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Pinato DJ, D'Alessio A, Fulgenzi CAM, Schlaak AE, Celsa C, Killmer S, Blanco JM, Ward C, Stikas CV, Openshaw MR, Acuti N, Nteliopoulos G, Balcells C, Keun HC, Goldin RD, Ross PJ, Cortellini A, Thomas R, Young AM, Danckert N, Tait P, Marchesi JR, Bengsch B, Sharma R. Safety and Preliminary Efficacy of Pembrolizumab Following Transarterial Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: The PETAL Phase Ib Study. Clin Cancer Res 2024; 30:2433-2443. [PMID: 38578610 PMCID: PMC11145164 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-24-0177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) may prime adaptive immunity and enhance immunotherapy efficacy. PETAL evaluated safety, preliminary activity of TACE plus pembrolizumab and explored mechanisms of efficacy. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with liver-confined hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were planned to receive up to two rounds of TACE followed by pembrolizumab 200 mg every 21 days commencing 30 days post-TACE until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity for up to 1 year. Primary endpoint was safety, with assessment window of 21 days from pembrolizumab initiation. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS) and evaluation of tumor and host determinants of response. RESULTS Fifteen patients were included in the safety and efficacy population: 73% had nonviral cirrhosis; median age was 72 years. Child-Pugh class was A in 14 patients. Median tumor size was 4 cm. Ten patients (67%) received pembrolizumab after one TACE; 5 patients after two (33%). Pembrolizumab yielded no synergistic toxicity nor dose-limiting toxicities post-TACE. Treatment-related adverse events occurred in 93% of patients, most commonly skin rash (40%), fatigue, and diarrhea (27%). After a median follow-up of 38.5 months, objective response rate 12 weeks post-TACE was 53%. PFS rate at 12 weeks was 93% and median PFS was 8.95 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 7.30-NE (not estimable)]. Median duration of response was 7.3 months (95% CI: 6.3-8.3). Median overall survival was 33.5 months (95% CI: 11.6-NE). Dynamic changes in peripheral T-cell subsets, circulating tumor DNA, serum metabolites, and in stool bacterial profiles highlight potential mechanisms of action of multimodal therapy. CONCLUSIONS TACE plus pembrolizumab was tolerable with no evidence of synergistic toxicity, encouraging further clinical development of immunotherapy alongside TACE.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/therapy
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/drug therapy
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/mortality
- Male
- Liver Neoplasms/therapy
- Liver Neoplasms/pathology
- Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Liver Neoplasms/mortality
- Female
- Aged
- Chemoembolization, Therapeutic/methods
- Chemoembolization, Therapeutic/adverse effects
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/administration & dosage
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/adverse effects
- Middle Aged
- Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological/administration & dosage
- Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological/adverse effects
- Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological/therapeutic use
- Aged, 80 and over
- Combined Modality Therapy
- Treatment Outcome
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. Pinato
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
- Division of Oncology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Antonio D'Alessio
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
- Division of Oncology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Claudia Angela Maria Fulgenzi
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ciro Celsa
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
- Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, PROMISE, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Saskia Killmer
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jesus Miguens Blanco
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, St Mary's Hospital Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline Ward
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Charalampos-Vlasios Stikas
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mark R. Openshaw
- Institute of Cancer and Genomics Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Nicole Acuti
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Georgios Nteliopoulos
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Cristina Balcells
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hector C. Keun
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Robert D. Goldin
- Centre for Pathology, Imperial College London, Charing Cross Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul J. Ross
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guy's and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
- King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alessio Cortellini
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
- Division of Medical Oncology, Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
| | - Robert Thomas
- Interventional Radiology, Imperial College NHS Trust, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anna-Mary Young
- Department of Medical Oncology, St Georges University Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nathan Danckert
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, St Mary's Hospital Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Tait
- Interventional Radiology, Imperial College NHS Trust, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Julian R. Marchesi
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, St Mary's Hospital Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bertram Bengsch
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany, partner site Freiburg
| | - Rohini Sharma
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
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He M, Liang C, Pang Y, Jiang M, Long M, Yao Z, Wang X, Zhang R, Wu Q, Liang S, Li J. A Novel Nomogram to Predict Prognosis of Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy Plus Anti-PD1. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2024; 11:913-925. [PMID: 38799002 PMCID: PMC11128222 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s459683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose The combination of radiotherapy and monoclonal antibody against programmed cell death 1 (anti-PD1) showed preliminary efficacy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to identify the prognostic factors and construct a nomogram to predict the overall survival (OS) of patients with advanced HCC after treatment with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) plus anti-PD1. Patients and Methods The OS and progression-free survival (PFS) of 102 patients with BCLC stage C HCC was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Potential independent prognostic factors were determined using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. A nomogram was established to predict prognosis whose accuracy and reliability was verified by a calibration curve and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). Results The median PFS and OS rates of the 102 patients with advanced HCC were 9.9 months and 14.3 months, respectively. Ninety-three patients were evaluated for efficacy, including five (5.38%) with complete response and 48 (51.61%) with partial response, with an overall response rate of 56.99%. Grade 3 and 4 adverse reactions (AEs) were observed in 32.35% of patients; no grade 5 AEs occurred. Multivariate Cox analysis revealed albumin and alpha-fetoprotein levels, neutrophil counts 3-4 weeks after IMRT initiation, and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio 3-4 weeks after IMRT initiation to be independent prognostic factors. The nomogram model constructed using these factors had good consistency and accuracy with 1-3 years AUROC of 78.7, 78.6, and 93.5, respectively. Conclusion IMRT plus anti-PD1 showed promising efficacy and controllable adverse reactions in treating advanced HCC. The nomogram model demonstrated good reliability and clinical applicability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiling He
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chunfeng Liang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yadan Pang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Mengjie Jiang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Meiying Long
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhongqiang Yao
- Department of General Affairs, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoting Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ruijun Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qiaoyuan Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shixiong Liang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianxu Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, People’s Republic of China
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3
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Das D, Wang X, Chiu YC, Bouamar H, Sharkey FE, Lopera JE, Lai Z, Weintraub ST, Han X, Zou Y, Chen HIH, Zeballos Torrez CR, Gu X, Cserhati M, Michalek JE, Halff GA, Chen Y, Zheng S, Cigarroa FG, Sun LZ. Integrative multi-omics characterization of hepatocellular carcinoma in Hispanic patients. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.04.27.24306447. [PMID: 38746245 PMCID: PMC11092709 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.27.24306447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Background The incidence and mortality rates of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among Hispanics in the United States are much higher than those of non-Hispanic whites. We conducted comprehensive multi-omics analyses to understand molecular alterations in HCC among Hispanic patients. Methods Paired tumor and adjacent non-tumor samples were collected from 31 Hispanic HCC in South Texas (STX-Hispanic) for genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic profiling. Additionally, serum lipids were profiled in 40 Hispanic and non-Hispanic patients with or without clinically diagnosed HCC. Results Exome sequencing revealed high mutation frequencies of AXIN2 and CTNNB1 in STX Hispanic HCCs, suggesting a predominant activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The TERT promoter mutation frequency was also remarkably high in the Hispanic cohort. Cell cycles and liver functions were identified as positively- and negatively-enriched, respectively, with gene set enrichment analysis. Gene sets representing specific liver metabolic pathways were associated with dysregulation of corresponding metabolites. Negative enrichment of liver adipogenesis and lipid metabolism corroborated with a significant reduction in most lipids in the serum samples of HCC patients. Two HCC subtypes from our Hispanic cohort were identified and validated with the TCGA liver cancer cohort. The subtype with better overall survival showed higher activity of immune and angiogenesis signatures, and lower activity of liver function-related gene signatures. It also had higher levels of immune checkpoint and immune exhaustion markers. Conclusions Our study revealed some specific molecular features of Hispanic HCC and potential biomarkers for therapeutic management of HCC and provides a unique resource for studying Hispanic HCC.
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Yang X, Yang C, Zhang S, Geng H, Zhu AX, Bernards R, Qin W, Fan J, Wang C, Gao Q. Precision treatment in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Cell 2024; 42:180-197. [PMID: 38350421 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2024.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed significant advances in the systemic treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nevertheless, the newly developed treatment strategies have not achieved universal success and HCC patients frequently exhibit therapeutic resistance to these therapies. Precision treatment represents a paradigm shift in cancer treatment in recent years. This approach utilizes the unique molecular characteristics of individual patient to personalize treatment modalities, aiming to maximize therapeutic efficacy while minimizing side effects. Although precision treatment has shown significant success in multiple cancer types, its application in HCC remains in its infancy. In this review, we discuss key aspects of precision treatment in HCC, including therapeutic biomarkers, molecular classifications, and the heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment. We also propose future directions, ranging from revolutionizing current treatment methodologies to personalizing therapy through functional assays, which will accelerate the next phase of advancements in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xupeng Yang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Immune Regulation in Cancer Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Shu Zhang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Haigang Geng
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Andrew X Zhu
- I-Mab Biopharma, Shanghai, China; Jiahui International Cancer Center, Jiahui Health, Shanghai, China
| | - René Bernards
- Division of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Oncode Institute, the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Wenxin Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Fan
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Cun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Qiang Gao
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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5
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Sathish G, Monavarshini LK, Sundaram K, Subramanian S, Kannayiram G. Immunotherapy for lung cancer. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 254:155104. [PMID: 38244436 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2024.155104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockers have transformed non-small-cell lung cancer treatment, but they can lead to autoimmune and inflammatory side effects, leading to the concurrent use of immunosuppressive treatments. In this analysis, we delve into the potential of antibodies checkpoint blockade, focusing on CTLA-4 inhibition using ipilimumab, as a groundbreaking cancer immunotherapy. We also concentrate on the role of biomarkers, particularly PD-L1 activity and mutation significance, in predicting the response to programmed cell death protein 1 blockage and the prevalence of side effects associated with immune-related side effects. In describing the patterns of cancer response to immunotherapy, we underline the limitations of response assessment criteria like RECIST and World Health Organization. We also stress the necessity of ongoing studies and clinical trials, standardized guidelines, and additional research to improve response assessment in the era of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Girshani Sathish
- Department of Biotechnology, Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute, Maduravoyal, Chennai 600095, India
| | - L K Monavarshini
- Department of Biotechnology, Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute, Maduravoyal, Chennai 600095, India
| | - Keerthi Sundaram
- Department of Biotechnology, Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute, Maduravoyal, Chennai 600095, India
| | - Sendilvelan Subramanian
- Deparment of Mechanical Engineering, Dr.MGR Educational and Research Institute, Maduravoyal, Chennai 600095, India
| | - Gomathi Kannayiram
- Department of Biotechnology, Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute, Maduravoyal, Chennai 600095, India.
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6
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Qin R, Jin T, Xu F. Biomarkers predicting the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1326097. [PMID: 38187399 PMCID: PMC10770866 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1326097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged as a transformative approach in treating advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite their success, challenges persist, including concerns about their effectiveness, treatment costs, frequent occurrence of treatment-related adverse events, and tumor hyperprogression. Therefore, it is imperative to identify indicators capable of predicting the efficacy of ICIs treatment, enabling optimal patient selection to maximize clinical benefits while minimizing unnecessary toxic side effects and economic losses. This review paper categorizes prognostic biomarkers of ICIs treatment into the following categories: biochemical and cytological indicators, tumor-related markers, imaging and personal features, etiology, gut microbiome, and immune-related adverse events (irAEs). By organizing these indicators systematically, we aim to guide biomarker exploration and inform clinical treatment decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tianqiang Jin
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Feng Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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7
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Dharmapuri S, Özbek U, Jethra H, Jun T, Marron TU, Saeed A, Huang YH, Muzaffar M, Pinter M, Balcar L, Fulgenzi C, Amara S, Weinmann A, Personeni N, Scheiner B, Pressiani T, Navaid M, Bengsch B, Paul S, Khan U, Bettinger D, Nishida N, Mohamed YI, Vogel A, Gampa A, Korolewicz J, Cammarota A, Kaseb A, Galle PR, Pillai A, Wang YH, Cortellini A, Kudo M, D’Alessio A, Rimassa L, Pinato DJ, Ang C. Baseline neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-lymphocyte ratio appear predictive of immune treatment related toxicity in hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2023; 15:1900-1912. [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v15.i11.1900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A well-recognized class effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) is immune-related adverse events (IrAEs) ranging from low grade toxicities to life-threatening end organ damage requiring permanent discontinuation of ICI. Deaths are reported in < 5% of patients treated with ICI. There are, however, no reliable markers to predict the onset and severity of IrAEs. We tested the association between neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) at baseline with development of clinically significant IrAEs (grade ≥ 2) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated with ICI.
AIM To test the association between NLR and PLR at baseline with development of clinically significant IrAEs (grade ≥ 2) in HCC patients treated with ICI.
METHODS Data was extracted from an international database from a consortium of 11 tertiary-care referral centers. NLR = absolute neutrophil count/absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) and PLR = platelet count/ALC. Cutoff of 5 was used for NLR and 300 for PLR based on literature. We also tested the association between antibiotic and steroid exposure to IrAEs.
RESULTS Data was collected from 361 patients treated between 2016-2020 across the United States (67%), Asia (14%) and Europe (19%). Most patients received Nivolumab (n = 255, 71%). One hundred sixty-seven (46%) patients developed at least one IrAE, highest grade 1 in 80 (48%), grade ≥ 2 in 87 (52%) patients. In a univariable regression model PLR > 300 was significantly associated with a lower incidence of grade ≥ 2 IrAEs (OR = 0.40; P = 0.044). Similarly, a trend was observed between NLR > 5 and lower incidence of grade ≥ 2 IrAEs (OR = 0.58; P = 0.097). Multivariate analyses confirmed PLR > 300 as an independent predictive marker of grade ≥ 2 IrAEs (OR = 0.26; P = 0.011), in addition to treatment with programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-1)/cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein-4 (OR = 2.57; P = 0.037) and PD-1/tyrosine kinase inhibitor (OR = 3.39; P = 0.01) combinations. Antibiotic use was not associated with IrAE incidence (OR = 1.02; P = 0.954). Patients treated with steroids had a > 2-fold higher incidence of grade ≥ 2 IrAEs (OR = 2.74; P < 0.001), although 74% were prescribed steroids for the treatment of IrAEs.
CONCLUSION Given that high baseline NLR and PLR are associated with a decreased incidence of IrAEs, lower baseline NLR and PLR may be predictive biomarkers for the appearance of IrAEs in HCC treated with ICI. This finding is in keeping with several studies in solid tumors that have shown that baseline NLR and PLR appear predictive of IrAEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirish Dharmapuri
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Umut Özbek
- Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Hiren Jethra
- Department of Data Analytics Harrisburg, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, Harrisburd, PA 17101, United States
| | - Tomi Jun
- SEMA4, Stamford, CT 06902, United States
| | - Thomas U Marron
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Anwaar Saeed
- Division of Medical Oncology Kansas, University of Kansas Cancer Center, Kansas, MO 66160, United States
| | - Yi-Hsiang Huang
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
| | - Mahvish Muzaffar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, United States
| | - Matthias Pinter
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Lorenz Balcar
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Claudia Fulgenzi
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital London, London W12 0HS, United Kingdom
| | - Suneetha Amara
- Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, United States
| | - Arndt Weinmann
- Department of Hepatology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Medical Centre, Niedersachsen 30625, Germany
| | - Nicola Personeni
- Medical Oncology Unit, ASST Garda, Via Lungomella Valsecchi, Brescia, Manerbio 25025, Italy
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Rozzano 20089, Italy
| | - Bernhard Scheiner
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Tiziana Pressiani
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Rozzano 20089, Italy
| | - Musharraf Navaid
- Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, United States
| | - Bertram Bengsch
- Department of Medicine II, Univ Med Ctr Freiburg, Hugstetter Str 55, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg D-79106, Germany
| | - Sonal Paul
- Department of Oncology Baltimore, LifeBridge Health, Baltimore, MD 21215, United States
| | - Uqba Khan
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, NY 10065, United States
| | - Dominik Bettinger
- Department of Medicine II, Univ Med Ctr Freiburg, Hugstetter Str 55, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg D-79106, Germany
| | - Naoshi Nishida
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka 577-8502, Japan
| | - Yehia Ibrahim Mohamed
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, United States
| | - Arndt Vogel
- Department of Gastroenterology Hepatology and Endocrinology, HannoverArndt Vogel, Medical School Hannover, Carl-Neubergstr., Hannover 30659, Germany
| | - Anuhya Gampa
- Department of Hepatology, Rush University Medical Group 1725 W Harrison St Ste 158, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
| | - James Korolewicz
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital London, London W12 0HS, United Kingdom
| | - Antonella Cammarota
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Rozzano 20089, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, Milan, Pieve Emanuele 20072, Italy
| | - Ahmed Kaseb
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, United States
| | - Peter R Galle
- Department of Internal Medicine I and Cirrhosis Center Mainz, University Medical Center Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg Univ Mainz, Med Klin and Poliklin, Mainz D-55131, Germany
| | - Anjana Pillai
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, United States
| | - Ying-Hong Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, United States
| | - Alessio Cortellini
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital London, London W12 0HS, United Kingdom
| | - Masatoshi Kudo
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka 577-8502, Japan
| | - Antonio D’Alessio
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital London, London W12 0HS, United Kingdom
| | - Lorenza Rimassa
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Rozzano 20089, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, Milan, Pieve Emanuele 20072, Italy
| | - David James Pinato
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital London, London W12 0HS, United Kingdom
| | - Celina Ang
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
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Foy V, McNamara MG, Valle JW, Lamarca A, Edeline J, Hubner RA. Current Evidence for Immune Checkpoint Inhibition in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Curr Oncol 2023; 30:8665-8685. [PMID: 37754543 PMCID: PMC10529518 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol30090628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The treatment of advanced unresectable HCC (aHCC) remains a clinical challenge, with limited therapeutic options and poor prognosis. The results of IMbrave150 and HIMALAYA have changed the treatment paradigm for HCC and established immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI), either combined with anti-angiogenic therapy or dual ICI, as preferred first-line therapy for eligible patients with aHCC. Numerous other combination regimens involving ICI are under investigation with the aim of improving the tumour response and survival of patients with all stages of HCC. This review will explore the current evidence for ICI in patients with advanced HCC and discuss future directions, including the unmet clinical need for predictive biomarkers to facilitate patient selection, the effects of cirrhosis aetiology on response to ICI, and the safety of its use in patients with impaired liver function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Foy
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Rd., Manchester M20 4BX, UK
| | - Mairéad G. McNamara
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Rd., Manchester M20 4BX, UK
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Rd., Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Juan W. Valle
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Rd., Manchester M20 4BX, UK
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Rd., Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Angela Lamarca
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Rd., Manchester M20 4BX, UK
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Rd., Manchester M13 9PL, UK
- Department of Oncology, OncoHealth Institute, Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Avenida de los Reyes Catolicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Julien Edeline
- Centre Eugène Marquis, Av. de la Bataille Flandres Dunkerque-CS 44229, CEDEX, 35042 Rennes, France;
| | - Richard A. Hubner
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Rd., Manchester M20 4BX, UK
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Rd., Manchester M13 9PL, UK
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9
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Muscolino P, Granata B, Omero F, De Pasquale C, Campana S, Calabrò A, D’Anna F, Drommi F, Pezzino G, Cavaliere R, Ferlazzo G, Silvestris N, Speranza D. Potential predictive role of gut microbiota to immunotherapy in HCC patients: a brief review. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1247614. [PMID: 37692859 PMCID: PMC10486017 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1247614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The recent evolution of immunotherapy has revolutionised the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and has led to new therapeutic standards. The advances in immunotherapy have been accompanied by the recognition of the role of the gut-liver axis in the progression of HCC but also of the clinical relevance of the gut microbiota, which influences host homeostasis but also cancer development and the response to treatment. Dysbiosis, by altering the tumour microenvironment, favours the activation of intracellular signalling pathways and promotes carcinogenesis. The gut microbiota, through their composition and immunomodulatory role, are thus strong predictors of the response to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment as well as an available target to improve ICI efficacy and reduce drug toxicities. In this review we examine the novel role of the gut microbiota as biomarkers in both the diagnosis of HCC and the clinical response to immunotherapy as well as its potential impact on clinical practice in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Muscolino
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology “G.Barresi”, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Barbara Granata
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology “G.Barresi”, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Fausto Omero
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology “G.Barresi”, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Claudia De Pasquale
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biotherapy, Department of Human Pathology “G.Barresi”, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Stefania Campana
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biotherapy, Department of Human Pathology “G.Barresi”, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Alessia Calabrò
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biotherapy, Department of Human Pathology “G.Barresi”, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Federica D’Anna
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology “G.Barresi”, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Fabiana Drommi
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biotherapy, Department of Human Pathology “G.Barresi”, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Gaetana Pezzino
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biotherapy, Department of Human Pathology “G.Barresi”, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Riccardo Cavaliere
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biotherapy, Department of Human Pathology “G.Barresi”, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
- Division of Clinical Pathology, University Hospital Policlinico G.Martino, Messina, Italy
| | - Guido Ferlazzo
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
- Unit of Experimental Pathology and Immunology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Nicola Silvestris
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology “G.Barresi”, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Desirèe Speranza
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology “G.Barresi”, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
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10
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Pinato DJ, Kaneko T, D’Alessio A, Forner A, Fessas P, Minguez B, Giannini EG, Grillo F, Díaz A, Mauri FA, Fulgenzi CA, Dalla Pria A, Goldin RD, Pieri G, Toniutto P, Avellini C, Plaz Torres MC, Akarca AU, Marafioti T, Bhoori S, Miró JM, Bower M, Bräu N, Mazzaferro V. Integrated phenotyping of the anti-cancer immune response in HIV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma. JHEP Rep 2023; 5:100741. [PMID: 37274775 PMCID: PMC10238838 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2023.100741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background & Aims HIV-seropositivity shortens survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although risk factors for HCC including HCV infection can influence T cell phenotype, it is unknown whether HIV can influence functional characteristics of the T cell infiltrate. Methods From the Liver Cancer in HIV biorepository, we derived 129 samples of transplanted (76%) or resected (20%) HCC in eight European and North American centres. We profiled intra- and peritumoural tissue to evaluate regulatory CD4+/FOXP3+ and immune-exhausted CD8+/PD1+ T cells in HIV+ (n = 66) and HIV- (n = 63) samples. We performed targeted transcriptomics and T-cell receptor sequencing in a restricted subset of samples evaluated in relationship with HIV status. We correlated immunopathologic features with patients' characteristics including markers of HIV infection. Results Of the 66 HIV+ patients, 83% were HCV coinfected with an undetectable HIV viral load (51%) and a median blood CD4+ cell count of 430 cells/mm3 (range 15-908). Patients who were HIV+ were compared with HIV- controls with similar staging characteristics including Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage A-B (86% vs. 83%, p = 0.16), <3 nodules (90% vs. 83%, p = 0.3) and median alpha-foetoprotein values (10.9 vs. 12.8 ng/ml, p = 0.72). HIV+ samples had higher PD-L1 expression rates in tumour tissue (51% vs. 8% p <0.0001) and displayed denser intratumoural CD4+/FOXP3+ (p <0.0001), CD8+/PD1+ (p <0.0001), with lower total peritumoural CD4+ (p <0.0001) and higher peritumoural CD8+/PD1+ (p <0.0001). Gene set analysis revealed HIV+ cases to have evidence of dysregulated adaptive and innate immunity. Tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte clonality was not influenced by HIV status. Conclusions HIV-associated HCC harbours a profoundly immune-exhausted tumour microenvironment, warranting prospective testing of immunotherapy in this treatment-deprived patient population. Impact and Implications Hepatocellular carcinoma is a non-AIDS defining malignancy characterised by poor survival. The programmed cell death (PD-1) pathway governs antiviral and anticancer immune exhaustion and is a therapeutic target in HCC. This study highlights how HIV infection is associated with significantly higher PD-L1 expression in HCC cells and in the surrounding microenvironment, leading to changes in cytotoxic and regulatory T cell function and dysregulation of proinflammatory pathways. Taken together, our results suggest dysfunctional T cell immunity as a mechanism of worse outcome in these patients and suggest clinical testing of checkpoint inhibitors in HIV-associated HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. Pinato
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, UK
- Division of Oncology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Takahiro Kaneko
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, UK
- Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Antonio D’Alessio
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, UK
- Division of Oncology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Alejandro Forner
- Liver Unit, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) Group, ICMDM, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS. University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- National Biomedical Research Institute on Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBEREHD), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Petros Fessas
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, UK
| | - Beatriz Minguez
- Liver Unit, Department of Internal Medicine Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Vall d’Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), CIBERehd Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Edoardo G. Giannini
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, IRCCS-Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Federica Grillo
- Pathology Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostics, University of Genoa, IRCCS-Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alba Díaz
- National Biomedical Research Institute on Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBEREHD), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Pathology Department, Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Francesco A. Mauri
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, UK
| | - Claudia A.M. Fulgenzi
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, UK
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia Dalla Pria
- National Centre for HIV Malignancy, Department of Oncology, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, London, UK
| | | | - Giulia Pieri
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, IRCCS-Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Pierluigi Toniutto
- Hepatology and Liver Transplantation Unit, Department of Medical Area (DAME), University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Claudio Avellini
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria “Santa Maria della Misericordia”, Institute of Histopathology, Udine, Italy
| | - Maria Corina Plaz Torres
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, IRCCS-Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Ayse U. Akarca
- Department of Histopathology, University College London Hospital, London, UK
| | - Teresa Marafioti
- Department of Histopathology, University College London Hospital, London, UK
| | - Sherrie Bhoori
- Hepato-Pancreatic-Biliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Jose María Miró
- Department of Infectious Disease, Hospital Clinic-IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBERINFEC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mark Bower
- National Centre for HIV Malignancy, Department of Oncology, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, London, UK
| | - Norbert Bräu
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York, NY, USA
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vincenzo Mazzaferro
- Hepato-Pancreatic-Biliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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11
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Pinato DJ, Li X, Mishra-Kalyani P, D’Alessio A, Fulgenzi CA, Scheiner B, Pinter M, Wei G, Schneider J, Rivera DR, Pazdur R, Theoret MR, Casak S, Lemery S, Fashoyin-Aje L, Cortellini A, Pelosof L. Association between antibiotics and adverse oncological outcomes in patients receiving targeted or immune-based therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. JHEP Rep 2023; 5:100747. [PMID: 37197442 PMCID: PMC10183666 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2023.100747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background & Aims Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) alone or in combination with other ICIs or vascular endothelial growth factor pathway inhibitors are therapeutic options in unresectable/metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Whether antibiotic (ATB) exposure affects outcome remains unclear. Methods This study retrospectively analysed an FDA database including 4,098 patients receiving ICI (n = 842) either as monotherapy (n = 258) or in combination (n = 584), tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) (n = 1,968), vascular endothelial growth factor pathway inhibitors (n = 480), or placebo (n = 808) as part of nine international clinical trials. Exposure to ATB within 30 days before or after treatment initiation was correlated with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) across therapeutic modality before and after inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Results Of 4,098 patients with unresectable/metastatic HCC, of which 39% were of hepatitis B aetiology and 21% were of hepatitis C aetiology, 83% were males with a median age of 64 years (range 18-88), a European Collaborative Oncology Group performance status of 0 (60%), and Child-Pugh A class (98%). Overall, ATB exposure (n = 620, 15%) was associated with shorter median PFS (3.6 months in ATB-exposed vs. 4.2 months; hazard ratio [HR] 1.29; 95% CI 1.22, 1.36) and OS (8.7 months in ATB-exposed vs. 10.6 months; HR 1.36; 95% CI 1.29, 1.43). In IPTW analyses, ATB was associated with shorter PFS in patients treated with ICI (HR 1.52; 95% CI 1.34, 1.73), TKI (HR 1.29; 95% CI 1.19, 1.39), and placebo (HR 1.23; 95% CI 1.11, 1.37). Similar results were observed in IPTW analyses of OS in patients treated with ICI (HR 1.22; 95% CI 1.08, 1.38), TKI (HR 1.40; 95% CI 1.30, 1.52), and placebo (HR 1.40; 95% CI 1.25, 1.57). Conclusions Unlike other malignancies where the detrimental effect of ATB may be more prominent in ICI recipients, ATB is associated with worse outcomes in this study across different therapies for HCC including placebo. Whether ATB is causally linked to worse outcomes through disruption of the gut-liver axis remains to be demonstrated in translational studies. Impact and Implications A growing body of evidence suggests the host microbiome, frequently altered by antibiotic treatment, as an important outcome predictor in the context of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. In this study, we analysed the effects of early antibiotic exposure on outcomes in almost 4,100 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated within nine multicentre clinical trials. Interestingly, early exposure to antibiotic treatment was associated with worse outcomes not only in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors but also in those treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors and placebo. This is in contrast to data published in other malignancies, where the detrimental effect of antibiotic treatment may be more prominent in immune checkpoint inhibitor recipients, highlighting the uniqueness of hepatocellular carcinoma given the complex interplay between cirrhosis, cancer, risk of infection, and the pleiotropic effect of molecular therapies for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. Pinato
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, UK
- Division of Oncology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
- Corresponding authors. Addresses: Imperial College London Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, W12 0HS, London, UK. Tel.: +44-20-83833720.
| | - Xiaoxue Li
- Office of Biostatistics, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), US FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Pallavi Mishra-Kalyani
- Office of Biostatistics, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), US FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Antonio D’Alessio
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, UK
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia A.M. Fulgenzi
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, UK
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Bernhard Scheiner
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, UK
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthias Pinter
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Guo Wei
- Oncology Center of Excellence, US FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Julie Schneider
- Oncology Center of Excellence, US FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Donna R. Rivera
- Oncology Center of Excellence, US FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Richard Pazdur
- Oncology Center of Excellence, US FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- Office of Oncologic Diseases, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), US FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Marc R. Theoret
- Oncology Center of Excellence, US FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- Office of Oncologic Diseases, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), US FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Sandra Casak
- Office of Oncologic Diseases, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), US FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Steven Lemery
- Office of Oncologic Diseases, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), US FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Lola Fashoyin-Aje
- Office of Oncologic Diseases, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), US FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Alessio Cortellini
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, UK
| | - Lorraine Pelosof
- Office of Oncologic Diseases, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), US FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- Office of Oncologic Diseases, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, White Oak Building 22, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA. Tel.: +1-240-402-6469.
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12
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Efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors in elderly patients with primary liver cancer: a retrospective, multicenter, real-world cohort study. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2023:10.1007/s00262-023-03417-3. [PMID: 36884079 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-023-03417-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is still no specific real-world data regarding the clinical activity of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the elderly with liver cancer. Our study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors between patients aged ≥ 65 years and the younger group, while exploring their differences in genomic background and tumor microenvironment. METHODS This retrospective study was conducted at two hospitals in China and included 540 patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors for primary liver cancer between January 2018 and December 2021. Patients' medical records were reviewed for clinical and radiological data and oncologic outcomes. The genomic and clinical data of patients with primary liver cancer were extracted and analyzed from TCGA-LIHC, GSE14520, and GSE140901 datasets. RESULTS Ninety-two patients were classified as elderly and showed better progression-free survival (P = 0.027) and disease control rate (P = 0.014). No difference was observed in overall survival (P = 0.69) or objective response rate (P = 0.423) between the two age groups. No significant difference was reported concerning the number (P = 0.824) and severity (P = 0.421) of adverse events. The enrichment analyses indicated that the elderly group was linked to lower expression of oncogenic pathways, such as PI3K-Akt, Wnt, and IL-17. The elderly had a higher tumor mutation burden than younger patients. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicated that immune checkpoint inhibitors might exhibit better efficacy in the elderly with primary liver cancer, with no increased adverse events. Differences in genomic characteristics and tumor mutation burden may partially explain these results.
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13
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Cammarota A, Zanuso V, Manfredi GF, Murphy R, Pinato DJ, Rimassa L. Immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma: how will it reshape treatment sequencing? Ther Adv Med Oncol 2023; 15:17588359221148029. [PMID: 36643654 PMCID: PMC9837292 DOI: 10.1177/17588359221148029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The treatment landscape of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has broadened with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) setting a novel standard of care. With the increased number of therapies either in first or in further line, disentangling the possible treatment sequences has become much more complex. Yet, all the second-line therapies have been evaluated after sorafenib. After ICIs, offering multikinase inhibitors is a widespread approach, either shifting forward sorafenib or lenvatinib, or choosing among regorafenib or cabozantinib, already approved in the refractory setting. Under specific circumstances, ICIs could be maintained beyond disease progression in patients with proven clinical benefit, as supported by some data emerging from phase III clinical trials with immunotherapy in HCC. Rechallenge with ICIs is an additional attractive alternative, although requiring careful and individual evaluation as efficacy and safety of such a strategy have not been yet clarified. Still, a considerable number of patients displays primary resistance to ICIs and might benefit from antiangiogenics either alone or in addition to ICIs instead. Hopefully, the ongoing clinical trials will enlighten regarding the most effective treatment pathways. The identification of predictive correlates of response to immunotherapy will help treatment allocation at each stage, thus representing an urgent matter to address in HCC research. With programmed death ligand 1 expression, tumor mutational burden, and microsatellite status being inadequate biomarkers in HCC, patient characteristics, drug safety profile, and regulatory approval remain key elements to acknowledge in routine practice. Despite the tissue remaining a preferred source, biomarkers discovery could take advantage of liquid biopsy to overcome the matter of tissue availability and track tumor changes. Lastly, tumor genetic phenotypes, tumor microenvironment features, gut microbiome, and markers of immune response and systemic inflammation are all potential emergent predictors of response to ICIs, pending validation in the clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Cammarota
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele (Milan), Italy
- Drug Development Unit, Sarah Cannon Research Institute UK, London, UK
| | - Valentina Zanuso
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele (Milan), Italy
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano (Milan), Italy
| | - Giulia Francesca Manfredi
- Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Ravindhi Murphy
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - David James Pinato
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Division of Oncology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Lorenza Rimassa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Pieve Emanuele (Milan), Italy
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, 20089 Rozzano (Milan), Italy
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14
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Wu YL, Fulgenzi CAM, D’Alessio A, Cheon J, Nishida N, Saeed A, Wietharn B, Cammarota A, Pressiani T, Personeni N, Pinter M, Scheiner B, Balcar L, Huang YH, Phen S, Naqash AR, Vivaldi C, Salani F, Masi G, Bettinger D, Vogel A, Schönlein M, von Felden J, Schulze K, Wege H, Galle PR, Kudo M, Rimassa L, Singal AG, Sharma R, Cortellini A, Gaillard VE, Chon HJ, Pinato DJ, Ang C. Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratios as Prognostic Biomarkers in Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Atezolizumab plus Bevacizumab. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:5834. [PMID: 36497316 PMCID: PMC9737420 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14235834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic inflammation is a key risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression and poor outcomes. Inflammatory markers such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) may have prognostic value in HCC treated with standard of care atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atezo-Bev). We conducted a multicenter, international retrospective cohort study of patients with unresectable HCC treated with Atezo-Bev to assess the association of NLR and PLR with overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and objective response rates. Patients with NLR ≥ 5 had a significantly shorter OS (9.38 vs. 16.79 months, p < 0.001) and PFS (4.90 vs. 7.58 months, p = 0.03) compared to patients with NLR < 5. NLR ≥ 5 was an independent prognosticator of worse OS (HR 2.01, 95% CI 1.22−3.56, p = 0.007) but not PFS. PLR ≥ 300 was also significantly associated with decreased OS (9.38 vs. 15.72 months, p = 0.007) and PFS (3.45 vs. 7.11 months, p = 0.04) compared to PLR < 300, but it was not an independent prognosticator of OS or PFS. NLR and PLR were not associated with objective response or disease control rates. NLR ≥ 5 independently prognosticated worse survival outcomes and is worthy of further study and validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Linda Wu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Claudia Angela Maria Fulgenzi
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0HS, UK
- Division of Medical Oncology, Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio D’Alessio
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0HS, UK
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, Pieve Emanuele, 20072 Milan, Italy
| | - Jaekyung Cheon
- Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam 46371, Republic of Korea
| | - Naoshi Nishida
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka 589-8511, Japan
| | - Anwaar Saeed
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Kansas University Cancer Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Brooke Wietharn
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Kansas University Cancer Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Antonella Cammarota
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, Pieve Emanuele, 20072 Milan, Italy
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
| | - Tiziana Pressiani
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Personeni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, Pieve Emanuele, 20072 Milan, Italy
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
| | - Matthias Pinter
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard Scheiner
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Lorenz Balcar
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Yi-Hsiang Huang
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 71150, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
| | - Samuel Phen
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Abdul Rafeh Naqash
- Medical Oncology/TSET Phase 1 Program, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Caterina Vivaldi
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Salani
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Gianluca Masi
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Dominik Bettinger
- Department of Medicine II (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology and Infectious Diseases), Freiburg University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Arndt Vogel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Martin Schönlein
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section of Pneumology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Johann von Felden
- I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kornelius Schulze
- I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Henning Wege
- I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Peter R. Galle
- I. Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Masatoshi Kudo
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka 589-8511, Japan
| | - Lorenza Rimassa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, Pieve Emanuele, 20072 Milan, Italy
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
| | - Amit G. Singal
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Rohini Sharma
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0HS, UK
| | - Alessio Cortellini
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0HS, UK
| | | | - Hong Jae Chon
- Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam 46371, Republic of Korea
| | - David J. Pinato
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0HS, UK
| | - Celina Ang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
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Sung PS, Lee IK, Roh PR, Kang MW, Ahn J, Yoon SK. Blood-based biomarkers for immune-based therapy in advanced HCC: Promising but a long way to go. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1028728. [DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1028728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) represents a key shift in the management strategy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, there is a paucity of predictive biomarkers that facilitate the identification of patients that would respond to ICI therapy. Although several researchers have attempted to resolve the issue, the data is insufficient to alter daily clinical practice. The use of minimally invasive procedures to obtain patient-derived specimen, such as using blood-based samples, is increasingly preferred. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can be isolated from the blood of cancer patients, and liquid biopsies can provide sufficient material to enable ongoing monitoring of HCC. This is particularly significant for patients for whom surgery is not indicated, including those with advanced HCC. In this review, we summarize the current state of understanding of blood-based biomarkers for ICI-based therapy in advanced HCC, which is promising despite there is still a long way to go.
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Salani F, Genovesi V, Vivaldi C, Massa V, Cesario S, Bernardini L, Caccese M, Graziani J, Berra D, Fornaro L, Masi G. Primary Resistance to Immunotherapy-Based Regimens in First Line Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Perspectives on Jumping the Hurdle. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194896. [PMID: 36230819 PMCID: PMC9563015 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) had been explored extensively in patients affected by unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. These agents were expected to be the keystones of the disease’s first-line treatment because they were theoretically able to revert the immune suppressive tumor microenvironment of the cancerous liver, and because of their manageable safety profile. However, when used as monotherapies, they showed important activity and efficacy limitations. In this mini-review, we summarize the characteristics of the different ICIs-based regimens which constitute the present gold standard of first-line treatment, then, moving from their shortcomings, we discuss the rationale supporting the strategies currently under investigation: systemic triplets and new paradigms of immune-therapeutic agents such as CAR-T and vaccines. Abstract Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a key component of different stages of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment, particularly in the first line of treatment. A lesson on the primary resistance which hampers their efficacy and activity was learned from the failure of the trials which tested them as first-line mono-therapies. Despite the combination of anti-PD(L)1 agents with anti-VEGF, anti CTLA4, or TKIs demonstrating relevant improvements in efficacy, the “doublets strategy” still shows room for improvement, due to a limited overall survival benefit and a high rate of progressive disease as best response. In this review, we discuss the results from the currently tested doublet strategies (i.e., atezolizumab+bevacizumab, durvalumab+tremelimumab with a mention to the newly presented ICIs/TKIs combinations), which highlight the need for therapeutic improvement. Furthermore, we examine the rationale and provide an overview of the ongoing trials testing the treatment intensification strategy with triplet drugs: anti-PD1+anti-CTLA4+anti-VEGF/TKIs and anti-PD1+anti-VEGF+alternative immunity targets. Lastly, we report on the alternative strategy to integrate ICIs into the new paradigm of immune therapeutics constituted by CAR-T and anti-cancer vaccines. This review provides up-to-date knowledge of ongoing clinical trials of the aforementioned strategies and critical insight into their mechanistic premises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Salani
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research “Health Science”, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Piazza Martiri della Libertà 33, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Virginia Genovesi
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Caterina Vivaldi
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Valentina Massa
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Silvia Cesario
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Laura Bernardini
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Miriam Caccese
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Jessica Graziani
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Dario Berra
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Fornaro
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Gianluca Masi
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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17
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Reproducible safety and efficacy of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab for HCC in clinical practice: Results of the AB-real study. Eur J Cancer 2022; 175:204-213. [PMID: 36148739 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2022.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND IMbrave150 has established the superiority of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab over sorafenib in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS We generated a prospectively maintained database including patients treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab for unresectable HCC across Europe, Asia and USA. Clinico-pathologic characteristics were assessed for their prognostic influence on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in univariable and multivariate analyses. Overall response rate by RECIST v1.1 and treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) per CTCAE v.5.0 were reported. RESULTS Out of 433 patients, 296 Child-Pugh A and ECOG performance status01 patients received atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in first line and were included. Patients were mostly male (82.7%), cirrhotic (75%) with history of viral hepatitis (65.9%). Overall, 68.9% had Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer C-stage HCC with portal vein tumour thrombosis (PVTT, 35%) and extrahepatic spread (EHS, 51.7%). After a median follow-up of 10.0 months (95% confidence interval (CI): 9.4-10.4), median OS and PFS were 15.7 (95% CI: 14.5-NE) and 6.9 months (95% CI: 6.1-8.3), respectively. In the response-evaluable patients (n = 273), overall response rate was 30.8%. Overall, 221 patients (74.6%) developed TRAEs, with 70 (23.6%) reporting grade 3 or higher TRAEs; 25 (8.4%) patients had bleeding events. OS was independently associated with baseline Albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade and PVTT. Shorter PFS was associated with AFP≥ 400 ng/ml, worse ALBI and presence of EHS. CONCLUSION This global observational study confirms the reproducible safety and efficacy of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in routine clinical practice. Within Child-Pugh-A criteria, the presence of PVTT and higher ALBI grade identify patients with poorer survival.
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Fulgenzi CAM, D'Alessio A, Airoldi C, Scotti L, Demirtas CO, Gennari A, Cortellini A, Pinato DJ. Comparative efficacy of novel combination strategies for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: A network metanalysis of phase III trials. Eur J Cancer 2022; 174:57-67. [PMID: 35970037 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2022.06.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dual programmed cell death-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor pathway inhibition is the novel standard of care for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Direct comparisons between first-line treatments are lacking. METHOD We conducted a literature search in MEDLINE (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), the Cochrane library (https://www.cochranelibrary.com) and Embase (www.embase.com) between January 2007 and February 2022. We included phase III randomised controlled trials that tested immune-checkpoint inhibitors or tyrosine kinase inhibitors, including sorafenib, lenvatinib and donafenib, and evaluated as primary end-point overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS). Studies testing loco-regional therapies were excluded. The primary end-point was to compare the efficacy of first-line options in terms of OS and PFS. We extracted Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for OS and PFS and performed a frequentist network meta-analysis with fixed effect multivariable meta-regression models. The research protocol was registered in PROSPERO, an international prospective register of systematic reviews (registration code CRD42022312489). FINDINGS Literature review yielded 13709 results, after duplicates removal and exclusion of not relevant studies, 70 papers were available for screening. After full-text review, 9 studies were eligible for analysis. Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab reduced the risk of death compared to placebo (HR 0·40; 95% CI 0·28-0·57), sorafenib (HR 0·58; 95% CI 0·42-0·80), lenvatinib (HR 0·63; 95% CI 0·44-0·89), atezolizumab plus cabozantinib (HR 0·64; 95% CI 0·43-0·97), nivolumab (HR 0·68; 95% CI 0·48-0·98) and donafenib (HR 0·69; 95% CI 0·48-0·99). Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab was not statistically superior to durvalumab plus tremelimumab (HR 0·74; 95% CI 0·52-1·06) and sintilimab plus IBI305 (HR 1·02; 95% CI 0·67-1·55) in reducing the risk of death. Efficacy was associated with a higher risk of grade 3 adverse events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia A M Fulgenzi
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, W120NN, London, UK; Department of Medical Oncology, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio D'Alessio
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, W120NN, London, UK; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Airoldi
- Department of Translational Medicine, Università Del Piemonte Orientale UPO, Via Solaroli 17, 28100, Novara, NO, Italy
| | - Lorenza Scotti
- Department of Translational Medicine, Università Del Piemonte Orientale UPO, Via Solaroli 17, 28100, Novara, NO, Italy
| | - Coskun O Demirtas
- Marmara University, School of Medicine, Department of Gastroenterology, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Alessandra Gennari
- Division of Oncology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Alessio Cortellini
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, W120NN, London, UK
| | - David J Pinato
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, W120NN, London, UK; Division of Oncology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy.
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Zhang Y, Pang S, Sun B, Zhang M, Jiao X, Lai L, Qian Y, Yang N, Yang W. ELOVLs Predict Distinct Prognosis Value and Immunotherapy Efficacy In Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:884066. [PMID: 35912257 PMCID: PMC9334671 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.884066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary malignancy of the liver with high prevalence worldwide and poor prognosis. It has been verified that elongation of very-long-chain fatty acids gene family (ELOVLs), a group of genes that responsible for elongation of saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, participate in the pathogenesis and development of multiplex disease including cancers. However, the functions and prognosis of ELOVLs in HCC are still indistinguishable. Methods First, we searched the mRNA expression and survival data of ELOVLs in patients with HCC via the data of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The prognosis value of ELOVLs on HCC was assessed by Kaplan–Meier plotter and Cox regression analysis. reverse transcription quantitative- polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), Western blot (WB), and immunohistochemistry were applied to assess the specific mRNA and protein expression of ELOVLs in HCC clinical specimens of our cohort. Then, the functional enrichment of ELOVL1 especially the pathways relating to the immune was conducted utilizing the Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) analysis. Additionally, TIMER, CIBERSOR, and tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) were employed to evaluate the relationship between ELOVL1 and immune responses. Last, the correlation of ELOVL1 with genome heterogeneity [microsatellite instability (MSI), tumor mutational burden (TMB), mutant-allele tumor heterogeneity (MATH), homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), purity, ploidy, loss of heterozygosity (LOH), and neoantigens] and mutational landscape were also evaluated basing on the date in TCGA. Results Significant expression alteration was observed in ELOVLs family at the pan-cancer level. In liver cancer, ELOVL1 and ELOVL3 were strongly associated with poor prognosis of HCC by survival analysis and differential expression analysis. Immunohistochemistry microarray, WB, and RT-qPCR confirmed that ELOVL1 but not ELOVL3 played an important role in HCC. Mechanistically, functional network analysis revealed that ELOVL1 might be involved in the immune response. ELOVL1 could affect immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint markers such as PD-1 and CTLA4 in HCC. Meanwhile, high expression of ELOVL1 would be insensitive to immunotherapy. Correlation analysis of immunotherapy markers showed that ELOVL1 has been associated with MSI, TMB, and oncogene mutations such as TP53. Conclusion ELOVLs play distinct prognostic value in HCC. ELOVL1 could predict the poor prognosis and might be a potential indicator of immunotherapy efficacy in HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Institute of Digestive Disease, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shujie Pang
- Department V of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Institute of Digestive Disease, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Minbo Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Institute of Digestive Disease, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Jiao
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Institute of Digestive Disease, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Linying Lai
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Institute of Digestive Disease, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiting Qian
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Institute of Digestive Disease, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ning Yang
- Department V of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Ning Yang, ; Wenzhuo Yang,
| | - Wenzhuo Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Institute of Digestive Disease, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Ning Yang, ; Wenzhuo Yang,
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D’Alessio A, Rimassa L. Hepatocellular carcinoma as the Rose of Jericho: from the desert of sorafenib, to the blossoming of immunotherapy. Hepatobiliary Surg Nutr 2022; 11:485-488. [PMID: 35693396 PMCID: PMC9186197 DOI: 10.21037/hbsn-22-123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 08/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Antonio D’Alessio
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenza Rimassa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
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21
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Fulgenzi CAM, D'Alessio A, Ogunbiyi O, Demirtas CO, Gennari A, Cortellini A, Sharma R, Pinato DJ. Novel immunotherapy combinations in clinical trials for hepatocellular carcinoma: will they shape the future treatment landscape? Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2022; 31:681-691. [PMID: 35507361 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2022.2072726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Underlying liver disease and the intrinsic chemoresistance have historically hampered the development of efficacious treatments in HCC. However, in the last few years, immunotherapy-based combinations have emerged as efficacious therapeutic strategy in this setting. This paper critically summarizes the recent therapeutic progress in the systemic treatment of HCC. AREA COVERED This paper examines the preclinical rationale of the following combinations in HCC: dual checkpoint inhibitors, immune checkpoint inhibitors plus anti-angiogenic agents, and immune checkpoint inhibitors plus tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Results of recent clinical studies are presented, along with a brief overview of ongoing and future trials. EXPERT OPINION The approval of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and the positive results of the HIMALAYA trial have broadened the therapeutic scenario for advanced HCC, opening, at the same time, new challenges. First of all, predictive biomarkers to allocate patients to the best treatment are eagerly required; second, specific studies are urgently needed to define the use of new combinations in patients usually excluded from clinical trials, e.g. those with deranged liver function and HIV or transplant recipients. Finally, with new combinations being translated into earlier stages, profound changes are soon expected in the adjuvant and neoadjuvant setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Angela Maria Fulgenzi
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Department of Medical Oncology, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio D'Alessio
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Italy
| | - Olabisi Ogunbiyi
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Coskun O Demirtas
- Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Alessandra Gennari
- Division of Oncology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | | | - Rohini Sharma
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - David James Pinato
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Division of Oncology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
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