Immune-related alopecia (areata and universalis) in cancer patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein-4, programmed cell death protein and programmed cell death protein ligand 1 monoclonal antibodies (immune checkpoint inhibitors), are used to treat various malignancies. Their mechanism of action involves the inhibition of negative regulators of immune activation, resulting in immune-related adverse events (irAEs) including endocrinopathies, pneumonitis, colitis, hepatitis and dermatological events. Dermatological irAEs include maculopapular rash, pruritus, vitiligo, blistering disorders, mucocutaneous lichenoid eruptions, rosacea and the exacerbation of psoriasis. Alopecia secondary to immune checkpoint inhibitors has been reported in 1·0-2·0% of treated patients. Our objective is to characterize for the first time the clinicopathology of patients with alopecia areata (AA) secondary to immune checkpoint inhibitors, including the first report of anti-PD-L1 therapy-induced AA, and review of the literature. Four cases of patients who developed partial or complete alopecia during treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors for underlying cancer were identified from our clinics. Methods include the review of the history and clinicopathologic features. Three patients (75%) had AA and one had universalis. Two patients had a resolution after topical, oral or intralesional therapies and one had a resolution after immunotherapy was discontinued; all regrown hair exhibited poliosis. One of the four patients had coincident onychodystrophy. This report describes a series of four patients who developed partial or complete alopecia (i.e. areata and universalis) during treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies for cancer. The recognition and management of hair-related irAEs are important for pretherapy counselling and interventions that contribute to maintaining optimal health-related quality of life in patients.

Controversies and consensus in the innovation access for cancer therapy in the European countries: on the subject of metastatic prostate cancer

Innovative cancer therapies and advances in drug development have created new hopes for patients and health providers. The purpose of this article was to evaluate the discrepancies in the assessment of the magnitude of benefit of four new drugs (abiraterone acetate, enzalutamide, cabazitaxel, radium-223 dichloride) for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The comparison was done among three European countries (UK, Germany and France) and Canada, according to the statement of each country and to the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale. Whereas those drugs are authorized by the European Medical Agency, one can observed that clear discrepancies in the magnitude of benefit assessment exist between selected countries, as well as between national pricing evaluation agencies and ESMO. However, price setting and reimbursement decisions remain national responsibility with differences in assessment of the medical value of new treatment across countries, leading to a heterogeneous accessibility to cancer treatments. In conclusion, several procedures have to be implemented to overcome the patchwork of administrative assessments. Among them, the assessment of medical value should be based on independent statements of learned societies, and the harmonization of access to cancer therapy in Europe has to be driven by a common European reimbursement and pricing policy.

Biological toxicities as surrogate markers of efficacy in patients treated with mTOR inhibitors for metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Background

Metabolic toxicities of mTOR inhibitors (mTORi) are well characterized. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between these metabolic toxicities and mTORi efficacy.

Methods

From 2007 to 2011, metabolic toxicities were retrospectively collected in patients treated with an mTORi (everolimus, temsirolimus) for a metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) in a single institution. Patients were eligible if they have received an mTORi for at least 28 days. Changes in the following parameters were analyzed: lymphocytes, serum creatinine, glycemia, serum phosphate, liver transaminases, cholesterol, and triglycerides. The efficacy was assessed by progression-free survival (PFS) and tumor response.

Results

Data were collected from seventy-five patients (everolimus = 44 patients; temsirolimus = 31 patients). Six patients exhibited a partial response, 42 a stable disease and 15 had a progressive disease (12 missing). After a median follow-up of 12.8 months, the median PFS was 6.7 months (95% confidence interval: 4.0-9.1 months). Patients with CB had a statistically more severe absolute increase of glycemia and absolute decrease in phosphatemia (p = 0.002 and p = 0.02 respectively). The Progression Free Survival was significantly higher with the onset rate of hypophosphatemia (p = 0.03) and hyperglycemia (p = 0.001) and lower with the onset rate of lymphopenia (p = 0.004).

Conclusions

Hyperglycemia, hypophosphatemia and lymphopenia, were significantly associated with tumor response and/or PFS. Those events, as well as their onset rate, should be prospectively monitored as predictors of response to mTORi.

Final results from the large sunitinib global expanded-access trial in metastatic renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

We report final results with extended follow-up from a global, expanded-access trial that pre-regulatory approval provided sunitinib to metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients, ineligible for registration-directed trials.

METHODS

Patients ⩾18 years received oral sunitinib 50 mg per day on a 4-weeks-on-2-weeks-off schedule. Safety was assessed regularly. Tumour measurements were scheduled per local practice.

RESULTS

A total of 4543 patients received sunitinib. Median treatment duration and follow-up were 7.5 and 13.6 months. Objective response rate was 16% (95% confidence interval (CI): 15-17). Median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 9.4 months (95% CI: 8.8-10.0) and 18.7 months (95% CI: 17.5-19.5). Median PFS in subgroups of interest: aged ⩾65 years (33%), 10.1 months; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ⩾2 (14%), 3.5 months; non-clear cell histology (12%), 6.0 months; and brain metastases (7%), 5.3 months. OS was strongly associated with the International Metastatic Renal-Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium prognostic model (n=4065). The most common grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events were thrombocytopenia (10%), fatigue (9%), and asthenia, neutropenia, and hand-foot syndrome (each 7%).

CONCLUSION

Final analysis of the sunitinib expanded-access trial provided a good opportunity to evaluate the long-term side effects of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor used worldwide in mRCC. Efficacy and safety findings were consistent with previous results.

First-line treatment with sunitinib for type 1 and type 2 locally advanced or metastatic papillary renal cell carcinoma: a phase II study (SUPAP) by the French Genitourinary Group (GETUG)†

BACKGROUND

Papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC), type 1 and type 2, represents 10%-15% of renal cell carcinomas (RCC). There is no standard first-line treatment of metastatic PRCC (mPRCC). Anti-angiogenics have shown activity in retrospective studies but no prospective studies in pure papillary histology have been reported, but one with foretinib.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A prospective phase II study evaluated sunitinib in first-line treatment of mPRCC. The primary end point was overall response rate (ORR). Secondary end points were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Fifteen and 46 patients, respectively, with type 1 and type 2 mPRCC were enrolled. Using the MSKCC scoring system: 12 (20%), 33 (55%) and 9 (15%) patients were, respectively, in the favourable, intermediate or poor risk group and 7 undetermined. Median follow-up is 51.4 months. In type 1, 2 patients 13% [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.1-30.5] had a partial response (PR), 10 had stable disease (SD) with 5 (33%) ≥12 weeks. In type 2, 5 patients 11% (95% CI 1.9-20.3) had a PR, 25 had SD with 10(22%) ≥12 weeks. Median PFS was 6.6 months (95% CI 2.8-14.8) in type 1 and 5.5 months (95% CI 3.8-7.1) in type 2. Median OS was 17.8 (95% CI 5.7-26.1) and 12.4 (95% CI 8.2-14.3) months, respectively, in type 1 and 2. Safety was as expected with sunitinib for metastatic RCC.

CONCLUSION

Sunitinib showed activity in treatment of type 1 and 2 mPRCC but lower than in clear-cell mRCC. Both PFS and OS are longer in type I PRCC. Sunitinib represents an acceptable option in first-line treatment of mPRCC.