workplaces can be a significant source of unintentional nanoaerosol generation. A new incidental nanoparticle source was identified and characterized in a chemical storage room located at an ENMs workplace. Stationary and mobile measurements using on-line instruments and chemical analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were carried out to identify the source. The number of nanoaerosols emitted from the chemical storage room was found to be several orders of magnitude higher than that existing in the ENMs workplace. VOC analysis showed that the accumulated precursors and oxygenated VOCs in the chemical storage room could be attributed to incidental particle formation via gas-to-particle conversion. We stress the importance of identification of the incidental nanoaerosols to allow characterization of the nanoaerosols at ENMs workplaces, and to estimate additional nanoaerosols exposure, which was previously unknown. Hazardous chemical substances in the workplace have been regulated in many countries; however, most of the regulations are focused on gas-phase or liquid-phase substances. The present study emphasizes the importance of secondary pollutants in particulate form that can be generated from the gas or liquid phase of hazardous chemical substances.

Identification of Driving ALK Fusion Genes and Genomic Landscape of Medullary Thyroid Cancer

The genetic landscape of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is not yet fully understood, although some oncogenic mutations have been identified. To explore genetic profiles of MTCs, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissues from MTC patients were assayed on the Ion AmpliSeq Cancer Panel v2. Eighty-four sporadic MTC samples and 36 paired normal thyroid tissues were successfully sequenced. We discovered 101 hotspot mutations in 18 genes in the 84 MTC tissue samples. The most common mutation was in the ret proto-oncogene, which occurred in 47 cases followed by mutations in genes encoding Harvey rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (N = 14), serine/threonine kinase 11 (N = 11), v-kit Hardy-Zuckerman 4 feline sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (N = 6), mutL homolog 1 (N = 4), Kiesten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (N = 3) and MET proto-oncogene (N = 3). We also evaluated anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement by immunohistochemistry and break-apart fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Two of 98 screened cases were positive for ALK FISH. To identify the genomic breakpoint and 5’ fusion partner of ALK, customized targeted cancer panel sequencing was performed using DNA from tumor samples of the two patients. Glutamine:fructose-6-phosphate transaminase 1 (GFPT1)-ALK and echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4)-ALK fusions were identified. Additional PCR analysis, followed by Sanger sequencing, confirmed the GFPT1-ALK fusion, indicating that the fusion is a result of intra-chromosomal translocation or deletion. Notably, a metastatic MTC case harboring the EML4-ALK fusion showed a dramatic response to an ALK inhibitor, crizotinib. In conclusion, we found several genetic mutations in MTC and are the first to identify ALK fusions in MTC. Our results suggest that the EML4-ALK fusion in MTC may be a potential driver mutation and a valid target of ALK inhibitors. Furthermore, the GFPT1-ALK fusion may be a potential candidate for molecular target therapy.

Little is known about the molecular biology of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), which is a rare disease. Genomics are increasingly being used to improve our knowledge about disease biology and to identify therapeutic targets in many cancers. Here, we report the largest genomic results of MTC to date. MTC tissue frequently included several mutations. For the first time, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements were detected in MTC: one case with a glutamine:fructose-6-phosphate transaminase 1 (GFPT1)-ALK fusion, and another case with an echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4)-ALK fusion. The fusion mechanism of the novel GFPT1-ALK fusion was successfully investigated using molecular biology techniques. In addition, an inhibitor of ALK (crizotinib) dramatically decreased the number of metastatic MTC lesions harboring the EML4-ALK fusion, thus verifying the fusion as a promising target in MTC. Our findings suggest that using rapidly improving sequencing techniques and accumulated genomic data to comprehensively perform genetic analyses on rare tumors, such as MTC, will help to improve the poor prognosis of orphan diseases.