Preoperative-postoperative immunotherapy as treatment of borderline resectable and oligoprogressive stage III B-D and IV melanoma

INTRODUCTION

Perioperative therapy has gained significant importance in patients with advanced melanoma. Currently, there is little data on the routine use of preoperative immunotherapy in metastatic melanoma outside clinical trials. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of preoperative treatment in patients with borderline resectable stage III or IV melanoma as well as in oligoprogressing stage IV cases; the secondary aim is to describe the safety of surgery after immunotherapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Since 1/Jan/2016 seventeen patients were treated with curative intent neoadjuvant immunotherapy, surgery, and adjuvant immunotherapy, while nineteen patients were operated due to oligoprogression while treted with immunotherapy. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and association between variables was tested using the chi-squared test.

RESULTS

R0 resection was achieved in 76.5 % of cases after neoadjuvant immunotherapy. 24 % of patients achieved objective RECIST response and 35 % complete or major pathological response. At the median follow-up time of 51.4 months, 64.7 % of patients were free of PD after perioperative treatment, while 3-year RFS and OS rates were 68 % and 80.9 %, respectively. R0 resection was achieved in 73.7 % of oligo-progressing nodules. The median time to PD on immunotherapy after the first oligoprogression was 10.3 months. Immunotherapy did not result in any unexpected surgical complications. No patient died during preoperative treatment due to immunotherapy toxicity or disease progression.

CONCLUSIONS

We confirmed treatment safety and long-term disease control after perioperative immunotherapy. Patients with borderline resectable melanoma should be referred to reference centers using neoadjuvant immunotherapy.

Mesenchymal Chondrosarcoma from Diagnosis to Clinical Trials

Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma (MCS) is a rare subtype of chondrosarcoma with a poor prognosis. Although these tumors are sensitive to radiotherapy/chemotherapy, the standard treatment for localized MCS is only surgical resection, and there are no established treatment guidelines for patients with advanced and metastatic MCS. Due to the low incidence of MCS, the pathology of these tumors is still unknown, and other therapeutic options are lacking. Some studies show the potential role of the PDGF/PPI3K/AKT, PKC/RAF/MEK/ERK, and pRB pathways, and BCL2 overexpression in the pathogenesis of MCS. These findings provide an opportunity to use protein kinases and BCL2 inhibitors as potential therapy in MCS. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about MCS diagnosis and treatment options. We show the immunological and molecular biomarkers used in the diagnosis of MCS. In addition, we discuss the known prognostic and predictive factors in MCS. Finally, we present the novel trends, including targeted therapies and ongoing clinical trials using protein kinase inhibitors and the death receptor 5 (DR5) agonist, which may be the focus of future MCS treatment studies.

Dedifferentiated Chondrosarcoma from Molecular Pathology to Current Treatment and Clinical Trials

Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma (DDCS) is a rare subtype of chondrosarcoma, a primary cartilaginous malignant neoplasm. It accounts for up to 1-2% of all chondrosarcomas and is generally associated with one of the poorest prognoses among all chondrosarcomas with the highest risk of metastasis. The 5-year survival rates range from 7% to 24%. DDCS may develop at any age, but the average presentation age is over 50. The most common locations are the femur, pelvis humerus, scapula, rib, and tibia. The standard treatment for localised disease is surgical resection. Most patients are diagnosed in unresectable and advanced stages, and chemotherapy for localised and metastatic dedifferentiated DDCS follows protocols used for osteosarcoma.

Long-term clinical evidence of comparable efficacy and toxicity of nivolumab and pembrolizumab in advanced melanoma treatment

Pembrolizumab and nivolumab (anty-PD-1 antibody) are commonly used for the treatment of melanoma patients. However, their efficacy and safety have never been directly compared, leaving little guidance for clinicians to select the best therapy. The study included patients with inoperable or metastatic melanoma treated in first line with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy (nivolumab or pembrolizumab). In total 1037 patients were enrolled in the study, 455 (44%) patients were treated with pembrolizumab and 582 (56%) with nivolumab. The estimated median overall survival (OS) in the pembrolizumab and nivolumab groups was 17.4 and 20.0 months [P = 0.2323; hazard ratio (HR), 1.1; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.94-1.28], respectively, whereas the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 5.6 and 7.5 months (P = 0.0941; HR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.98-1.29), respectively. The estimated 2- and 3-year OS in the pembrolizumab and nivolumab groups were 42/34% and 47/37%, respectively, and the PFS was 25/21% and 29/23%, respectively. There were 391 (49%) immune-related adverse events (irAEs) of any grade during treatment, including 133 (42%) related to pembrolizumab treatment and 258 (53%) to nivolumab treatment. A total of 72 (9.6%) irAEs were in G3 or G4, including during pembrolizumab 29 (9%) and nivolumab 48 (11%). There were no differences in OS, PFS and overall response rates between nivolumab and pembrolizumab therapy in previously untreated patients with advanced/metastatic melanoma. There were no differences in the frequency of G1/G2 or G3/G4 irAEs. The choice of treatment should be based on the preferences of the patient and the clinician.

Efficacy of immunotherapy beyond RECIST progression in advanced melanoma: a real-world evidence

Immunotherapy (ITH) holds the possibility of tumor burden decrease after initial RECIST 1.1 defined progression. The clinical concept of treating selected patients (pts) beyond disease progression (PD) is supported by so-called pseudoprogression phenomenon. The aim of this study was to evaluate real-life practice and outcomes related to treatment beyond (RECIST) progression (TBP) in advanced melanoma patients. Of 584 subsequent melanoma pts analyzed 77 (13.2%) received TBP. In this cohort, the median time to first PD (TTFP) was 5.29 months (m), while time to second PD (TTSP)-8.02 m. On TBP 23.4% pts achieved an objective response (OR), and next 42.9%-stabilization of the disease (SD). 1st PD was reported most often as the development of a new lesion or increase (> 20%) of the diameter of three or more targets. In about 50% second PD was observed as an increase in the diameter of different targets that in 1st PD. Multimodal treatment resulted in 9.82 m TTSP, while ITH alone-4.93 m (p = 0.128). An oligoprogressive pattern of first PD was associated with longer TTSP (HR 0.55, 95% CI: 0.32-0.94). Median OS after first PD was 28.75 months and correlated with OR during TBP (HR 0.18, 95% CI: 0.004-0.76). Selected clinically fit melanoma patients, despite evidence of first radiographic progression, may benefit from continued treatment with PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors, but the findings should be validated in larger prospective trials. Multidisciplinary treatment should be offered to advanced melanoma patients, including radiosurgery or stereotactic radiotherapy of single loci progressing during immunotherapy.

Avelumab expanded access program in metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma: Efficacy and safety findings from patients in Europe and the Middle East

Incidence rates of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), an uncommon skin cancer with an aggressive disease course, have increased in recent decades. Limited treatment options are available for patients with metastatic MCC (mMCC). Avelumab, an anti‐programmed cell death‐ligand 1 monoclonal antibody, became the first approved treatment for mMCC after the results of the phase 2 JAVELIN Merkel 200 study. Prior to its regulatory approval, an expanded access program (EAP) enabled compassionate use of avelumab in patients with mMCC. Here we report findings from patients enrolled in the EAP in Europe and the Middle East. Efficacy and safety data were provided at the discretion of treating physicians. Between March 2, 2016, and December 22, 2018, 403 requests for avelumab were received from 21 countries, and avelumab was supplied to 335 patients. Most patients (96.7%) received avelumab as second‐line or later treatment. In 150 patients for whom response data were available, the objective response rate was 48.0%, and in responding patients, median duration of treatment was 7.4 months (range, 1.0‐41.7 months). The most common treatment‐related adverse events were infusion‐related reaction (2.4%) and pyrexia (2.1%), and no new safety signals were observed. Overall, results from European and Middle Eastern patients enrolled in this EAP confirm the efficacy and safety of avelumab treatment observed in previous studies in patients with mMCC.

What's new?

Patients with the aggressive skin cancer Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) have few treatment options. The first approved treatment for metastatic MCC, the anti‐PD‐L1 monoclonal antibody avelumab, was made available through an expanded access program (EAP) prior to regulatory approval. Here, the authors analyze data from 150 patients in Europe and the Middle East enrolled in that EAP. Avelumab's efficacy and safety in this real‐world population of patients, they found, confirm the findings reported from the JAVELIN Merkel 200 trial.

Merkel Cell Carcinoma from Molecular Pathology to Novel Therapies

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an uncommon and highly aggressive skin cancer. It develops mostly within chronically sun-exposed areas of the skin. MCPyV is detected in 60-80% of MCC cases as integrated within the genome and is considered a major risk factor for MCC. Viral negative MCCs have a high mutation burden with a UV damage signature. Aberrations occur in RB1, TP53, and NOTCH genes as well as in the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway. MCC is highly immunogenic, but MCC cells are known to evade the host's immune response. Despite the characteristic immunohistological profile of MCC, the diagnosis is challenging, and it should be confirmed by an experienced pathologist. Sentinel lymph node biopsy is considered the most reliable staging tool to identify subclinical nodal disease. Subclinical node metastases are present in about 30-50% of patients with primary MCC. The basis of MCC treatment is surgical excision. MCC is highly radiosensitive. It becomes chemoresistant within a few months. MCC is prone to recurrence. The outcomes in patients with metastatic disease are poor, with a historical 5-year survival of 13.5%. The median progression-free survival is 3-5 months, and the median overall survival is ten months. Currently, immunotherapy has become a standard of care first-line therapy for advanced MCC.

Randomised phase 2 study comparing the efficacy and safety of the oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor nintedanib with single agent ifosfamide in patients with advanced, inoperable, metastatic soft tissue sarcoma after failure of first-line chemotherapy: EORTC-1506-STBSG "ANITA"

PURPOSE

EORTC-1506-STBSG was a prospective, multicentric, randomised, open-label phase 2 trial to assess the efficacy and safety of second-line nintedanib versus ifosfamide in patients with advanced, inoperable metastatic soft tissue sarcoma (STS). The primary end-point was progression-free survival.

PATIENTS/METHODS

Patients with a variety of STS subtypes were randomised 1:1 to nintedanib (200 mg b.i.d. p.o. until disease progression) or ifosfamide (3 g/m² i.v. days 1-3, every 21 days for ≤6 cycles). A Korn design was applied aiming to detect an improvement in median progression-free survival (mPFS) from 3 to 4.5 months (HR = 0.667). An interim look was incorporated to stop the trial for futility if <19 of the first 36 patients treated with nintedanib were progression-free at week 12.

RESULTS

At the interim analysis, among the first 36 eligible and evaluable patients randomised for nintedanib, only 13 (36%) were progression-free at week 12. The trial was closed for further accrual as per protocol. In total, 80 patients were randomised (40 per treatment group). The mPFS was 2.5 months (95% CI: 1.5-3.4) for nintedanib and 4.4 months (95% CI: 2.9-6.7) on ifosfamide (adjusted HR = 1.56 [80% CI: 1.14-2.13], p = 0.070). The median overall survival was 13.7 months (95% CI: 9.4-23.4) on nintedanib and 24.1 months (95% CI: 10.9-NE) on ifosfamide (adjusted HR = 1.65 [95%CI:0.89-3.06], p = 0.111). The clinical benefit rate for nintedanib and ifosfamide was 50% versus 62.5% (p = 0.368), respectively. Common treatment-related adverse events (all grades) were diarrhoea (35.9% of patients), fatigue (25.6%) and nausea (20.5%) for nintedanib; and fatigue (52.6%), nausea (44.7%) and vomiting, anorexia and alopecia (28.9% each) for ifosfamide.

CONCLUSION

The trial was stopped for futility. The activity of nintedanib did not warrant further exploration in non-selected, advanced STSs.

Systemic treatment of patients with inoperable and metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma: A multicenter study

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Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an uncommon, aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer. The prognosis in the unresectable and metastatic setting is very poor. Distant metastases develop in more than 30%. Chemotherapy (CHT), the previous mainstay of treatment, is associated with the high response rates (RR) of limited duration. The main cytotoxic drugs have been platinum derivatives, taxoids, anthracyclines, and etoposide. The standard systemic treatment for this disease has changed in the last few years. Immunotherapy (IO) is currently the basis of systemic therapy in the metastatic setting. This study aimed to analyze outcomes for unresectable and metastatic MCC pts treated in routine clinical practice, mostly before the era of IO availability. Methods: We conducted the retrospective analysis of data from 36 MCC pts in unresectable (n= 23) and metastatic (n=13) settings treated in three oncological centers, diagnosed between 01/2010 and 12/2019, with data cut-off on 31/12/2020. The data collected included epidemiological and clinical information. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Results: The median patient age at diagnosis was 72 years (57-88); 58.3% were male. The most common primary tumor (PT) locations were lower limbs (41.7%), head and neck (30.6%), and upper limbs (16.7%). In 63.9% the PT was located in the sun-exposed skin. The most common location of distant metastases were nonregional lymph nodes (n=9) and lungs (n=3). Thirty-six pts received 1st line CHT with the median progression-free survival (mPFS) of 5.3 months (95%CI 2.88-7.7) and objective response of 61.1%, with 13.9% complete responses (CR). The most commonly used regimens were platinum-based and anthracycline-based regimens (n=26). Disease progression (PD) was observed in 91.7% of pts treated with 1st line CHT. Twenty-one pts received 2nd line therapy, IO (n=14), or CHT (n=7), with PD in 19 pts (90.6%), mPFS 2.83 months (95% CI 0.59-5.06) and RR of 33.3% (0% CR). 13 pts were treated with avelumab (AVE), all in the 2nd line, with RR of 38.5% (0% CR). The mPFS in the 2nd line was 5 months (95%CI 0-11.46) on AVE compared to 2.82 (95%CI 0.46-5.19) on CHT (HR 0.65, 95%CI 0.25-1.70, p=0.378). During 1st line systemic therapy, 16 pts underwent palliative surgery (n=7, 19.4%) or received radiation therapy (RT) (n=9, 25%), and during 2nd line, one patient was treated with surgery, and five pts received RT. The median overall survival was 10.38 months (95% CI 2.90-17.87). Local treatment did not improve the treatment outcomes in the 1st (p=0.119) nor 2nd line (p=0.821). Conclusions: Our results confirm the poor prognosis of pts with unresectable and metastatic MCC. The response rates and median PFS for CHT in the 1st and 2nd line setting are consistent with historical data. The treatment with AVE in the 2nd line allows achieving better results, similar to the results reported in the clinical trials.

Treatment of patients with locally advanced Merkel cell carcinoma: A multicenter study

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Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive skin cancer with a high risk of recurrence and poor prognosis. The treatment of locally advanced disease includes surgery (SUR) and radiotherapy (RTH) to achieve high locoregional control rates. The sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is recommended procedure in cases without clinical nodal involvement. In selected cases, chemotherapy (CHT) may also be considered, but its role is not confirmed. This study aimed to analyze outcomes for locally advanced MCC pts treated in routine clinical practice. Methods: We conducted the retrospective analysis of data from 156 MCC pts treated with curative surgery in four oncological centers, diagnosed between 01/2010 and 12/2019, with data cut-off on 31/12/2020. The data collected included epidemiological and clinical information. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test and multivariate Cox regression. Results: The median patient age at diagnosis was 72 years (30-94); 50.6% were male. The primary tumor (PT) locations were lower limbs (33.3%), upper limbs (30.1%), and head and neck (28.2%). MCC with no PT was diagnosed in 3.9%. In 62.0% the PT was located in the sun-exposed skin. The median tumor size was 25 mm (4-170). Lymph node (LN) involvement (clinical or positive SLNB or LND) at diagnosis was found in 26.9% (n = 42). The scar excision was done in 50.0% (positive in 16.6%), SLNB in 36.5% (positive in 10.5 %), 51.9% of pts received perioperative treatment, including RTH- 86.4%, CHT- 21%. The relapse rate was 38.3% (35.8% local-regional, 11.1% distant). With the median follow-up of 2.2-years, the median disease-free survival (DFS), local relapse-free survival (LRFS), and distant metastases-free survival (DMFS) were not reached. The 1-year DFS, LRFS and DMFS rates were 65%, 68%, and 90%. The negative independent risk factors for DFS were male gender (HR 1.42, 95%CI 1.06-3.01), metastases in LN at diagnosis (HR 5.41, 95%CI 2.39-12.26), no SLNB in pts with no clinical metastases in LN (HR 5.45, 95%CI 2.41-12.3), and no perioperative RTH (HR 2.19, 95%CI 1.29-3.76). The median overall survival (OS) was 6.9 years (95%CI 4.64-9.15). The negative independent risk factors for OS were male gender (HR 1.95, 95%CI 1.16-3.27), age above 70 (HR 2.0, 95%CI 1.15-3.48), metastases in LN at diagnosis (HR 3.15, 95%CI 1.49-6.68), and no SLNB in pts with no clinical metastases in LN (HR 2.30, 95%CI 1.10-4.82). PT location, UV-exposure, and perioperative CHT or RTH were not independent risk factors for OS. Conclusions: Our results confirm that the MCC treatment should be done in an experienced multidisciplinary team. Male gender, nodal involvement at diagnosis, and no SLNB in pts without clinical metastases in LN are associated with poor prognosis in DFS and OS. The perioperative RTH improves the treatment outcomes and reduces disease progression risk but does not impact OS. Perioperative CHT does not affect pts survival.

Treatment beyond progression with immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced melanoma

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Background: Immunotherapy (ITH) holds the possibility of tumor burden decrease after initial RECIST defined progression (PD). Clinical concept of treating of selected patients (pts) beyond PD is supported by this pseudoprogression phenomenon. The aim of this study was to evaluate real-life practice and outcomes related to treatment beyond progression (TBP) in melanoma patients. Methods: We evaluated advanced melanoma pts who started anti-PD1 treatment between 12/2015 and 12/2018 and identified pts who received TBP and had subsequent imaging to evaluate the tumor burden. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, Log-rank, chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used for comparison between groups. Data cut-off was 02/2021. Results: Of 399 subsequent melanoma pts treated, 57 (14%) patients received TBP. Anti-PD1 was 1st line treatment in 61.4% and 2nd line - in 38.6% of patients. 71.9% patients were diagnosed with skin, 7.0% - mucosal and 21.1% with FPI melanoma and 47.4% were BRAF mutated, 56.1% were male and 12.3% had 3 or more metastatic sites at treatment initiation. In this cohort median time to 1st PD (TTFP) was 4.43 months(m), while to 2nd PD (TTSP) – 8.01 m. On TBP 26.3% pts achieved objective response (OR), and next 42.1% - SD. 1st PD was reported most often as increase in 3 or more targets or one new lesion – both 22.8%; and in 24.6% cases involved central nervous system. In 56.8% second PD was observed in the same targets as 1st PD. 61.4% patients received multimodal treatment of ITH combined with radiation therapy – in 49.1%, surgery - 5.3% and both - 7.0%. There was no correlation of TTSP with gender, ECOG, initial disease stage or TNM, BRAF mutation, number of metastatic sites or pattern of progression. Multimodal treatment resulted in 13.6 m TTSP, while ITH alone - 8.0 m (p = 0.056). 1st line OR correlated with DCR on TBP while TTFP > 6 m correlated with TTSP (HR = 0.53, 95%CI 0.28-0.99). Patients with 1st line CR – had median TTSP 16.4 m, with PR – 23.5 m, while those with PD – 5.1 m. Median OS after 1st PD was 26 months and correlated with OR on TBP. Conclusions: Selected clinically fit melanoma patients despite evidence of first radiographic progression may benefit from continued treatment with PD-1 inhibitors. Multidisciplinary treatment should be offered to these patients including radiosurgery or stereotactic radiotherapy of progressing loci. Molecular biomarkers of TTSP should be analyzed in prospective studies.

Treatment of Metastatic Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST): A Focus on Older Patients

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) originating in the Cajal cells are the most common mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract. The median age of patients with this diagnosis is 65 years, and over 20% of cases affect people over the age of 70 years. The effectiveness and tolerability of systemic treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors in older patients with GIST seem to be similar to that in younger patients, but some studies have shown that treatment of older patients is suboptimal. Disability, frailty, comorbidities, and concomitant medications may influence treatment decisions, and toxicities also more often lead to treatment discontinuation. The known safety profile and oral administration route of the tyrosine kinase inhibitors used in GIST may allow maximization of treatment and the best efficacy, especially in older patients. This review summarizes the efficacy data for the systemic treatment of GIST, including data for older patients and from real-world experiences, if available and significant. The reported safety data and general rules for toxicity management, including appropriate patient selection and the need for careful monitoring during treatment, are also discussed.

Radiotherapy in the Management of Pediatric and Adult Osteosarcomas: A Multi-Institutional Cohort Analysis

Background: Due to the rarity of osteosarcoma and limited indications for radiotherapy (RT), data on RT for this tumor are scarce. This study aimed to investigate the utilization of RT for osteosarcomas in the recent 20 years and to identify factors related to patients’ response to radiation. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients irradiated for osteosarcoma treatment. We planned to assess differences in the utilization of RT between the periods of 2000–2010 and 2011–2020, identify the risk factors associated with local progression (LP), determine whether RT-related parameters are associated with LP, and calculate patients’ survival. Results: A total of 126 patients with osteosarcoma who received 181 RT treatments were identified. We found a difference in RT techniques between RT performed in the years 2000–2010 and that performed in the years 2011–2020. LP was observed after 37 (20.4%) RT treatments. Intent of RT, distant metastases, and concomitant systemic treatment affected the risk of LP. Five-year overall survival was 33% (95% confidence interval (26%–43%)). Conclusions: RT for osteosarcoma treatment has evolved from simple two-dimensional palliative irradiation into more conformal RT applied for new indications including oligometastatic and oligoprogressive disease. RT may be a valuable treatment modality for selected patients with osteosarcoma.