Association between homologous recombination gene variants and efficacy of oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy in advanced pancreatic cancer: prospective multicenter observational study

Next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based gene profiling can identify patients with pancreatic cancer with homologous recombinant repair gene pathogenic variants (HRRv). Several retrospective studies have reported a positive association between HRRv and the efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy. However, this association remains to be validated in a prospective study. This multicenter, prospective, observational study included patients with histologically confirmed unresectable or recurrent pancreatic cancer who required systemic chemotherapy. Patients who were oxaliplatin-naïve patients were eligible. The HRRv status was measured using a College of American Pathologists-accredited NGS panel. One-year overall survival rate (1yr-OS%) was calculated after initiation of oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy and was set as the primary endpoint. Forty patients were enrolled between August 2018 and March 2020. The NGS success rate was 95% (38/40). HRRv was detected in 11 patients (27.5%). Oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy was administered to 9 of 11 patients with HRRv (81.8%) and 15 of 29 patients with non-HRRv (51.7%). The 1yr-OS% after initiation of oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy was 44.4% [95% confidence interval (CI) 13.7-71.9] and 57.1% (95% CI 28.4-78.0) in HRRv-positive and -negative cohorts, respectively. These data suggested that HRRv status alone could not be a potential predictive marker of oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. These results were in line with the results of a recent phase II study reporting the limited efficacy of poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase inhibitor in patients with pancreatic cancer who harbored HRRv other than BRCA. Future studies investigating patients with biallelic HRRv in the first-line setting are warranted.Trial registration UMIN000033655.

Early tumor shrinkage and depth of response in patients with metastatic esophageal cancer treated with 2-weekly docetaxel combined with cisplatin plus fluorouracil: an exploratory analysis of the JCOG0807

BACKGROUND

We herein investigated the association between early tumor shrinkage (ETS) and depth of response (DpR) and clinical outcomes in patients with metastatic esophageal cancer treated with 2-weekly docetaxel combined with cisplatin plus fluorouracil (bDCF) using data from the JCOG0807, a phase I/II trial of bDCF as first-line chemotherapy for metastatic esophageal cancer.

METHODS

ETS was defined as a percent decrease in the sum of the target lesions' longest diameter after 8 weeks, whereas DpR was defined as a percentage of the maximal tumor shrinkage during the treatment course. Multivariable analyses were conducted to identify significant prognostic variables in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS): one for ETS and covariates, and another for DpR and covariates.

RESULTS

Among 53 patients, 35 patients with ETS ≥ 20% (66.0%) had longer PFS (7.5 vs. 3.4 months, hazard ratio [HR]: 0.26, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.14-0.49), OS (13.8 vs. 6.1 months, HR 0.20, 95% CI 0.11-0.39), and PPS (6.4 vs. 2.8 months, HR 0.38, 95% CI 0.20-0.72) than those with ETS < 20%. In addition, 37 patients with DpR ≥ 30% (69.8%) had longer PFS (7.5 vs. 2.9 months, HR 0.17, 95% CI 0.08-0.34), OS (13.8 vs. 6.0 months, HR 0.14, 95% CI 0.07-0.27), and PPS (6.8 vs. 2.8 months, HR 0.30, 95% CI 0.15-0.58) than those with DpR < 30%. Multivariable analyses revealed that each ETS and DpR was an independent factor of longer PFS and OS.

CONCLUSIONS

ETS and DpR might be associated with clinical outcomes in patients with metastatic esophageal cancer treated with bDCF.

A Single-Arm Confirmatory Study of Definitive Chemoradiotherapy Including Salvage Treatment for Clinical Stage II/III Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (JCOG0909 Study)

PURPOSE

Definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is the standard treatment for patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer (EC) who refuse surgery as the initial therapy. However, poor survival, a high incidence of late toxicities, and severe complications after salvage surgery remain issues to be resolved. This single- arm multicenter trial (Trial name XXXX) aimed to confirm the efficacy of CRT modifications, including salvage treatment, for reducing CRT-related toxicities and facilitating salvage treatment for improved survival.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Patients with clinical stage II/III EC (UICC 6th, non-T4) were eligible. Chemotherapy comprised cisplatin (75 mg/m2 on days 1and 29) and 5- fluorouracil (1,000 mg/m2/d on days 1-4 and 29-32). Radiotherapy was administered at a total dose of 50.4 Gy. Good responders received 1-2 additional cycles of chemotherapy. For residual or recurrent disease, salvage endoscopic resection (ER) or salvage surgery was performed based on specific criteria. The primary endpoint was the 3-year overall survival (OS). The calculated sample size was 95 patients, with a one-sided alpha of 5% and a power of 80%. The expected and threshold 3-year OS were 55% and 42%, respectively.

RESULTS

Overall, 96 patients were enrolled, and 94 were included in the efficacy analysis. A complete response was achieved in 55 patients (59%). Salvage ER and salvage surgery were performed in 5 (5%) and 25 patients (27%), respectively. R0 resection by salvage surgery was achieved in 19 patients (76%). Five patients (20%) showed grade 3 or 4 early operative complications, and 9 patients (9.6%) showed grade 3 late toxicities during the long-term follow-up. The 3-year OS was 74.2% (90% CI, 65.9%-80.8%).

CONCLUSION

The combination of definitive CRT and salvage treatment has lower CRT- related toxicities and yields good OS, thus making it a promising novel treatment option for patients with locally advanced EC.

Pathogenic variants of homologous recombination repair-related genes in advanced pancreatic cancer and oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy: Prospective multicenter observational study

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Background: The latest National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines for pancreatic adenocarcinoma recommended platinum-based chemotherapy for the patients with germline BRCA1/2 or PALB2 variants based on retrospective studies. However, the association between the efficacy of oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy and homologous recombination repair (HRR)-related gene variants has not yet been evaluated in a prospective study. Methods: This was a multicenter, prospective, observational study. Key inclusion criteria were: histologically confirmed pancreatic adenocarcinoma or adenosquamous carcinoma; candidates for systemic chemotherapy or currently under systemic chemotherapy for unresectable disease; age ≥ 20 years; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status 0–2; formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cancer tissue available for genomic sequencing; and adequate hematological, liver, and renal function. Patients were assessed with the next generation sequencing (NGS)-based ACT-repair panel (ACT genomics; Taipei, Taiwan). ACT-repair panel is accredited by College of American Pathologists and is designed to detect short variants (SVs) including substitutions, insertions, deletions, and copy number variants of 35 genes including 8 HRR-related genes ( ATM, ATR, BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, RAD51B, RAD51C, RAD51D). The primary endpoint was the one-year overall survival rate (1yr-OS%) after the initiation of oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy in patients who harbored pathogenic HRR gene variants. On the basis of published retrospective data, expected 1yr-OS% was set at ≥ 60% in this study. Results: Forty patients were enrolled from August 2018 to March 2020. Median age was 67 years (range, 49–81 years). Sequencing data were obtained from 39 patients (NGS success rate = 97.5%). Nine patients (22.5%) harboring HRR gene; ATM SVs (n = 4), BRCA2 loss of heterozygosity (LOH) (n = 3), BRCA2 SVs (n = 1), and PALB2 LOH (n = 1). Three patients received oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy as first-line chemotherapy, while the remaining six patients received it as second- or later-line oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy. The 1yr-OS% was 44.4%, and the median overall survival was 221 days (95% confidence interval, 79–NA days) after the initiation of oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy. In three patients who received oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy as first-line treatment, overall survivals were 703 (alive), 694 (alive), and 405 (dead) days, respectively. Conclusions: Efficacy of oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy on advanced pancreatic cancer harboring HRR-related gene variants did not meet the primary endpoint of 1yr-OS% (≥ 60%). Clinical trial information: UMIN000033655.

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) fusions in Japanese patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Fibroblast growth factor receptor gene alterations have emerged as promising drug targets for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, a rare cancer that has a poor prognosis. This study evaluated the frequency of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 fusions in clinical specimens from Japanese patients with iCCA.

METHODS

This study enrolled 116 patients who had histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma and been diagnosed as relapsing after resection or with unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. We evaluated the frequency of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 fusions-positive cells in their specimens using break-apart fluorescent in situ hybridization 'for 114 patients who met the study protocol'.

RESULTS

Of a total of 114 cases, six (5.3%) were identified as fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 fusions-positive with a high frequency (87% or more) of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 fusions-positive tumour cells whereas the remainder, with the exception of three cases with indeterminate results, were identified as fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 fusions-negative. The patients' baseline characteristics as well as their objective response rates, disease control rates, times to progression, and times to treatment failure with previous or ongoing first-line chemotherapy did not have any obvious relationship to the proportion of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 fusions-positive case.

CONCLUSIONS

Further detailed elucidation of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 fusion status is expected to contribute to the development of promising therapeutic options for patients suffering from recurrent or unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Nivolumab in advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ATTRACTION-1/ONO-4538-07): Minimum of five-year follow-up

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Background:ATTRACTION-1/ONO-4538-07 (AT-1), an open-label, single-arm, multicenter phase 2 clinical trial conducted in Japan, evaluated the clinical activity and safety of nivolumab in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) refractory/intolerant to fluoropyrimidine-, platinum-, and taxane-based chemotherapy. We previously reported the 2-year follow-up findings of AT-1, in which nivolumab demonstrated antitumor activity with a manageable safety profile for these patients. Here we report the final findings from AT-1 at a minimum follow-up of 5 years. Methods:Patients aged ≥20 years with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) of 0-1 received 3 mg/kg nivolumab intravenously every 2 weeks in 6-week cycles until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was centrally-assessed objective response rate (ORR), defined as the proportion of patients whose best overall response was either a complete or partial response. Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), investigator-assessed ORR, progression-free survival (PFS), change in tumor burden, time to response, time to disease progression, and duration of response. Results:Between February 25 and November 14, 2014, a total of 65 patients were enrolled. Sixty-four patients were evaluated for the efficacy, and all patients were evaluated for the safety. At the final database lock on August 6, 2020, 11 (17.2%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 9.9-28.2) of 64 patients had an objective response by central assessment. The median OS was 10.8 months (95% CI, 7.4-13.9), and the estimated 5-year OS rate was 6.3% (95% CI, 2.0-14.0). The median PFS was 1.5 months (95% CI, 1.4-2.8), and the estimated 5-year PFS rate was 6.8% (95% CI, 2.2-15.1). Treatment-related adverse events that occurred with a frequency of > 10% were diarrhea and rash. The presentation will include characteristics of long-term survivors as well as detailed efficacy and safety data of nivolumab. Conclusions:This final assessment represents the longest follow-up of patients with advanced ESCC treated with nivolumab. Nivolumab demonstrated continued long-term efficacy in these patients based on a minimum of 5-year long-term survival update of AT-1. Furthermore, no new safety signals with nivolumab were identified during long-term follow-up. These findings are consistent with those of nivolumab monotherapy for various types of cancer. Clinical trial information: No.142422.

A triplet combination of FOLFOXIRI plus cetuximab as first-line treatment in RAS wild-type, metastatic colorectal cancer: a dose-escalation phase Ib study

BACKGROUND

The triplet-agent (5-fluorouracil/leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan; FOLFOXIRI) combined with an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibody as a first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) has shown promising results in Western trials. This phase Ib study assessed the safety of FOLFOXIRI plus cetuximab in Japanese patients with RAS wild-type mCRC.

METHODS

Patients with previously untreated RAS wild-type mCRC received weekly cetuximab (400 mg/m² at week 1 and subsequently 250 mg/m²) plus FOLFOXIRI that consisted of irinotecan (100, 120, and 150 mg/m² defined as dose levels 0, 1, and 2), followed by oxaliplatin 85 mg/m² and l-leucovorin 200 mg/m² and then 5-fluorouracil 2400 mg/m². The dose level of irinotecan was escalated starting at dose level 1 in a 3 + 3 manner. The primary endpoint was to determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) and the recommended phase-2 dose (RP2D). Secondary endpoints included safety, overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Nine patients were enrolled. The MTD was not reached at dose level 2 and the RP2D was 150 mg/m² irinotecan. The most frequent grade 3/4 adverse events were neutropenia (44%), fatigue (11%), paronychia (22%), and acneiform rash (11%). No dose-limiting toxicities occurred in any of the enrolled patients. No treatment-related death was observed. The ORR was 89% (95% confidence interval 52-100%).

CONCLUSION

The safety profile of the combination of cetuximab and FOLFOXIRI was acceptable and promising anti-tumor activity was demonstrated, supporting further study in patients with RAS wild-type mCRC.

Five-year follow-up of nivolumab treatment in Japanese patients with esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ATTRACTION-1/ONO-4538-07)

BACKGROUND

In the phase II ATTRACTION-1 study, nivolumab demonstrated a promising antitumor activity among Japanese patients with treatment-refractory advanced esophageal cancer. Here, we report the follow-up results of ATTRACTION-1 of > 5 years.

METHODS

We enrolled patients with esophageal cancer that was refractory or intolerant to a standard chemotherapy. Then, nivolumab (3 mg/kg) was administered every 2 weeks. The primary endpoint was a centrally assessed objective response rate.

RESULTS

Nivolumab was administered to 65 patients with esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC). The centrally assessed objective response rate was 17.2%. The overall survival rates at 3 and 5 years were 10.9% and 6.3%, respectively. Three-year survivors tended to have more reduced target lesions. A total of 63.1% of the patients exhibited treatment-related adverse events, and no new safety signal was observed. Patients with select adverse events tended to have better overall survival than those without. No apparent chronological order was observed between the first response and the onset of select adverse events.

CONCLUSION

Our follow-up analysis of more than 5 years is currently the longest and is the first to demonstrate that nivolumab has long-term efficacy and safety for advanced ESCC.

Prospective Survey of Financial Toxicity Measured by the Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity in Japanese Patients With Cancer

PURPOSE

We previously reported on the pilot study assessing the feasibility of using the Japanese translation of the Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity (COST) tool to measure financial toxicity (FT) among Japanese patients with cancer. In this study, we report the results of the prospective survey assessing FT in Japanese patients with cancer using the same tool.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eligible patients were receiving chemotherapy for a solid tumor for at least 2 months. In addition to the COST survey, socioeconomic characteristics were collected by using a questionnaire and medical records.

RESULTS

Of the 191 patients approached, 156 (82%) responded to the questionnaire. Primary tumor sites were colorectal (n = 77; 49%), gastric (n = 39; 25%), esophageal (n = 16; 10%), thyroid (n = 9; 6%), head and neck (n = 4; 3%), and other (n = 11; 7%). Median COST score was 21 (range, 0 to 41; mean ± standard deviation, 12.1 ± 8.45), with lower COST scores indicating more severe FT. On multivariable analyses using linear regression, older age (β, 0.15 per year; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.28; P = .02) and higher household savings (β, 8.24 per ¥15 million; 95% CI, 4.06 to 12.42; P < .001) were positively associated with COST score; nonregular employment (β, -5.37; 95% CI, -10.16 to -0.57; P = .03), retirement because of cancer (β, -5.42; 95% CI, -8.62 to -1.37; P = .009), and use of strategies to cope with the cost of cancer care (β, -5.09; 95% CI, -7.87 to -2.30; P < .001) were negatively associated with COST score.

CONCLUSION

Using the Japanese version of the COST tool, we identified various factors associated with FT in Japanese patients with cancer. These findings will have important implications for cancer policy planning in Japan.

Final analysis of single-arm confirmatory study of definitive chemoradiotherapy including salvage treatment in patients with clinical stage II/III esophageal carcinoma: JCOG0909

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Background: Definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) consisting of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin (CDDP) with 60 Gy radiotherapy (RT) for clinical (c) Stage II/III esophageal carcinoma (EC) is a standard treatment for patients (pts) refusing surgery (S) in Japan based on the previous trial (JCOG9906). However, poor survival, high incidence of late toxicities, and severe complications of salvage S are problems. We conducted a single-arm confirmatory study of CRT modifications including salvage treatment (ST) to reduce CRT toxicities and facilitate ST to improve survival. We reported the 3-year survival at 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting. We report the final data after 5-year follow-up. Methods: EC pts with cStage II/III (UICC 6th, non-T4), PS 0-1, and age 20-75 years were eligible. Chemotherapy (CT) was CDDP (75 mg/m2 on days 1, 29) and 5-FU (1000 mg/m2/d on days 1-4, 29-32). RT was administered to a total dose of 50.4 Gy with elective nodal irradiation of 41.4 Gy. Good responders after dCRT received additional 1-2 cycles of CT. For residual or recurrent disease, salvage endoscopic resection (ER) or S was performed based on the prespecified criteria. Planned sample size was 95, with one-sided alpha of 5% and power of 80%, expected and threshold 3-year overall survival (OS) as 55% and 42%. Key secondary endpoint was ST related toxicity. Final analysis was planned after 5-year follow-up for all pts. Results: From 4/2010 to 8/2014, 96 pts were enrolled, two were ineligible and 94 were included in efficacy analysis (cStage IIA/IIB/III, 22/38/34). Complete response was achieved in 55 pts (59%). Salvage ER and S were performed in 5 (5%) and 27 pts (29%). R0 resection of salvage S was achieved in 23 (85%). With a median follow-up of 5.95 years, 3- and 5-year OS was 74.2% (90% CI 65.9-80.8%) and 64.5% (95% CI 53.9-73.3%). 5-year progression-free survival and esophagectomy-free survival were 48.3% (95% CI 37.9-58.0%) and 54.9% (95% CI 44.3-64.4%). 5-year OS after salvage S was 31.0% and hazard ratio of R1-2 to R0 was 5.635 (95% CI: 1.818-17.467). No complications occurred after salvage ER. Five pts (19%) showed ≥ grade 3 operative complications and 1 treatment related death due to bronchus-pulmonary artery fistula occurred after salvage S. Only 9 pts (9.6%) showed grade 3 late toxicities. And no late operative complications more than grade 3 were observed. Conclusions: This combined modality treatment of dCRT with ST showed acceptable toxicities, favorable 5-year survival, and promising esophageal preservation. Clinical trial information: jRCTs031180110 .

Long-term efficacy and predictive correlates of response to nivolumab in Japanese patients with esophageal cancer

The long-term efficacy of nivolumab in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and its association with disease biomarkers are currently not well known. Therefore, we investigated the association in Japanese patients with treatment-refractory advanced esophageal cancer who participated in an open-label, single-arm, multicenter phase II study. Patients received nivolumab 3 mg/kg i.v. every 2 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity, and were followed up for 2 years after the initial dosing of the last patient. Archival tissue samples were collected before treatment and analyzed for programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) and CD8⁺ status of tumors and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and human leukocyte antigen class 1. Efficacy end-points included objective response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), time to response, and duration of response. Of 65 enrolled patients (83% male), 64 were evaluable for efficacy and 41 (63%) for biomarkers. The ORR, median OS, and survival rate were 17.2%, 10.78 months, and 17.2%, respectively. Time to response was 1.45 months and duration of response was 11.17 months. The PD-L1 positivity of tumor cells was possibly associated with better PFS (2.04 vs 1.41 months, cut-off 1%) and OS (11.33 vs 6.24 months, cut-off 1%). Median OS was prolonged in patients with a median number of TILs greater than 63.75% vs 63.75% or less (11.33 vs 7.85 months). Nivolumab showed continued long-term efficacy, as seen by the stability of PFS and OS, in Japanese patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Further investigation of PD-L1 tumor expression and TILs as potential biomarkers for predicting patients likely to benefit from nivolumab therapy is warranted.

Efficacy of Cytotoxic Agents After Progression on Anti-PD-(L)1 Antibody for Pre-treated Metastatic Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND/AIM

The efficacy of treatment using the anti-programmed cell death-1 (anti-PD-1) antibody for metastatic gastric cancer (mGC) has been established previously. Exploratory analyses in various types of tumours suggest that prior exposure to immune checkpoint inhibitors can enhance the efficacy of subsequent cytotoxic chemotherapy (CTx). Our aim is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CTx for mGC after progression on anti-PD-(ligand) 1 [anti-PD-(L)1] antibody.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated patients with mGC who underwent CTx. The patients received CTx after progression on anti-PD-(L)1 antibody (cohort A) or as a third-line treatment without prior exposure to anti-PD-(L)1 antibody (cohort B). We evaluated: i) clinical characteristics, ii) efficacies, iii) prognoses, and iv) adverse events (AEs).

RESULTS

In cohorts A and B, 16 and 68 patients fulfilled the criteria, respectively. In the univariate analysis, the overall response rate was significantly higher in cohort A compared to cohort B (31% vs. 10%, respectively; Odds Ratio:3.96, 95% Confidence Interval:1.06-14.8, p=0.040). The multivariate analysis showed a similar trend. Immune-related AEs did not worsen and were manageable, while new immune-related AEs were not observed.

CONCLUSION

CTx after progression on anti-PD-(L)1 antibody demonstrated a favourable efficacy in intensively treated patients with mGC.

Exploration of potential prognostic biomarkers in aflibercept plus FOLFIRI in Japanese patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

Aflibercept plus 5‐fluorouracil/levofolinate/irinotecan (FOLFIRI) is a second‐line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer. This ancillary exploratory analysis of data in Japanese people was aimed at exploring the relationship between a set of potential prognostic biomarkers and efficacy endpoints following aflibercept plus FOLFIRI therapy. Sixty‐two patients with metastatic colorectal cancer received aflibercept (4 mg/kg) plus FOLFIRI every 2 weeks. Seventy‐eight potential protein biomarkers were chosen for analysis based on their roles in angiogenesis, tumor progression, and tumor‐stroma interaction. Plasma levels of biomarkers at baseline and at pre‐dose 3 (day 1 of treatment cycle 3) were measured in all patients by ELISA. Relationships between these levels and efficacy endpoints were assessed. Ten potential biomarkers had a ±30% change from baseline to pre‐dose 3 (adjusted P < .001), with the greatest changes occurring in placental growth factor (median: +4716%) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (+2171%). Baseline levels of eight potential biomarkers correlated with overall survival in a univariate Cox regression analysis: extracellular newly identified receptor for advanced glycation end‐products binding protein, insulin‐like growth factor‐binding protein 1, interleukin‐8, kallikrein 5, pulmonary surfactant‐associated protein D, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1, tenascin‐C, and tumor necrosis factor receptor 2. None correlated with progression‐free survival or maximum tumor shrinkage. Pre‐dose 3 levels did not correlate with any efficacy endpoints. Preliminary data show that these eight biomarkers could be associated with overall survival. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01882868.

Phase II trial of aflibercept with FOLFIRI as a second-line treatment for Japanese patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

Aflibercept targets vascular endothelial growth factor. The present study involved assessing the efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of aflibercept plus 5‐fluorouracil/levofolinate/irinotecan (FOLFIRI) as a second‐line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) in Japanese patients. Aflibercept (4 mg/kg) plus FOLFIRI was administered every 2 weeks in 62 patients with mCRC until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity or patient withdrawal. Tumors were imaged every 6 weeks. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR); secondary endpoints were progression‐free survival, overall survival, safety, and pharmacokinetics of aflibercept, irinotecan and 5‐fluorouracil. A total of 60 patients were evaluated for ORR; 50 had received prior bevacizumab. The ORR was 8.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3%‐15.3%), and the disease control rate (DCR) was 80.0% (69.9%‐90.1%). The median progression‐free survival was 5.42 months (4.14‐6.70 months) and the median overall survival was 15.59 months (11.20‐19.81 months). No treatment‐related deaths were observed, and no significant drug‐drug interactions were found. The most common treatment‐emergent adverse events were neutropenia and decreased appetite. Free aflibercept had a mean maximum concentration (coefficient of variation) of 73.2 μg/mL (15%), clearance of 0.805 L/d (22%) and volume of distribution of 6.2 L (18%); aflibercept bound with vascular endothelial growth factor had a clearance of 0.162 L/d (9%) (N = 62). Aflibercept did not significantly affect the pharmacokinetics of irinotecan or 5‐fluorouracil: The clearance was 11.1 L/h/m² (28%) for irinotecan and, at steady state, 72.6 L/h/m² (56%) for 5‐fluorouracil (N = 10). Adding aflibercept to FOLFIRI was shown to be beneficial and well‐tolerated in Japanese patients with mCRC. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01882868.

Influence of radiation field on safety and efficacy for stage II/III esophageal cancer treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy: An exploratory analysis of JCOG0909

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Background: JCOG0909, a single-arm confirmatory trial of definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) including salvage treatment, demonstrated promising efficacy and safety for cStage II/III (UICC-TNM 6th) esophageal cancer (EC) (Ito Y, ASCO 2018). Radiation (RT) fields included the elective regional lymph node during initial 41.4 Gy, such as bilateral supraclavicular fossae and superior mediastinal lymph nodes for upper thoracic (Ut), and mediastinal and perigastric lymph nodes for middle thoracic (Mt)/lower thoracic (Lt) EC. It is unclear whether the safety and efficacy are associated with the tumor location in patients with cStage II/III EC treated with dCRT. Methods: Patients who were enrolled in JCOG0909 and underwent dCRT were analyzed. Patients were categorized into three groups according to primary tumor location (Ut/Mt/Lt). We compared adverse events during dCRT, complete response (CR) rate, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) among groups. Results: Ninety-four patients (Ut/Mt/Lt: 16/59/19) were analyzed. The proportions of cStage IIA/IIB/III were 31%/44%/25% in Ut group, 20%/42%/37% in Mt group, and 21%/32%/47% in Lt group, respectively. The summary of safety and efficacy was listed in Table 1. Grade 3-4 leukopenia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were more frequently observed in Mt and Lt groups than in Ut group. CR rate was 63% in Ut, 63% in Mt, and 42% in Lt, respectively. 3-year PFS in Ut/Mt/Lt was 60%/59%/47% and 3-year OS was 73%/78%/58%, respectively. Conclusions: The RT field by the tumor location might be associated with efficacy and safety of dCRT for cStage II/III esophageal cancer. [Table: see text]

The impact of the Glasgow Prognostic Score on survival in second-line chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer patients with BRAF V600E mutation

BACKGROUND

BRAF (v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1) V600E mutant colorectal cancer is associated with short survival. Recently, clinical trials have been conducted to improve outcomes of second or later lines of chemotherapy. However, there is a paucity of reference data pertaining to outcomes of second-line chemotherapy and prognostic factors that are relevant only to BRAF mutant patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed metastatic colorectal cancer patients with BRAF V600E mutation who underwent second-line chemotherapy between January 2007 and March 2017. We evaluated treatment outcomes and performed prognostic analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 52 patients were included. The median progression-free survival and overall survival (OS) were 2.5 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.91-4.11] and 6.5 (95% CI = 4.30-9.63) months, respectively. Overall response and disease control rates were 7% and 48%, respectively. All the regimens which elicited a partial response included BRAF inhibitors in combination with anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibodies. Therefore, the overall response was 0% after exclusion of patients treated with study drugs. Multivariate analysis for OS revealed that the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), elevated lactate dehydrogenase, and poor performance status were independent prognostic factors. In particular, survival curves according to the GPS stratified the patients into distinct risk groups. The median OSs in patients with GPS of 0, 1, and 2 were 9.9, 5.0, and 1.9 months, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Outcomes of second-line chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer patients with BRAF V600E mutation were extremely poor. GPS may be useful in future clinical trials.

Morphologic Response and Tumor Shrinkage as Early Predictive Markers in Unresectable Colorectal Liver Metastases

BACKGROUND/AIM

Anti-EGFR antibodies or bevacizumab comprise first-line treatment for patients with RAS wild-type colorectal liver metastases (CLM). Which marker better predicts efficacy, early tumor shrinkage or morphologic response, still remains unclear.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated 155 patients with KRAS exon 2 wild-type CLM treated with bevacizumab (BEV group) or anti-EGFR antibodies (EGFR group). Three radiologists independently assessed early tumor shrinkage (ETS) and early optimal morphologic response (EOMR) from baseline and first follow-up CT scan.

RESULTS

Patients with ETS had longer progression-free survival (PFS) than those without ETS [hazard ratio (HR)=0.69] and ETS tended to be observed in the EGFR group, while patients with EOMR had longer PFS than those without EOMR (HR=0.64) and EOMR tended to be observed in the BEV group.

CONCLUSION

Among patients with KRAS exon 2 wild-type CLM, EOMR and ETS may predict better PFS, especially in patients treated with bevacizumab and anti-EGFR antibodies, respectively.

Baseline Sarcopenia and Skeletal Muscle Loss During Chemotherapy Affect Survival Outcomes in Metastatic Gastric Cancer

AIM

To determine the association between sarcopenia and prognosis in patients with metastatic gastric cancer (mGC) receiving chemotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Our study retrospectively evaluated 231 consecutive Japanese patients with mGC who commenced first-line chemotherapy at our Institution between January 2013 and December 2015. Muscle loss during chemotherapy was defined as a ≥10% reduction in the skeletal muscle index and was evaluated for its association with time to treatment failure (TTF) and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Of 118 patients, 89% had baseline sarcopenia and 31% developed muscle loss. Muscle loss was significantly associated with shorter TTF and OS and was an independent prognostic factor for both these parameters; poor performance status and poorer differentiation on histology were also significant predictors of shorter OS. However, muscle loss was not significantly associated with increased grade 3 or higher toxicities.

CONCLUSION

Muscle loss during chemotherapy negatively affected survival among patients with mGC.

Site-specific Chemotherapy Based on Predicted Primary Site by Pathological Profile for Carcinoma of Unknown Primary Site

AIMS

Although platinum-based combination chemotherapies are commonly used for unfavourable subsets of cancer of unknown primary (CUP), the prognosis remains poor. Several studies have suggested that gene expression profiling or immunohistochemistry was useful for the prediction of primary sites in CUP, and site-specific therapy based on predicted primary sites might improve overall outcomes. In Japan, to identify primary sites, immunohistochemical tests were commonly used for CUP in clinical practice. However, it is unclear whether site-specific therapy based on predicted primary sites by pathological examination contributes survival benefit for unfavourable CUP subsets.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this study, 122 patients with unfavourable subsets of CUP were retrospectively reviewed. Ninety patients assigned to cohort A after July 2012 had received chemotherapy according to predicted primary sites; 32 patients assigned to cohort B before June 2012 had received platinum-based empiric chemotherapy.

RESULTS

In cohort A, 56 patients (62.2%) with predicted primary sites by pathological examination received site-specific therapy; 34 patients (37.8%) with unpredictable primary sites received platinum-based empiric chemotherapy, the same as cohort B. The median overall survival was 20.3 months in patients with predictable primary sites in cohort A and 10.7 months in those of cohort B, with a significant difference between these cohorts (P = 0.03, adjusted hazard ratio = 0.57, 95% confidence interval 0.34-0.94).

CONCLUSION

Site-specific therapy based on predicted primary sites by pathological examination could improve prognosis in patients with an unfavourable subset of CUP.

A prospective survey of comprehensive score for financial toxicity in Japanese cancer patients: report on a pilot study

Background

Financial toxicity (FT) has a negative impact on the quality of life and survival of patients with cancer. The comprehensive score for FT (COST) questionnaire is a tool to measure FT which has already been validated in patients with cancer in the United States. However, the feasibility and validity of assessing FT using the COST questionnaire have not been established in non-US healthcare settings, including that in Japan.

Methods

This is a prospective pilot survey to ascertain the feasibility of using the COST questionnaire to evaluate FT in Japanese patients with advanced solid cancer who had been receiving chemotherapy for at least 2 months. The COST questionnaire was translated into Japanese using Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy methodology.

Results

Of the 12 patients approached, 11 (92%) responded to the questionnaire. The median COST score was 22 (range, 6–29; mean ± SD, 20.18 ± 8.17). Five (45%) and two (18%) patients suffered grade 1 (COST score 14–25) and grade 2 (COST score 1–13) FT, respectively. The COST measure demonstrated good internal consistency with a Cronbach α of 0.87.

Conclusions

The COST measure demonstrated good feasibility in measuring FT in the Japanese healthcare setting. Despite the existing universal health insurance system and ceiling amount for high-cost medical expenses, some Japanese patients experienced meaningful FT during chemotherapy. A prospective study is already underway to confirm the preliminary results (UMIN: 000025043).

Nimotuzumab combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy in Japanese patients with esophageal cancer: A phase I study

Nimotuzumab is a humanized anti‐epidermal growth factor receptor IgG1 monoclonal antibody. This phase I study assessed the tolerability, safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of nimotuzumab in combination with chemoradiotherapy in Japanese patients with esophageal cancer. Patients with stage II, III, and IV esophageal cancer were enrolled. Patients were planned to receive nimotuzumab (level 1: 200 mg/wk for 25 weeks; or level 2: 400 mg/wk in the chemoradiation period, 400 mg biweekly in an additional chemotherapy period [8 weeks after the chemoradiation period] and a maintenance therapy period [after chemotherapy to 25 weeks]) combined with cisplatin (75 mg/m² on day 1) and fluorouracil (1000 mg/m² on days 1‐4) in the chemoradiation and additional chemotherapy periods. Radiotherapy was given concurrently at 50.4 Gy. A total of 10 patients were enrolled in level 1. Dose‐limiting toxicities were observed in 2 patients (grade 3 infection and renal disorder). Maximum‐tolerated dose was estimated to be at least 200 mg/wk and the dose was not escalated to level 2. The most common grade ≥3 toxicities were lymphopenia (90%), leukopenia (60%), neutropenia (50%), and febrile neutropenia, decreased appetite, hyponatremia, and radiation esophagitis (30% each). Neither treatment‐related death nor grade ≥3 skin toxicity was observed in any patient. Complete response rate was 50%. Progression‐free survival was 13.9 months. One‐ and 3‐year survival rates were 75% and 37.5%, respectively. Immunogenicity was not reported in any patient. Nimotuzumab in combination with concurrent chemoradiotherapy was tolerable and effective for Japanese patients with esophageal cancer.

Efficacy of cytotoxic agents after progression of anti-PD-(L)1 antibody for pretreated metastatic gastric cancer

152

Background: The efficacy of anti-PD-1 antibody for metastatic gastric cancer (mGC) was revealed. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), it was reported that overall response rate (ORR) in patients (pts) treated with chemotherapy (CTx) after immunotherapy exposure was higher than historical data from the pre-anti-PD-(L)1 era. The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate whether CTx improved efficacy outcomes after exposure anti-PD(L)1 antibody in mGC. Methods: We investigated retrospectively clinical characteristics at baseline of mGC pts who received CTx after progression of anti-PD-(L)1 antibody between April 2014 and August 2017. Anti-PD-(L)1 antibody was adapted as third- or later-line therapy. Pts fulfilled following criteria: histologically proven adenocarcinoma; ECOG PS 0-2; adequate organ functions; and received CTx including fluoropyrimidines (FU), platinum, and taxane or irinotecan. We evaluated efficacy outcomes, including ORR, disease control rate (DCR), time to treatment failure (TTF), and overall survival (OS). Results: Out of 40 treated with anti-PD-(L)1 antibody, 15 pts were included. Patient characteristics were as follows: median age (range), 67 (46-83) years; male/female, 13/2; ECOG PS (0/1/2), 5/8/2; HER2 positive, 8; histology (differentiated/undifferentiated), 10/5; metastatic lesions (peritoneum/liver/lung), 4/8/3; number of metastatic sites (1/≥2), 2/13; number of prior CTx regimens (3/4/5), 2/9/4; median period (range) from first line CTx, 30.7 (12.7-68.1) months; and CTx regimens (FU+oxaliplatin/taxane/irinotecan), 10/3/2. ORR, DCR, median TTF, and OS were 33% (95% CI, 15.2-58.3), 87% (95% CI, 62.1-96.3), 3.5 (95% CI, 1.6-4.4) months, and 7.6 (95% CI, 4.4-8.5) months, respectively. There were no predictive and prognostic factors associated with ORR, TTF, and OS on univariate analysis. At the beginning of CTx, 4 pts had immune-related adverse events (irAEs), but these were manageable and no new irAEs appeared during CTx. Conclusions: Our data support further evaluation of the use of CTx after progression of anti-PD-L 1 antibody, even in heavily pretreated mGC pts. Updated results will be presented.

A triplet combination with irinotecan, oxaliplatin, continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin (FOLFOXIRI) plus cetuximab as first-line treatment in RAS wild-type, metastatic colorectal cancer: A phase 1 dose finding study

856

Background: The FOLFOXIRI regimen (irinotecan, oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin) improves the response rate and overall survival compared to FOLFIRI in pts with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), and addition of cetuximab to chemotherapy increases efficacy in pts with RAS wild-type mCRC. We conducted a phase 1 study of FOLFOXIRI plus cetuximab to determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended dose (RD) and to assess its safety and efficacy in Japanese pts with RAS wild-type mCRC. Methods: Main eligibility criteria were: histologically confirmed colorectal adenocarcinoma; KRAS and NRAS wild-type status; measurable metastatic disease according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1; age 20-74 years; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 or 1. Pts with UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1*6/*6, *28/*28 and *6/*28 genotypes were excluded. Pts received an escalating dose of intravenous irinotecan (100, 120, and 150 mg/m2 in the dose levels 0, 1, and 2, respectively) and a fixed dose of intravenous oxaliplatin (85 mg/m2), continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil (2400 mg/m2) plus l-leucovorin (200 mg/m2), and cetuximab (an initial dose of 400 mg/m2 followed by 250 mg/m2 per week). Results: A total of 9 Japanese pts were treated (3 and 9 in the dose levels 1 and 2, respectively). No patients experienced a dose-limiting toxicity (the MTD was not reached), and the dose level 2 (irinotecan 150 mg/m2) was established as the RD. With a median 8 cycles per patient, the most common grade 3 or 4 adverse events included neutropenia (44%), paronychia (22%), and acne-like rash (11%). No febrile neutropenia and treatment-related death were observed. Among 9 pts, 1 pt had complete response, 7 pts had partial response, and 1 pt had progressive disease, for an overall response rate of 89%. As of September 24, 2017, median progression free survival was 14.0 (95% CI 7.2-20.7) months. Conclusions: The combination of cetuximab and FOLFOXIRI has shown a favorable toxicity profile and promising antitumor activity in pts with RAS wild-type mCRC. Clinical trial information: UMIN000018217.

Establishment and validation of prognostic nomograms in first-line metastatic gastric cancer patients

Background

It remains unclear whether human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status is an outcome-associated biomarker independent of known prognostic factors for metastatic gastric cancer. Moreover, there are few reports about nomograms in inoperable locally advanced or metastatic gastric cancer (AGC), although several studies have been reported regarding other cancer types. This retrospective study aimed to develop nomograms that combine HER2 status and other prognostic factors to predict the survival outcomes of AGC patients starting first-line treatment.

Methods

In this study, 838 consecutive AGC patients starting first-line chemotherapy at the Aichi Cancer Center Hospital (ACC) were included to establish the nomograms that calculated the predicted probability of survival at different time points, 6 months and 1 and 2 years for overall survival (OS) and 3 and 6 months, and 1 year for progression free survival (PFS). Nomograms were independently validated with 269 consecutive AGC patients at the Cancer Center Hospital (SCC) who underwent first-line chemotherapy. The discriminatory ability and accuracy of the models were assessed using Harrell's c-index. IHC3+ or IHC2+/ISH+ tumors were defined as HER2 positive.

Results

At a median follow-up of 12.3 (ACC) and 11.6 (SCC) months, the median OS was 12.5 and 12.4 months (P=1.00), and the median PFS was 4.8 and 5.8 months (P=0.03), respectively. The nomograms showed good C-index values: OS was respectively 0.688 and 0.576 and PFS was respectively for 0.643 and 0.544.

Conclusions

The nomograms including HER2 status as covariate are crucial determinants of clinical care.

FOLFOX as First-line Therapy for Gastric Cancer with Severe Peritoneal Metastasis

BACKGROUND/AIM

Severe peritoneal metastasis (PM) from advanced gastric cancer (AGC) causes massive ascites and inadequate oral intake. Because patients with severe PM are often not included in clinical trials, little is known regarding the efficacy and safety of oxaliplatin with l-leucovorin and bolus/continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil (FOLFOX) for them.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively studied AGC patients with massive ascites and/or inadequate oral intake due to severe PM treated with FOLFOX as the first-line treatment.

RESULTS

Only 39 (10%) of 378 AGC patients had severe PM; 10 received FOLFOX. The median progression-free and overall survivals were 7.5 and 13.2 months, respectively. Ascites decreased in seven of nine patients with ascites, and oral intake improved in four of seven patients with an inadequate oral intake. Common grade 3-4 adverse events included neutropenia and anemia.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that FOLFOX is effective and manageable for AGC patients with severe PM.

Successful Treatment of Cardiac Angiosarcoma Associated with Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation with Nab-Paclitaxel: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Angiosarcoma of the heart is an uncommon soft tissue sarcoma. A few cases of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) associated with angiosarcoma occurring in various organs, but not the heart, have been reported. Although taxane is commonly used in the treatment of metastatic angiosarcoma, data on the efficacy of nab-paclitaxel for angiosarcoma are limited. Here, we report probably the first case of a patient with primary cardiac angiosarcoma with coexisting DIC who was successfully treated with nab-paclitaxel. A 62-year-old female with chief complaints of nausea and shortness of breath was diagnosed as having cardiac angiosarcoma with liver metastases. Four months after the resection of her primary tumor, the hepatic metastatic lesions progressed rapidly accompanied by new metastatic lesions in the right iliac bone and signs of DIC. She received nab-paclitaxel as first-line chemotherapy. A response of stable disease was achieved after 2 treatment cycles and DIC was successfully controlled for at least 4 months. This report suggests potential utility of nab-paclitaxel for angiosarcoma complicated with DIC. We also review the literature for all cases of angiosarcoma with DIC reported so far.

Differences in Urinary Renal Failure Biomarkers in Cancer Patients Initially Treated with Cisplatin

BACKGROUND/AIM

We investigated whether measuring the excretion of each acute kidney injury (AKI) biomarker after cisplatin (CDDP) administration is useful for predicting AKI and evaluated the most appropriate AKI marker in patients treated with CDDP.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We measured NAG, Kim-1, and NGAL in urinary samples of 40 cancer patients treated with chemotherapy on day 1 (before chemotherapy), day 2, and day 5 after treatment; serum creatinine (sCr) was compared on days 7 and 28 after CDDP administration vs. baseline.

RESULTS

NAG, Kim-1, and NGAL excretion (creatinine corrected) were not significantly elevated 5 days after receiving chemotherapy in the non-CDDP chemotherapy group. Conversely, all markers were significantly higher 5 days after receiving chemotherapy in the CDDP group when compared to baseline.

CONCLUSION

Urinary NAG, Kim-1, and NGAL can detect renal injury more sensitively than sCr.

Serum CA19-9 Response Is an Early Predictive Marker of Efficacy of Regorafenib in Refractory Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

PURPOSE

Regorafenib improves survival in chemorefractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. However, regorafenib induces various adverse events (AEs) that often impair patients' quality of life. Identification of early predictive markers of the efficacy is warranted.

METHODS

We retrospectively examined 146 consecutive mCRC patients who received regorafenib. Clinical parameters, including patient background, AEs, and changes in biochemical parameters until day 28, were evaluated to identify efficacy predictors.

RESULTS

Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 2.1 months, and median overall survival was 6.6 months. Major AEs in all cycles were hand-foot skin reaction, hypertension, and increased aspartate transaminase. We extracted 121 patients for prognostic analysis. In univariate analysis, decreased carcinoembryonic antigen (HR: 0.570, p = 0.012) and decreased carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) (HR: 0.422, p = 0.0012) were identified as prognostic markers of PFS. Patients in whom serum CA19-9 decreased after regorafenib exhibited significantly better PFS (median 3.7 vs. 2.0 months, p = 0.004) than those in whom serum CA19-9 did not decrease. Multivariate analysis revealed early CA19-9 decrease as an independent predictive factor (HR: 0.415, 95% CI: 0.210-0.818, p = 0.011).

CONCLUSION

Early response of CA19-9 may predict the efficacy of regorafenib. Additional studies are needed for external validation.

Depth of response predicts the clinical outcome of advanced HER2-positive gastric cancer to trastuzumab-based first-line chemotherapy

PURPOSE

Accumulating evidence suggests that response-related parameters such as depth of response (DpR) might be associated with survival in colorectal cancer, which has not been shown in gastric cancer. This study aimed to evaluate whether DpR was associated with clinical outcomes in HER2-positive AGC patients treated with trastuzumab-based chemotherapy.

METHODS

Fifty-seven HER2-positive AGC patients who were treated with trastuzumab in combination with fluoropyrimidines plus cisplatin therapy as first-line treatment were retrospectively enrolled. DpR was defined as the percent maximal tumor shrinkage of target lesions observed at the lowest point compared with baseline. The cutoff DpR level to discriminate better survival was based on receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis. Association of DpR with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was assessed using the multivariable Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

Median DpR level was 56.8% (range -37.9 to 100%). In multivariate models adjusted for relevant variables, DpR, as a dichotomized variable with a cutoff level of 50% and a continuous variable, was significantly associated with PFS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.39 and 0.97; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.22-0.68 and 0.96-0.98) and OS (HR 0.38 and 0.98; 95% CI 0.21-0.70 and 0.97-0.99). Clinically meaningful differences in PFS (median, 9.8 vs. 4.1 months; p < 0.001) and OS (median, 24.7 vs. 12.8 months; p < 0.001) were observed between the high DpR (≥50%) and the low DpR groups (<50%).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher DpR predicted favorable outcomes following trastuzumab-based chemotherapy in HER2-positive AGC patients.

Correlation between human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 expression level and efficacy of trastuzumab beyond progression in metastatic gastric cancer

There is currently no clinical data regarding the efficacy of trastuzumab treatment for the progression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive advanced gastric cancer (AGC) occurring during trastuzumab-based chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to retrospectively examine the clinical benefits of trastuzumab for HER2-positive AGC patients who progressed during first-line trastuzumab-based chemotherapy. Among the 108 patients treated with trastuzumab combined with fluoropyrimidine and cisplatin as first-line therapy, 46 HER2-positive AGC patients who received cytotoxic agents with or without trastuzumab subsequent to disease progression were included. Of these, the efficacy and safety outcomes of 26 patients who continued trastuzumab were compared with those of the 20 patients who discontinued trastuzumab. No difference in response rate (18.2 vs. 15.8%, P=1.00) was observed between the two groups. Progression-free survival (PFS) time was numerically longer in the chemotherapy combination with trastuzumab group than in the chemotherapy combination without trastuzumab group (median, 4.0 vs. 2.3 months), with no significance [hazard ratio (HR), 0.63; P=0.14]. In the subset analysis, continuation of trastuzumab significantly improved PFS time in selected subgroups of patients with tumors exhibiting HER2 expression scores of 3+ (HR, 0.41; P=0.04), intestinal-type histology (HR, 0.32; P<0.01), and a first PFS time of >6 months (HR, 0.44; P=0.04). The survival times for the trastuzumab beyond progression (TBP) and non-TBP groups were similar (HR, 1.06; P=0.88), with equivalent overall survival times in the subgroups with immunohistochemistry scores of 3+ (HR, 0.97; P=0.94), intestinal-type histology (HR, 0.53; P=0.19), and a first PFS time of >6 months (HR, 0.62; P=0.31). There were no differences in the incidence rates of toxicity, including cardiac dysfunction, between the two groups. The study results suggest that selected HER2-positive AGC patients may benefit from trastuzumab continuation during first progression, and further prospective studies are warranted.

Acute hyperammonemic encephalopathy after fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy: A case series and review of the literature

Acute hyperammonemic encephalopathy induced by fluoropyrimidines (FPs) is a rare complication. Its pathophysiology remains unclear, especially given the currently used regimens, including intermediate-doses of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or oral FP agents. We aimed to characterize the clinical manifestations in cancer patients who developed hyperammonemic encephalopathy after receiving FP-based chemotherapy.We retrospectively reviewed 1786 patients with gastrointestinal or primary-unknown cancer who received FP-based regimens between 2007 and 2012. Eleven patients (0.6%) developed acute hyperammonemic encephalopathy. The incidence according to the administered anticancer drugs were as follows: 5-FU (8 of 1176, 0.7%), S-1 (1 of 679, 0.1%), capecitabine (2 of 225, 0.9%), and tegafur-uracil (UFT) (0 of 39, 0%). Ten patients (90.9%) had at least 1 aggravating factor, including infection, dehydration, constipation, renal dysfunction, and muscle loss. All the 10 patients met the definition of sarcopenia. Median time to the onset of hyperammonemic encephalopathy in the cycle was 3 days (range: 2-21). Three patients (27.3%) developed encephalopathy during the first cycle of the regimen and the remaining 8 patients during the second or more cycles. Seven patients (63.6%) had received at least 1 other FP-containing regimen before without episodes of encephalopathy.All patients recovered soon after immediate discontinuation of chemotherapy and supportive therapies, such as hydration, infusion of branched-chain amino acids, and oral lactulose intake, with a median time to recovery of 2 days (range: <1-7). Four patients (36.4%) received FP-based regimens after improvement of symptoms; 3 patients were successfully managed with dose reduction, and 1 patient, who had developed encephalopathy due to S-1 monotherapy, received modified FOLFOX-6 therapy without encephalopathy later.FP-associated acute hyperammonemic encephalopathy is extremely rare, but a possible event at any time and even during the administration of oral FP agents. Particular attention is warranted when giving FP-based therapy for patients with aggravating factors, such as sarcopenia. This complication can be properly managed with early detection.

Peritoneum metastasis (PM) as a prognostic factor in metastatic gastric cancer (MGC) treated with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy

3051

Background: Anti-PD-1 monotherapy has proven effective for the patients (pts) with MGC. However, the identification of biomarkers for predicting clinical outcomes remain as critical needs. We aimed to identify baseline characteristics associated with time to treatment failure (TTF) or overall survival (OS) for anti-PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy as second- or later-line therapy in MGC. Methods: Routine blood count parameters and clinical characteristics at baseline were retrospectively investigated in 31 pts with MGC in Aichi Cancer Center Hospital. Endpoints were TTF and OS following anti-PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy. Kaplan-Meiyer and Cox regression analysis were applied for survival analyses. Results: Patient characteristics were as follows: median age (range), 68 (47–83); ECOG performance status (PS) 0/1, 21/10; PM +ve/-ve, 12/19; No. of metastatic sites 1–2/≥3, 18/13; No. of prior chemotherapy regimens 1–2/≥3, 11/20; and absolute eosinophil count (AEC) <150/≥150 /μl, 14/17. Objective response rate and disease control rate (RECIST ver. 1.1) were 26% vs. 0% (odds ratio [OR], 3.76; P = 0.12) and 79% vs. 50% (OR, 3.58; P = 0.12) in the PM -ve group (Cohort A) and the PM +ve group (Cohort B), respectively. On univariate analysis, the pts with poor PS, PM +ve, and high AEC were significantly poor TTF; and poor PS and PM +ve were significantly identified as prognostic factors of poor OS. On multivariate analysis, only PM +ve was independent negative impact not only for TTF but also for OS. Median TTF and OS were 5.4 vs. 1.3 months (M) (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 4.29; 95%CI, 1.60–11.5; P < 0.01) and 28.2 vs. 7.5 M (adjusted HR, 3.68; 95%CI, 1.25–10.8; P = 0.02) in Cohort A and Cohort B. Six-months TTF probabilities of 42% vs. 0% ( P = 0.03) and one-year OS probabilities of 58% vs. 8% ( P< 0.01) were observed in Cohort A compared to in Cohort B. Conclusions: PM -ve in the pts treated with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy was associated with better efficacy. In the pts with PM -ve, anti-PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy could be adapted in first-line therapy. [Table: see text]

Nivolumab treatment for oesophageal squamous-cell carcinoma: an open-label, multicentre, phase 2 trial

BACKGROUND

Nivolumab is a human monoclonal IgG4 antibody that inhibits programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) expressed on activated T cells. We investigated the safety and activity of nivolumab in patients with treatment-refractory oesophageal cancer.

METHODS

We did an open-label, single-arm, multicentre phase 2 study. Eligible patients had advanced squamous-cell carcinoma, adenosquamous-cell carcinoma, or adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus refractory or intolerant to fluoropyrimidine-based, platinum-based, and taxane-based chemotherapy. Patients were treated with 3 mg/kg nivolumab given intravenously once every 2 weeks in 6-week cycles. The primary endpoint was centrally assessed objective response (the proportion of patients whose best response was complete or partial response), according to the Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors, version 1.1. Adverse events and treatment-related adverse events (defined as events for which a causal relation to nivolumab could not be ruled out) were monitored throughout the study. The safety analysis was done in patients who received at least one dose of nivolumab, and drug activity was assessed in patients who received at least one dose of nivolumab and had at least one central assessment of tumour response. This study is registered with clinicaltrials.jp, number ONO-4538-07/JapicCTI-No.142422. Follow-up of patients is ongoing.

FINDINGS

Between Feb 25 and Nov 14, 2014, 65 patients were enrolled, all with squamous-cell carcinoma. 64 patients were assessable for the primary endpoint as one patient was excluded due to having multiple primary cancers; all patients were assessable for safety. Median follow-up was 10·8 months (IQR 4·9-14·3). 11 (17%, 95% CI 10-28) of 64 patients had a centrally assessed objective response. Of the 65 patients assessed for adverse events, the most common grade 3 or 4 events were grade 4 dyspnoea and hyponatraemia (one [2%) patient each), grade 3 lung infection (five [8%] patients), grade 3 decreased appetite (two [3%] patients), grade 3 increased blood creatinine phosphokinase (two [3%] patients), and grade 3 dehydration (two [3%] patients). Serious adverse events that occurred during the study were lung infection (four [6%] patients), dehydration (two [3%]), interstitial lung disease (two [3%]), and hyponatraemia, dyspnoea, fatigue, abnormal hepatic function, diarrhoea, bile duct stenosis, gastroenteritis, pneumonia, oedema, and back pain (one [2%] patient each). There were no treatment-related deaths.

INTERPRETATION

Nivolumab showed promising activity with a manageable safety profile. This drug could offer a potential new treatment approach for patients with treatment-refractory advanced squamous-cell carcinoma.

FUNDING

Ono Pharmaceutical, Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Impact of sarcopenia on survival outcomes in patients (pts) with metastatic gastric cancer (mGC)

141

Background: Sarcopenia is a poor prognostic factor in several cancers. This study aimed to assess the predictive value of sarcopenia on survival outcomes among pts with mGC. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 170 consecutive pts with mGC starting first-line chemotherapy at the single institution during January 2013–December 2014. Inclusion criteria were as follows: treatment with fluoropyrimidine plus platinum-based regimen, ECOG PS 0–2, and adequate organ function. Skeletal muscle index (SMI) was calculated from cross-sectional area of muscle at L3 using CT scan divided by the square of the height. Baseline sarcopenia (S) was defined as 53.4 cm2/m2 for men and 38.5 cm2/m2for women. Muscle loss after chemotherapy (L) was defined as 10% ≤ reduction in SMI. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify whether S and L were independent prognostic factors of time to treatment failure (TTF) and overall survival (OS). Multivariate analysis included variables with p values ≤ 0.1 in univariate analyses. Results: Ninety-seven pts met the inclusion criteria; 83 (86%) were classified with S, and 39 (31%) with L. PS (0 vs. 1 and 2) and ALP (ULN> vs. ULN≤) were significantly associated with L. Overall response rate for S, non-S, L, and non-L was 60%, 63%, 63%, and 61%, respectively. S was not associated with TTF or OS. However, L was significantly associated with a shorter TTF (4.7 vs. 7.3 m, HR=1.82; 95% CI: 1.16-2.85, p=0.009) and tended toward worse OS (14.2 vs. 19.7 m, HR=1.31; 95% CI: 0.78-2.20, p=0.29). Variables with p values ≤ 0.1 in univariate analyses for TTF were L, LDH (ULN≤), ALB (ULN>), and histology (poorly differentiated). Histology was only variables with p values ≤ 0.1 for OS (p=0.002). As per multivariate analyses, only L was a significant prognostic factor of TTF. Conclusions: L is an independent negative prognostic factor of TTF in pts with mGC. Intervention for muscle loss can be a therapeutic approach for mGC. [Table: see text]

Efficacy of bevacizumab in combination with doublet chemotherapy as first-line therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer according to KRAS status

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Background: Bevacizumab (BV) plus fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy is a standard treatment as first-line therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). In phase 3 studies, addition of BV to doublet chemotherapy significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS), otherwise overall survival (OS) differences didn’t reach statistical significance. There are only a few reports that assess the efficacy of BV containing chemotherapy according to KRAS status. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of mCRC patients who received doublet chemotherapy (FOLFOX/CapeOX/SOX/FOLFIRI/IRIS) with or without BV as first-line therapy in Aichi Cancer Center or Shizuoka Cancer Center between Apr. 2007 and Aug. 2014. Patients fulfilled following criteria: histologically proven adenocarcinoma, ECOG PS 0-1, adequate organ functions. Exclusion criteria were as follows: KRAS status unknown, adjuvant chemotherapy within less than 6 months (M) before relapse, doublet chemotherapy with other biologics. We analyzed the efficacy of doublet chemotherapy with BV (Group A) and without BV (Group B), dividing into KRAS exon 2 wild type (WT) and mutant (MT). WT-A means Group A in WT. Results: Patients met the selection criteria were 578 (WT-A/WT-B 276/55, MT-A/MT-B 202/45). Patients’ backgrounds were as follows; median age (range) 63 (20-88) years old, male/female 60/40%, ECOG PS 0/1 66/34%, tumor location right colon/left colon and rectum 29/71%, number of metastases 1/ ≥ 2 48/52%, KRAS status WT/MT 57/43%. PFS in Group A/B was 13.0/8.4 m (HR 0.49, 95%CI 0.39-0.61, p < 0.0001), and OS was 32.4/27.1 m (HR 0.70, 95%CI 0.56-0.88, p = 0.0024). PFS was 12.7/8.5 m in WT-A/WT-B (HR 0.51, 95%CI 0.38-0.69, p < 0.0001), 14.5/8.0 m in MT-A/MT-B (HR 0.46, 95%CI 0.33-0.64, p < 0.0001). OS was 32.6/29.8 m in WT-A/WT-B (HR 0.85, 95%CI 0.62-1.17, p = 0.32), 31.7/25.8 m in MT-A/MT-B (HR 0.55, 95%CI 0.39-0.77, p = 0.0005), adjusted HR (variables: age, sex, ECOG PS, tumor location, et al) was 0.74 in WT (95%CI 0.53-1.05, p = 0.089), 0.69 in MT (95%CI 0.48-1.00, p = 0.047). Conclusions: Addition of BV to doublet chemotherapy as first-line therapy might prolong OS in patients with mCRC regardless of KRAS status.

Efficacy of Second-Line Bevacizumab-Containing Chemotherapy for Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer following First-Line Treatment with an Anti-Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Antibody

OBJECTIVE

Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibodies and bevacizumab are commonly used, sequentially, as palliative chemotherapies for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. However, little is known about the efficacy of second-line treatments containing bevacizumab after first-line treatment with an anti-EGFR antibody.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 128 patients who received second-line bevacizumab-containing chemotherapy and evaluated the effect of prior use of anti-EGFR antibody on the efficacy of the second-line treatment.

RESULTS

As first-line treatments, 35 of these patients received only cytotoxic chemotherapy (cohort A), 58 received bevacizumab-containing chemotherapy (cohort B), and 35 received anti-EGFR-containing chemotherapy (cohort C). The median progression-free survival (PFS) with the second-line bevacizumab-containing therapy was 8.3 months in cohort C, 6.9 months in cohort A (hazard ratio [HR], 1.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83-2.51), and 5.6 months in cohort B (HR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.18-3.22). Multivariate analysis showed that PFS in cohort C was the same as that in cohort A, but better than that in cohort B. The overall response rate in cohort C (25.7%) was also similar to that in cohort A (20.0%), but better than that in cohort B (10.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

Prior use of anti-EGFR antibody did not adversely affect the efficacy of subsequent bevacizumab-containing chemotherapy.

Efficacy of panitumumab plus irinotecan versus cetuximab plus irinotecan in patients with wild-type KRAS exon2 metastatic colorectal cancer previously treated with bevacizumab within 6 months

800

Background: The ASPECCT study showed panitumumab (Pmab) is non-inferior to cetuximab (Cmab) for chemotherapy-refractory and intolerant wild-type (WT) KRAS exon2 metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). In the subgroup analysis, Pmab provided more favorable outcomes than Cmab for patients (pts) previously treated with bevacizumab (Bmab). However, some reports suggested that anti-EGFR antibody (anti-EGFR) efficacy was reduced when received within 6 months of last administration of Bmab. In this study, we aim to evaluate the difference in efficacy between Pmab and Cmab in pts who received prior Bmab and were treated with anti-EGFR after a short interval. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated pts treated with anti-EGFR and irinotecan (IRI) after failure of Bmab, fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and IRI at two institutions. The main inclusion criteria were WT KRAS exon2 mCRC, ECOG PS 0-2, and no prior administration of anti-EGFR within 6 months after Bmab. Results: From Sep. 2008 to Mar. 2016, 124 consecutive pts met the inclusion criteria (Pmab/Cmab, 30/94). Pts’ characteristics were as follows (Pmab/Cmab): median age (range): 63/62 (38-76/27-82); male, 63%/72%; ECOG PS 0, 43%/27%; PS1, 57%/66%; PS2 0%/7%; tumor in left colon, 87%/76%; histology (por, muc), 10%/16%; ≥2 metastases, 67%/66%; ≥1 subsequent therapy, 73%/63%. Overall response and disease control rates in Pmab/Cmab were 31%/26% and 69%/67%, respectively. In Pmab/Cmab, the median overall survival was 15.8/12.2 months (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.4-0.97; P=0.04) and the median progression-free survival was 6.5/5.5 months (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.49-1.16, P=0.20). The adjusted HR with 10 covariates such as age, gender, PS, tumor location, histology, primary tumor resection, number of metastatic sites, liver limited disease, time from diagnosis of metastasis and initiation date of anti-EGFR plus IRI was 0.61 for PFS (p=0.1) and 0.61 for OS (p=0.04). Conclusions: Pmab plus irinotecan showed favorable outcomes compared with Cmab plus irinotecan in pts with WT KRAS exon2 mCRC within 6 months between the last administration of Bmab and initial anti-EGFR.

A phase II study of ziv-aflibercept (Z) + FOLFIRI in Japanese patients (pts) with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC)

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Background: VEGF promotes tumor angiogenesis and metastasis. Z blocks the activity of VEGF-A/-B, and placental growth factor and was shown in the VELOUR phase III study (NCT00561470) outside of Japan to significantly improve overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall response rate (ORR) in mCRC pts as a second-line treatment given with FOLFIRI. Goals of the current open-label, multicenter phase II study were to assess the efficacy and safety of Z + FOLFIRI in a post-oxaliplatin setting in mCRC pts in Japan. Methods: Pts received Z (4 mg/kg) + FOLFIRI (400 mg/m2 bolus 5-fluorouracil [FU]; 2400 mg/m2 continuous infusion 5-FU; 200 mg/m2 levofolinate; 180 mg/m2 irinotecan) every 2 weeks until progression, unacceptable toxicity, or study withdrawal. Primary endpoint: ORR (required 60 pts in order to obtain a 95% CI width of 16–20%, assuming an ORR of 10–20%). Secondary endpoints: PFS, OS, and safety. Tumors were assessed by independent reviewers every 6 ± 1 weeks until progression. Results: Study enrolled 62 pts; 50 pts (83.3%) had received prior bevacizumab. Of 60 pts evaluable for response, 5 had a partial response and none had a complete response, resulting in an ORR of 8.3% (95% CI: 1.3–15.3%). The median PFS was 5.42 months (95% CI: 4.140–6.702), and the median OS was 15.59 months (range 11.20–19.81). Forty-one pts (66.1%) died due to progression; none died due to study treatment. Pts underwent a median of 8 treatment cycles (range 1–31) lasting a median of 21.8 weeks (range 2–73). The median relative dose intensity was 0.99 (range 0.2–1.0) for Z, 0.87 (range 0.4–1.0) for irinotecan, and 0.96 (range 0.7–1.0) for 5-FU. All pts had ≥1 treatment emergent adverse event (TEAE; see table). Conclusions: The ORR was 8.3% (95% CI: 1.3–15.3%), and the median OS was 15.59 months. The safety profile was consistent with that reported previously. Registered as NCT01882868. Clinical trial information: NCT01882868. [Table: see text]