Repeat Next-Generation Sequencing Testing on Progression in Men With Metastatic Prostate Cancer Can Identify New Actionable Alterations

PURPOSE

There are limited data available on the real-world patterns of molecular testing in men with advanced prostate cancer. We thus sought to evaluate next-generation sequencing (NGS) testing in the United States, focused on single versus serial NGS testing, the different disease states of testing (hormone-sensitive v castration-resistant, metastatic vs nonmetastatic), tissue versus plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assays, and how often actionable data were found on each NGS test.

METHODS

The Prostate Cancer Precision Medicine Multi-Institutional Collaborative Effort clinical-genomic database was used for this retrospective analysis, including 1,597 patients across 15 institutions. Actionable NGS data were defined as including somatic alterations in homologous recombination repair genes, mismatch repair deficiency, microsatellite instability (MSI-high), or a high tumor mutational burden ≥10 mut/MB.

RESULTS

Serial NGS testing (two or more NGS tests with specimens collected more than 60 days apart) was performed in 9% (n = 144) of patients with a median of 182 days in between test results. For the second NGS test and beyond, 82.1% (225 of 274) of tests were from ctDNA assays and 76.1% (217 of 285) were collected in the metastatic castration-resistant setting. New actionable data were found on 11.1% (16 of 144) of second NGS tests, with 3.5% (5 of 144) of tests detecting a new BRCA2 alteration or MSI-high. A targeted therapy (poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor or immunotherapy) was given after an actionable result on the second NGS test in 31.3% (5 of 16) of patients.

CONCLUSION

Repeat somatic NGS testing in men with prostate cancer is infrequently performed in practice and can identify new actionable alterations not present with initial testing, suggesting the utility of repeat molecular profiling with tissue or blood of men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer to guide therapy choices.

The impact of cancer metastases on COVID-19 outcomes: A COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium registry-based retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 can have a particularly detrimental effect on patients with cancer, but no studies to date have examined if the presence, or site, of metastatic cancer is related to COVID-19 outcomes.

METHODS

Using the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium (CCC19) registry, the authors identified 10,065 patients with COVID-19 and cancer (2325 with and 7740 without metastasis at the time of COVID-19 diagnosis). The primary ordinal outcome was COVID-19 severity: not hospitalized, hospitalized but did not receive supplemental O2 , hospitalized and received supplemental O2 , admitted to an intensive care unit, received mechanical ventilation, or died from any cause. The authors used ordinal logistic regression models to compare COVID-19 severity by presence and specific site of metastatic cancer. They used logistic regression models to assess 30-day all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

Compared to patients without metastasis, patients with metastases have increased hospitalization rates (59% vs. 49%) and higher 30 day mortality (18% vs. 9%). Patients with metastasis to bone, lung, liver, lymph nodes, and brain have significantly higher COVID-19 severity (adjusted odds ratios [ORs], 1.38, 1.59, 1.38, 1.00, and 2.21) compared to patients without metastases at those sites. Patients with metastasis to the lung have significantly higher odds of 30-day mortality (adjusted OR, 1.53; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-2.00) when adjusting for COVID-19 severity.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with metastatic cancer, especially with metastasis to the brain, are more likely to have severe outcomes after COVID-19 whereas patients with metastasis to the lung, compared to patients with cancer metastasis to other sites, have the highest 30-day mortality after COVID-19.

Baseline Neutrophil-to-Eosinophil Ratio Is Associated with Outcomes in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

BACKGROUND

Biomarkers have the potential to guide treatment selection and clinical care in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) in an expanding treatment landscape. We report baseline neutrophil-to-eosinophil ratios (NER) in patients with mRCC treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) and their association with clinical outcomes.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective review of patients with mRCC treated with CPIs at Winship Cancer Institute from 2015 to 2020 in the United States of America (USA). Demographics, disease characteristics, and laboratory data, including complete blood counts (CBC) were described at the initiation of CPIs. Clinical outcomes were measured as overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and clinical benefit (CB) associated with baseline lab values.

RESULTS

A total of 184 patients were included with a median follow-up time of 25.4 months. Patients with baseline NER were categorized into high or low subgroups; high group was defined as NER >49.2 and low group was defined as NER <49.2 with 25% of patients in the high NER group. Univariate analyses (UVA) and multivariable analyses (MVA) identified decreased overall survival (OS) associated with elevated NER. In MVA, patients with a high baseline NER group had a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.68 (95%CI, 1.01-2.82, P = .048) for OS; however, there was no significant difference between groups for PFS. Clinical benefit was seen in 47.3% of patients with low baseline NER and 40% with high NER.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that elevated baseline NER may be associated with worse clinical outcomes in mRCC. Although results require further validation, NER is a feasible biomarker in patients with CPI-treated mRCC.

Interplay of Immunosuppression and Immunotherapy Among Patients With Cancer and COVID-19

Importance

Cytokine storm due to COVID-19 can cause high morbidity and mortality and may be more common in patients with cancer treated with immunotherapy (IO) due to immune system activation.

Objective

To determine the association of baseline immunosuppression and/or IO-based therapies with COVID-19 severity and cytokine storm in patients with cancer.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This registry-based retrospective cohort study included 12 046 patients reported to the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium (CCC19) registry from March 2020 to May 2022. The CCC19 registry is a centralized international multi-institutional registry of patients with COVID-19 with a current or past diagnosis of cancer. Records analyzed included patients with active or previous cancer who had a laboratory-confirmed infection with SARS-CoV-2 by polymerase chain reaction and/or serologic findings.

Exposures

Immunosuppression due to therapy; systemic anticancer therapy (IO or non-IO).

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was a 5-level ordinal scale of COVID-19 severity: no complications; hospitalized without requiring oxygen; hospitalized and required oxygen; intensive care unit admission and/or mechanical ventilation; death. The secondary outcome was the occurrence of cytokine storm.

Results

The median age of the entire cohort was 65 years (interquartile range [IQR], 54-74) years and 6359 patients were female (52.8%) and 6598 (54.8%) were non-Hispanic White. A total of 599 (5.0%) patients received IO, whereas 4327 (35.9%) received non-IO systemic anticancer therapies, and 7120 (59.1%) did not receive any antineoplastic regimen within 3 months prior to COVID-19 diagnosis. Although no difference in COVID-19 severity and cytokine storm was found in the IO group compared with the untreated group in the total cohort (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.80; 95% CI, 0.56-1.13, and aOR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.41-1.93, respectively), patients with baseline immunosuppression treated with IO (vs untreated) had worse COVID-19 severity and cytokine storm (aOR, 3.33; 95% CI, 1.38-8.01, and aOR, 4.41; 95% CI, 1.71-11.38, respectively). Patients with immunosuppression receiving non-IO therapies (vs untreated) also had worse COVID-19 severity (aOR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.36-2.35) and cytokine storm (aOR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.42-3.79).

Conclusions and Relevance

This cohort study found that in patients with cancer and COVID-19, administration of systemic anticancer therapies, especially IO, in the context of baseline immunosuppression was associated with severe clinical outcomes and the development of cytokine storm.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04354701.

Comprehensive Genomic Profiling of Cell-Free DNA in Men With Advanced Prostate Cancer: Differences in Genomic Landscape Based on Race

Advanced prostate cancer (aPC) in Black men was reported to present with aggressive features and to be associated with poor prognosis. Herein, we compared the cell-free DNA (cfDNA) genomic landscape of aPC in Black vs White men. Patients (pts) with aPC from 6 academic institutions and available cfDNA comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) were included. Association between mutated genes and race was evaluated using Barnard’s test and a Probabilistic Graphical Model (PGM) machine learning approach. Analysis included 743 aPC pts (217 Black, 526 White) with available cfDNA CGP. The frequency of alterations in the androgen receptor gene was significantly higher in Black vs White men (55.3% vs 35% respectively, P < .001). Additionally, alterations in EGFR, MYC, FGFR1, and CTNNB1 were present at higher frequencies in Black men. PGM analysis and Barnard’s test were concordant. Findings from the largest cohort of Black men with aPC undergoing cfDNA CGP may guide further drug development in these men.

Blood-Based Next-Generation Sequencing in Adrenocortical Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare and heterogeneous malignancy with poor prognosis. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of next-generation sequencing (NGS) testing of circulating cell-free tumor DNA (ctDNA) in patients with ACC, to characterize the genomic landscape of alterations, and to identify potential clinically actionable mutations.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of genomic data from 120 patients with ACC who had ctDNA testing between 12/2016 and 10/2021 using Guardant360 (Guardant Health, CA) was performed. ctDNA NGS analysis interrogated single nucleotide variants, fusions, indels, and copy number amplifications of up to 83 genes. The frequency of genomic alterations, landscape of co-occurring mutations, and pathogenic/likely pathogenic alterations with potential targeted therapies was identified. The prevalence of alterations identified in ctDNA was compared to those detected in tissue using a publicly available database (cBioPortal).

RESULTS

The median age of this cohort was 53 years (range 21-81), and 56% of patients were female. Ninety-six patients (80%) had ≥1 somatic alteration detected. TP53 (52%), EGFR (23%), CTNNB1 (18%), MET (18%), and ATM (14%) were found to be the most frequently altered genes in ACC samples. Pathogenic and/or likely pathogenic mutations in therapeutically relevant genes were observed in 56 patients (47%) and included EGFR, BRAF, MET, CDKN2A, CDK4/6, and ATM. The most frequent co-occurring mutations were EGFR + MET (9%), MET + CDK4 (7%), EGFR + CDK4 (7%), and BRAF + MET (7%). The frequencies of mutations detected in ctDNA were similar to those detected in tissue.

CONCLUSIONS

Utilizing blood-based NGS to characterize genomic alterations in advanced ACC is feasible in over 80% of patients. Almost half of the patients had actionable mutations with approved therapies in other cancers. This approach might inform the development of personalized treatment options or identify clinical trials available for this aggressive malignancy.

Racial Disparities in COVID-19 Outcomes Among Black and White Patients With Cancer

IMPORTANCE

Non-Hispanic Black individuals experience a higher burden of COVID-19 than the general population; hence, there is an urgent need to characterize the unique clinical course and outcomes of COVID-19 in Black patients with cancer.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate racial disparities in severity of COVID-19 presentation, clinical complications, and outcomes between Black patients and non-Hispanic White patients with cancer and COVID-19.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This retrospective cohort study used data from the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium registry from March 17, 2020, to November 18, 2020, to examine the clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 in Black patients with cancer. Data analysis was performed from December 2020 to February 2021.

EXPOSURES

Black and White race recorded in patient's electronic health record.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

An a priori 5-level ordinal scale including hospitalization intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation, and all-cause death.

RESULTS

Among 3506 included patients (1768 women [50%]; median [IQR] age, 67 [58-77] years), 1068 (30%) were Black and 2438 (70%) were White. Black patients had higher rates of preexisting comorbidities compared with White patients, including obesity (480 Black patients [45%] vs 925 White patients [38%]), diabetes (411 Black patients [38%] vs 574 White patients [24%]), and kidney disease (248 Black patients [23%] vs 392 White patients [16%]). Despite the similar distribution of cancer type, cancer status, and anticancer therapy at the time of COVID-19 diagnosis, Black patients presented with worse illness and had significantly worse COVID-19 severity (unweighted odds ratio, 1.34 [95% CI, 1.15-1.58]; weighted odds ratio, 1.21 [95% CI, 1.11-1.33]).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

These findings suggest that Black patients with cancer experience worse COVID-19 outcomes compared with White patients. Understanding and addressing racial inequities within the causal framework of structural racism is essential to reduce the disproportionate burden of diseases, such as COVID-19 and cancer, in Black patients.

Assessment of Regional Variability in COVID-19 Outcomes Among Patients With Cancer in the United States

IMPORTANCE

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a distinct spatiotemporal pattern in the United States. Patients with cancer are at higher risk of severe complications from COVID-19, but it is not well known whether COVID-19 outcomes in this patient population were associated with geography.

OBJECTIVE

To quantify spatiotemporal variation in COVID-19 outcomes among patients with cancer.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This registry-based retrospective cohort study included patients with a historical diagnosis of invasive malignant neoplasm and laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between March and November 2020. Data were collected from cancer care delivery centers in the United States.

EXPOSURES

Patient residence was categorized into 9 US census divisions. Cancer center characteristics included academic or community classification, rural-urban continuum code (RUCC), and social vulnerability index.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality. The secondary composite outcome consisted of receipt of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit admission, and all-cause death. Multilevel mixed-effects models estimated associations of center-level and census division-level exposures with outcomes after adjustment for patient-level risk factors and quantified variation in adjusted outcomes across centers, census divisions, and calendar time.

RESULTS

Data for 4749 patients (median [IQR] age, 66 [56-76] years; 2439 [51.4%] female individuals, 1079 [22.7%] non-Hispanic Black individuals, and 690 [14.5%] Hispanic individuals) were reported from 83 centers in the Northeast (1564 patients [32.9%]), Midwest (1638 [34.5%]), South (894 [18.8%]), and West (653 [13.8%]). After adjustment for patient characteristics, including month of COVID-19 diagnosis, estimated 30-day mortality rates ranged from 5.2% to 26.6% across centers. Patients from centers located in metropolitan areas with population less than 250 000 (RUCC 3) had lower odds of 30-day mortality compared with patients from centers in metropolitan areas with population at least 1 million (RUCC 1) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.31; 95% CI, 0.11-0.84). The type of center was not significantly associated with primary or secondary outcomes. There were no statistically significant differences in outcome rates across the 9 census divisions, but adjusted mortality rates significantly improved over time (eg, September to November vs March to May: aOR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.17-0.58).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this registry-based cohort study, significant differences in COVID-19 outcomes across US census divisions were not observed. However, substantial heterogeneity in COVID-19 outcomes across cancer care delivery centers was found. Attention to implementing standardized guidelines for the care of patients with cancer and COVID-19 could improve outcomes for these vulnerable patients.

OUP accepted manuscript

Background

The outcomes of metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) have significantly improved through treatment intensification, yet Black representation in those studies is suboptimal.

Methods

A multi-institutional, retrospective analysis of Black men with mHSPC was conducted, focusing on baseline demographics, treatment patterns, genomic profiles, clinical outcomes including prostate-specific antigen response, time to castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), and subsequent treatments.

Results

A total of 107 patients, median age 64 years, 62% with de novo metastases at diagnosis and 64% with high-volume disease, were included. Twenty-nine patients (27%) were treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with and without first generation anti-androgens, while 20%, 38% and 5% received chemotherapy, abiraterone, and enzalutamide, respectively. At time of data cut-off, 57 (54%) patients had developed CRPC, with a median time to CRPC of 25.4 months (95% CI 20.3-30.4). The median time to CRPC was 46.3 months (18.9-73.7) and 23.4 months (18.6-28.2) for patients who received ADT with or without first-generation anti-androgens and treatment intensification, respectively. The 2-year survival rate was 93.3%, and estimated median overall survival of was 74.9 months (95% CI, 68.7-81.0). Most patients (90%) underwent germline testing; the most frequent known alterations were found within the DNA repair group of genes. Somatic testing revealed pathogenic alterations of interest, notably TP53 (24%) and CDK12 (12%).

Conclusion

In our cohort, Black men with mHSPC presented with a high proportion of de novo metastases and high-volume disease. Treatment outcomes were very favorable with ADT-based regimens. The genomic landscape suggests different molecular profile relative to White patients with potential therapeutic implications.

Body Composition as an Independent Predictive and Prognostic Biomarker in Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma Patients Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

BACKGROUND

Several immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are approved for the treatment of advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC). There are limited biomarkers for ICI-treated patients with UC. We investigated the association between body composition and clinical outcomes in ICI-treated UC patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 70 ICI-treated patients with advanced UC at Winship Cancer Institute from 2015 to 2020. Baseline computed tomography images within 2 months of ICI initiation were collected at mid-L3 and muscle and fat compartments (subcutaneous, intermuscular, and visceral) were segmented using SliceOMatic v5.0 (TomoVision, Magog, Canada). A prognostic body composition risk score (high: 0-1, intermediate: 2-3, or low-risk: 4) was created based on the β coefficient from the multivariate Cox model (MVA) following best-subset variable selection. Our body composition risk score was skeletal muscle index (SMI) + 2 × attenuated skeletal muscle (SM) mean + visceral fat index (VFI). Concordance statistics (C-statistics) were used to quantify the discriminatory magnitude of the predictive model.

RESULTS

Most patients (70%) were men and the majority received ICIs in the second- (46%) or third-line (21%) setting. High-risk patients had significantly shorter overall survival (OS; hazard ratio [HR], 6.72; p < .001), progression-free survival (HR, 5.82; p < .001), and lower chance of clinical benefit (odds ratio [OR], 0.02; p = .003) compared with the low-risk group in MVA. The C-statistics for our body composition risk group and myosteatosis analyses were higher than body mass index for all clinical outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Body composition variables such as SMI, SM mean, and VFI may be prognostic and predictive of clinical outcomes in ICI-treated patients with UC. Larger, prospective studies are warranted to validate this hypothesis-generating data.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

This study developed a prognostic body composition risk scoring system using radiographic biomarkers for patients with bladder cancer treated with immunotherapy. The study found that the high-risk patients had significantly worse clinical outcomes. Notably, the study's model was better at predicting outcomes than body mass index. Importantly, these results suggest that radiographic measures of body composition should be considered for inclusion in updated prognostic models for patients with urothelial carcinoma treated with immunotherapy. These findings are useful for practicing oncologists in the academic or community setting, particularly given that baseline imaging is routine for patients starting on treatment with immunotherapy.

Modified Glasgow Prognostic Score associated with survival in metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

BACKGROUND

The modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) is a composite biomarker that uses albumin and C reactive protein (CRP). There are multiple immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based combinations approved for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). We investigated the ability of mGPS to predict outcomes in patients with mRCC receiving ICI.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed patients with mRCC treated with ICI as monotherapy or in combination at Winship Cancer Institute between 2015 and 2020. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were measured from the start date of ICI until death or clinical/radiographical progression, respectively. The baseline mGPS was defined as a summary score based on pre-ICI values with one point given for CRP>10 mg/L and/or albumin<3.5 g/dL, resulting in possible scores of 0, 1 and 2. If only albumin was low with a normal CRP, no points were awarded. Univariate analysis (UVA) and multivariate analysis (MVA) were carried out using Cox proportional hazard model. Outcomes were also assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS

156 patients were included with a median follow-up 24.2 months. The median age was 64 years and 78% had clear cell histology. Baseline mGPS was 0 in 36%, 1 in 40% and 2 in 24% of patients. In UVA, a baseline mGPS of 2 was associated with shorter OS (HR 4.29, 95% CI 2.24 to 8.24, p<0.001) and PFS (HR 1.90, 95% CI 1.20 to 3.01, p=0.006) relative to a score of 0; this disparity in outcome based on baseline mGPS persisted in MVA. The respective median OS of patients with baseline mGPS of 0, 1 and 2 was 44.5 (95% CI 27.3 to not evaluable), 15.3 (95% CI 11.0 to 24.2) and 10 (95% CI 4.6 to 17.5) months (p<0.0001). The median PFS of these three cohorts was 6.7 (95% CI 3.6 to 13.1), 4.2 (95% CI 2.9 to 6.2) and 2.6 (95% CI 2.0 to 5.6), respectively (p=0.0216). The discrimination power of baseline mGPS to predict survival outcomes was comparable to the IMDC risk score based on Uno's c-statistic (OS: 0.6312 vs 0.6102, PFS: 0.5752 vs 0.5533).

CONCLUSION

The mGPS is prognostic in this cohort of patients with mRCC treated with ICI as monotherapy or in combination. These results warrant external and prospective validation.

Thrombocytopenia Induced by Polysulfone Dialysis Membranes

Patient: Male, 82-year-old

Final Diagnosis: End stage renal disease • thrombocytopenia • co-existing disea

Symptoms: Fatigue • melena • weakness

Medication: —

Clinical Procedure: —

Specialty: Nephrology

Association of clinical factors and recent anticancer therapy with COVID-19 severity among patients with cancer: a report from the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium

BACKGROUND

Patients with cancer may be at high risk of adverse outcomes from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. We analyzed a cohort of patients with cancer and coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) reported to the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium (CCC19) to identify prognostic clinical factors, including laboratory measurements and anticancer therapies.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with active or historical cancer and a laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis recorded between 17 March and 18 November 2020 were included. The primary outcome was COVID-19 severity measured on an ordinal scale (uncomplicated, hospitalized, admitted to intensive care unit, mechanically ventilated, died within 30 days). Multivariable regression models included demographics, cancer status, anticancer therapy and timing, COVID-19-directed therapies, and laboratory measurements (among hospitalized patients).

RESULTS

A total of 4966 patients were included (median age 66 years, 51% female, 50% non-Hispanic white); 2872 (58%) were hospitalized and 695 (14%) died; 61% had cancer that was present, diagnosed, or treated within the year prior to COVID-19 diagnosis. Older age, male sex, obesity, cardiovascular and pulmonary comorbidities, renal disease, diabetes mellitus, non-Hispanic black race, Hispanic ethnicity, worse Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, recent cytotoxic chemotherapy, and hematologic malignancy were associated with higher COVID-19 severity. Among hospitalized patients, low or high absolute lymphocyte count; high absolute neutrophil count; low platelet count; abnormal creatinine; troponin; lactate dehydrogenase; and C-reactive protein were associated with higher COVID-19 severity. Patients diagnosed early in the COVID-19 pandemic (January-April 2020) had worse outcomes than those diagnosed later. Specific anticancer therapies (e.g. R-CHOP, platinum combined with etoposide, and DNA methyltransferase inhibitors) were associated with high 30-day all-cause mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical factors (e.g. older age, hematological malignancy, recent chemotherapy) and laboratory measurements were associated with poor outcomes among patients with cancer and COVID-19. Although further studies are needed, caution may be required in utilizing particular anticancer therapies.

CLINICAL TRIAL IDENTIFIER

NCT04354701.

Clinical outcomes in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treated with combination of nivolumab and cabozantinib (nivo-cabo) in the salvage setting

e16570

Background: The CheckMate 9ER trial showed that the combination of nivolumab and cabozantinib (nivo-cabo) in first line setting for treatment of mRCC was superior to sunitinib in terms of objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) and led to its FDA approval. We report outcomes of cohort of patients with mRCC treated with nivo-cabo in the salvage setting. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 17 patients with mRCC treated at Winship Cancer Institute who progressed through at least one line of prior therapy. These patients were then treated with either sequences: [1] cabozantinib and then add nivolumab upon progression (n = 8) and [2] nivolumab/ipilimumab or nivolumab and then add cabozantinib upon progression (n = 9) with two with nivolumab and ipilimumab. Median PFS and OS rates, and clinical benefit (defined as complete response or partial response, or stable disease) were described. Results: Thirteen patients had clear cell histology and four patients had non-clear cell histology. For sequence [1], the mPFS for cabozantinib alone was 9.9 months and combination of nivolumab added to cabozantinib was 8.9 months. For sequence [2], the mPFS for nivolumab with or without ipilimumab was 5.9 months and combination of cabozantinib added to nivolumab was 10.4 months. The 12-month OS rate was 88% for sequence [1] and 89% for sequence [2]. The 24-month, OS rate was 50% for sequence [1] and 89% for sequence [2]. 5/8 (63%) patients in sequence [1] and 7/9 (78%) patients in sequence [2] had clinical benefit. 3/8 (37.5%) patients in sequence [1] and 2/9 (22%) patients in sequence [2] experienced immune-related adverse effects such as hypothyroidism (grade II for two patients), pneumonitis (grade II), hepatic transaminase elevations (grade II), and pancreatitis (grade III). No patients in sequence [1] needed dose reduction in cabozantinib once nivolumab was added. 3/9 (33%) patients had dose reduction in cabozantinib in sequence [2] due to diarrhea. Conclusions: Nivo-cabo demonstrates activity in the salvage setting but there is still need to understand the optimal sequencing of both agents in the treatment of mRCC. Outcomes from this combination treatment are to be further validated from ongoing phase III trial, PDIGREE (NCT03793166).

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in patients with advanced adrenocortical carcinoma

4585

Background: Adrenocortical Carcinoma (ACC) is a rare and aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis and limited treatments in the advanced setting. Molecular pathways with tumor suppressor genes (e.g. TP53, CDKN2A) and oncogenes (e.g. CTNNB1 and RAS) are implicated in oncogenesis. To our knowledge, the genomic landscape of ctDNA alterations for ACC has not been described in a large cohort. We report plasma-based ctDNA alterations in patients with advanced ACC. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated genomic data from 102 patients with ACC who had ctDNA testing between 12/2016 – 10/2020 using Guardant360 (Guardant Health, CA). ctDNA analysis interrogated single nucleotide variants (SNV), fusions, indels and copy number variations (CNV) of up to 83 genes. We evaluated the frequency of genomic alterations, the landscape of co-occurring mutations, and pathogenic or likely pathogenic alterations with potential targeted therapies. The prevalence of alterations identified in ctDNA were compared to those detected in tissue using a publicly available database (cBioPortal). Results: The median age was 54 years (range 24-81), and 55% of patients were male. Among the entire cohort, 84 pts (82.4%) had ≥1 somatic alteration detected. Mutations were most frequently detected in TP53 (52%), EGFR (23%), CTNNB1 (18%), MET (18%), and ATM (14%). The frequencies detected in ctDNA were similar to the results detected in tissue. Pathogenic and/or likely pathogenic mutations in therapeutically relevant alterations were observed in 36 patients (35%), including EGFR, BRAF, MET, CDKN2A, and CDK4/6 (Table 1). The most frequently co-occurring mutations were EGFR + TP53 (14%), EGFR + MET (11%), BRAF + MET (10%). Conclusions: Blood-based ctDNA profiling in advanced ACC provided comprehensive genomic data in most patients, with a similar profile to tumor tissue analyses. Over one third of patients had actionable mutations with approved therapies in other cancers. This approach might inform the development of personalized treatment options for this aggressive malignancy.[Table: see text]

Baseline neutrophil-to-eosinophil ratio (NER) and its association with clinical outcomes in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPI)

e16569

Background: Inflammatory markers have been studied as prognostic markers in patients with mRCC treated with CPIs. Recently, eosinophilia has been found to be associated with improved survival of patients with melanoma treated with CPIs. We reported baseline NER in patients with mRCC treated with CPIs and its association with clinical outcomes. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with mRCC treated with CPIs at Winship Cancer Institute from 2015-2018. Clinical outcomes were measured as overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and clinical benefit (CB). OS and PFS were calculated from CPI-initiation to date of death and radiographic or clinical progression, respectively. Patients with baseline NER were categorized into high or low; high defined as NER > 49.2 and low defined as NER < 49.2. Univariate (UVA) and multivariate (MVA) analyses were carried out for OS and PFS using Cox proportional hazard model. Results: A total of 184 patients were studied with a median follow up of 25.4 months. Median age was 63 years old with 72% male and 20% black. About 25% were in high NER group. The high NER patients had significantly shorter OS in both UVA (HR: 0.58, p-value=0.017) and MVA (HR: 0.62, p-value=0.046) (Table). There was no significant difference between groups for PFS. Clinical benefit was seen in 47.3% of patients with low baseline NER and 40% with high NER. Conclusions: High baseline NER was associated with worse OS in patients with mRCC treated with CPIs. Larger, prospective studies are warranted to validate this hypothesis generating data.[Table: see text]

Differences in the tumor genomic landscape between African Americans (AA) and Caucasians (CA) advanced prostate cancer (aPC) patients (pts) by comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) of cell-free DNA (cfDNA)

5058

Background: Emerging data suggest differences in the tumor genomic profile of AA compared with CA men with aPC. We hypothesized that there will be significant differences in the tumor genomic landscape between AA and Ca pts as detected by cfDNA CGP. Methods: Pts with aPC and available cfDNA CGP by the Guardant (G360) 73 gene panel were included. In addition, G360 74 gene panel was used to identify CDK12 mutation (not detected in 73 gene panel) in an independent cohort of aPC pts. Barnard’s test was used to evaluate the association between genetic mutation and gene. Genomic landscape was also compared by a Bayesian Network (BN) machine learning approach. Results: A total of 552 pts (125 AA, 427 CA) tested by G360 73 gene panel were included. Multiple genomic aberrations were enriched in AA patients (Table). In the independent cohort of 261 aPC patients (AA=106 pts, CA=155 pts) tested by G360 74 gene panel, CDK12 mutation was significant enriched in AA pts. (9.4% vs. 1.9%, p=0.006). Machine learning analysis supported these results, and will be presented at the meeting. Conclusions: These hypothesis generating data suggest significant differences in the tumor genomic profile between AA and CA pts with aPC. Identification of molecular drivers of tumor progression enriched in AA pts may allow development of tailored systemic therapy for these men, and decrease disparities in disease related outcomes. Data need external validation. PB,RR,MAB contributed equally to this work.[Table: see text]

Baseline Modified Glasgow Prognostic Score Associated with Survival in Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

BACKGROUND

The modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS), a clinical tool that incorporates albumin and C-reactive protein, has proven useful in the prognostication of multiple cancers. Several immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been approved for the treatment of metastatic urothelial cell carcinoma (mUC), but a prognostic biomarker is needed. We investigated the impact of mGPS on survival outcomes in patients with mUC receiving ICIs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed patients with mUC treated with ICIs (programmed cell death protein 1 or programmed cell death ligand 1 inhibitors) at Winship Cancer Institute from 2015 to 2018. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were measured from the start date of ICI until death or clinical or radiographic progression, respectively. mGPS was defined as a summary score with one point given for C-reactive protein >10 mg/L and/or albumin <3.5 g/dL. Univariate (UVA) and multivariate (MVA) analyses were carried out using Cox proportional hazard model. These outcomes were also assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 53 patients were included with a median follow-up 27.1 months. The median age was 70 years, with 84.9% male and 20.8% Black. Baseline mGPS was 0 in 43.4%, 1 in 28.3% and 2 in 28.3%. Increased mGPS at the time of ICI initiation was associated with poorer OS and PFS in UVA, MVA, and Kaplan-Meier analyses.

CONCLUSION

The mGPS may be a useful prognostic tool in patients with mUC when treatment with ICI is under consideration. These results warrant a larger study for validation.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

The ideal prognostic tool for use in a busy clinical practice is easy-to-use, cost-effective, and capable of accurately predicting clinical outcomes. There is currently no universally accepted risk score in metastatic urothelial cell carcinoma (mUC), particularly in the immunotherapy era. The modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS) incorporates albumin and C-reactive protein and may reflect underlying chronic inflammation, a known risk factor for resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). This study found that baseline mGPS is associated with survival outcomes in patients with mUC treated with ICIs and may help clinicians to prognosticate for their patients beginning immunotherapy.

Detection of Microsatellite Instability via Circulating Tumor DNA and Response to Immunotherapy in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: A Case Series

Pembrolizumab has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of metastatic or unresectable solid tumors that are microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient. Blood-based circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assays have been validated to identify tumors with MSI-H status without the need for tissue biopsy. We report 2 patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who had prior treatment with multiple lines of therapy and underwent ctDNA testing, which detected MSI-H status. Both patients were treated with pembrolizumab, resulting in an excellent clinical response measured with liquid biopsies before and after initiation of therapy, which demonstrated a significant reduction in somatic-variant allele frequency in addition to a decrease in prostate serum antigen levels.

Multi-institutional evaluation of the clinical outcomes and genomic correlates of African Americans with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC)

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Background: Prostate cancer incidence and mortality is higher in African American (AA) as compared with non-AA men. The outcomes of mCSPC have significantly improved through treatment intensification yet, AA representation in those studies was suboptimal. We aimed to report the clinical, treatment outcomes and genomic data of AA men with mCSPC. Methods: Retrospective analysis of consecutive AA men with mCSPC at six Academic Institutions. The primary objective was to report the baseline characteristics and treatment patterns of mCSPC AA patients. The secondary objectives included the germline and somatic data and the clinical outcomes including PSA response, progression-free survival and subsequent treatments. Results: A total of 71 patients, median age 63 years (range, 41-84) with 58% Gleason 8-10, initial PSA of 69.8 ng/mL (0.02-7650), 59% with de-novo and 55% with high-volume (CHAARTED criteria; 20% visceral) disease, were included in this analysis. Twenty-two patients (31%) were treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT; 67% prior to year 2017), while 24%, 45% and 3% received docetaxel (median 6 cycles), abiraterone acetate and enzalutamide, respectively. Two patients received triplet therapy with ADT/docetaxel plus abiraterone or enzalutamide. Undetectable PSA was achieved in 35% after a median of 8.9 months (1.8-22.3). Among patients with mCSPC who received radiation therapy to prostate (n = 8), 89% had low volume disease. At time of cut off, thirty-two patients developed CRPC and the estimated median time to CRPC was 2.9 years (95% CI, 1.6-4.2). Subsequent therapies (n = 29) included abiraterone acetate (41%), enzalutamide (24%), bicalutamide (10%), radium-223 (7%), chemotherapy (7%), sipuleucel-T (3%) and others (7%). Five patients (8%) had pathogenic germline alterations (n = 2 BRCA1; n = 1 HOXB13, PALB2 and PMS2). Additionally, the most common somatic alterations among tested patients (n = 27) included CDK12, SPOP, TMPRSS2-ERG fusion, and TP53, all in 11% frequency. Of note, n = 2 BRCA1 and n = 1 high MSI/TMB. Conclusions: In one of the largest reported cohorts to our knowledge, mCSPC AA presented with a high number of de-novo and high-volume disease and might harbor a different germline and somatic genomic profile. The outcomes were comparable to contemporary phase III trials with treatment intensification, yet 31% were treated with ADT. Despite the known limitations associated with retrospective analysis, these data support prior observations where AA might have better initial PSA responses to ADT-based strategies compared with Caucasians, requiring further validation.

Correlation Patterns Among B7 Family Ligands and Tryptophan Degrading Enzymes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Mechanisms of dysfunctional T cell immunity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) need to be well defined. B7 family molecules provide both co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory signals to T cells while tryptophan degrading enzymes like Indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase (IDO) and Tryptophan 2,3 Dioxygenase (TDO) mediate tumor immune tolerance. It is necessary to identify their in situ correlative expression, which informs targets for combined immunotherapy approaches. We investigated B7 family molecules, IDO, TDO and immune responsive effectors in the tumor tissues of patients with HCC (n = 28) using a pathway-focused quantitative nanoscale chip real-time PCR. Four best correlative expressions, namely (1) B7-1 & PD-L2, (2) B7-H2 & B7-H3, (3) B7-2 & PD-L1, (4) PD-L1 & PD-L2, were identified among B7 family ligands, albeit they express at different levels. Although TDO expression is higher than IDO, PD-L1 correlates only with IDO but not TDO. Immune effector (Granzyme B) and suppressive (PD-1 and TGF-β) genes correlate with IDO and B7-1, B7-H5, PD-L2. Identification of the in situ correlation of PD-L1, PD-L2 and IDO suggest their cumulative immuno suppressive role in HCC. The distinct correlations among B7-1, B7-2, B7-H2, and B7-H3, correlation of PD-1 with non-cognate ligands such as B7-1 and B7-H5, and correlation of tumor lytic enzyme Granzyme B with IDO and PD-L2 suggest that HCC microenvironment is complexly orchestrated with both stimulatory and inhibitory molecules which together neutralize and blunt anti-HCC immunity. Functional assays demonstrate that both PDL-1 and IDO synergistically inhibit T cell responses. Altogether, the present data suggest the usage of combined immune checkpoint blocking strategies targeting co-inhibitory B7 molecules and IDO for HCC management.

Novel risk group stratification for metastatic urothelial cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

BACKGROUND

We developed a novel risk scoring system for urothelial cancer (UC) patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI).

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective review of 67 UC patients treated with ICI at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University from 2015 to 2018. Using stepwise variable selection in Cox proportional hazard model and Sullivan's weighting schema, baseline platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), presence of liver metastasis, baseline albumin, and baseline Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) were used for risk scoring. Patients were categorized into good risk (risk score 0-1), intermediate risk (risk score 2-3), and poor risk (risk score 4-6). Univariable (UVA) and multivariable analysis (MVA) and Kaplan-Meier method were used to assess overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS).

RESULTS

The Emory Risk Scoring System had C-statistics of 0.74 (Standard Error = 0.047) in predicting OS and 0.70 (Standard Error = 0.043) in predicting PFS. Compared to good risk patients, poor risk patients had significantly shorter OS and PFS in both UVA and MVA (all P < .001), and intermediate risk patients had significantly shorter OS and PFS in both UVA and MVA (all P < .03).

CONCLUSIONS

Risk scoring using baseline PLR, presence of liver metastasis, baseline albumin, and baseline ECOG PS may effectively predict OS and PFS in UC patients receiving ICI.

Association of baseline modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) with survival outcomes in patients with metastatic urothelial cell carcinoma (mUCC) treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPI)

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Background: The mGPS, a clinical tool that incorporates albumin and C-reactive protein, has proven useful in the prognostication of multiple cancers. Several CPI agents have been approved for the treatment of mUCC but a prognostic biomarker is needed. We investigated the impact of mGPS on survival outcomes in mUCC patients receiving CPI. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed mUCC patients treated with CPI (PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors) at Winship Cancer Institute from 2015 to 2018. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were measured from the start date of CPI until death or clinical/radiographic progression, respectively. mGPS was defined as a summary score with one point given for CRP > 10 mg/L and/or albumin < 3.5 g/dL. Univariate (UVA) and multivariate (MVA) analyses were carried out using Cox proportional hazard model for OS and PFS. Results: A total of 53 patients were included with a median follow up 27.1 months. The median age was 70 years with 84.9% male and 20.8% black. Baseline mGPS was 0 in 43.4%, 1 in 28.3% and 2 in 28.3%. The correlation between mGPS and other inflammatory biomarkers, such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), was high with Pearson correlation coefficients ≥ 0.48 (p ≤ 0.0003). Increased mGPS at the time of CPI initiation was associated with poorer OS and PFS (Table). Conclusions: The mGPS may be a useful prognostic tool in mUCC patients when treatment with CPI is under consideration. These results warrant a larger study for validation.[Table: see text]

Inflammatory markers at baseline (C1) and cycle 3 (C3) and their association with clinical outcomes in urothelial cancer patients (pts) treated with immunotherapy (IO)

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Background: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have been explored as biomarkers for response to IO. We investigated the association between these biomarkers and clinical outcomes in urothelial cancer pts treated with IO. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 67 urothelial cancer pts treated with PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors at Winship Cancer Institute from 2015-2018. Overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) were measured from first dose of IO to date of death or hospice referral and clinical or radiographic progression, respectively. MLR, NLR, and PLR were collected at C1 and C3. The nonlinear relationship between log-transformed biomarkers and OS or PFS was examined by martingale residual plot and optimal cutoff (OC) values were determined. Multivariable analysis (MVA) used Cox proportional hazard model. Results: OC for C1 and C3 NLR, MLR, and PLR were 2.06 and 1.42, -0.331 and -0.153, and 5.7 and 5.6, respectively. Pts with C1 NLR and PLR above OC had worse OS and shorter PFS (all p<0.05) (Table). High C3 MLR portended shorter OS and PFS. NLR, MLR and PLR were highly correlated (Pearson correlation coefficients ≥ 0.67, p<0.0001). Conclusions: High NLR, MLR, and PLR at C1 and at C3 are associated with worse clinical outcomes in this cohort. These values warrant a larger study for validation. MVA† of MLR, NLR, and PLR at C1 and at C3 with OS and PFS. [Table: see text]

Sites of metastases (mets) and their association with clinical outcomes (CO) in urothelial cancer patients (pts) treated with immunotherapy (IO)

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Background: Several IO agents have been approved for treatment of advanced urothelial cancer pts. We investigated the association between sites of mets and CO in urothelial cancer pts treated with IO in the real world setting. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 67 urothelial cancer pts treated with PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors at Winship Cancer Institute from 2015-2018. Overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) were measured from first dose of IO to date of death or hospice referral and radiographic or clinical progression, respectively. Sites of mets were collected from radiology and clinic notes at baseline. Univariate analysis (UVA) and multivariable analysis (MVA) used Cox proportional hazard. Results: The median age was 70 and most (79.1%) were men. Pts had mets to sites such as lymph node (73.1%), bone (29.9%), liver (20.9%), lung (31.3%), and brain (1.5%). Pts with bone or liver mets had significantly shorter OS and PFS in UVA. Pts with bone mets also had significantly shorter OS and PFS in MVA (Table). The median OS of pts with bone mets was 2.2 months (12-month survival=28.0%), while those without bone mets had a median OS of 21.9 months (12-month survival=52.5%) per Kaplan-Meier estimation. The median OS of pts with liver mets was 2.2 months (12-month survival=28.6%), while those without liver mets had a median OS of 12.8 months (12-month survival=50.1%) per Kaplan-Meier estimation. Conclusions: Bone and liver mets are poor prognostic factors in urothelial cancer pts receiving IO in the real world setting. These findings should be validated in a larger study. [Table: see text]

Association between immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and clinical outcomes (CO) in advanced urothelial cancer patients (pts) treated with immunotherapy (IO)

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Background: The increasing use of IO agents in the treatment of urothelial cancer has revealed irAEs during therapy. We investigated whether there is an association between treatment-related irAEs and CO in urothelial cancer pts treated with IO. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 67 urothelial cancer pts treated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors at Winship Cancer Institute from 2015-2018. Overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) were calculated from first IO dose to date of death or hospice referral and clinical or radiographic progression, respectively. Objective response (OR) was defined as partial or complete response per RECISTv1.1. Treatment-related irAEs were determined from clinic notes. The univariate association between irAE and clinical outcomes was generated using chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test. Results: The median age was 70 and 79.1% were men. 41.8% of pts had received 2 or more prior lines of therapy. Nine pts (13.4%) experienced irAEs including infusion reactions, rashes, and joint pain. Median follow-up from date of first dose of IO was 15 months (95% CI: 11-18 months). The overall death rate for pts who experienced irAE was 0%, while it was 62% for pts who did not experience irAE ( p<0.001) (Table). Conclusions: Experiencing irAEs was associated with lower death rate and progression rate and higher rate of OR in this cohort. These findings should be validated in a larger study. Univariate association of irAEs with CO. [Table: see text]

Association Between Pretreatment Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Outcome of Patients With Metastatic Renal-Cell Carcinoma Treated With Nivolumab

BACKGROUND

Biomarkers to guide treatment in metastatic renal-cell carcinoma (mRCC) are lacking. We aimed to investigate the association between pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and outcome of patients with mRCC receiving nivolumab.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Through retrospective chart review, we identified 38 patients with mRCC treated with standard-of-care nivolumab between 2015 and 2016 at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. NLR was determined from complete blood count collected before starting treatment, and imaging was performed to assess progression. The NLR cutoff value of 5.5 was determined by log-rank test, and the univariate association with overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS) was assessed by the Cox proportional hazard model and Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

The 38 patients had a median age of 69 years. The PFS and OS for all patients at 12 months was 54% and 69%, respectively. The median PFS was 2.6 months in the high NLR group but not reached in the low NLR group. Low NLR was strongly associated with increased PFS with hazard ratio of 0.20 (95% confidence interval, 0.07-0.64; P = .006). The median OS was 2.7 months in the high NLR group but not reached in the low NLR group. Low NLR was significantly associated with a prolonged OS with hazard ratio of 0.06 (95% confidence interval, 0.01-0.55; P = .012).

CONCLUSION

Pretreatment NLR < 5.5 is associated with superior PFS and OS. NLR is a biomarker that can inform prognosis for patients with mRCC and should be further validated in larger cohorts and in prospective studies.

Rhabdomyolysis Following Initiation of Posaconazole Use for Antifungal Prophylaxis in a Patient With Relapsed Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Case Report

Posaconazole is a commonly used medication for antifungal prophylaxis in patients with high-risk acute leukemia, such as acute myeloid leukemia. Despite clinical data that show that posaconazole is superior to other antifungal prophylaxis medications, posaconazole is known to have many side effects and drug-drug interactions. We present a patient who developed rhabdomyolysis after being started on posaconazole for prophylaxis in the setting of relapsed acute myeloid leukemia.

Improvement in phosphorescence efficiency through tuning of coordination geometry of tridentate cyclometalated platinum(II) complexes

A series of tridentate cyclometalated platinum(II) complexes (C(∧)N*N)PtL (L = Cl or acetylide) featuring a fused five-six-membered metallacycle were synthesized. The structure of the complexes was confirmed by X-ray crystallography. In contrast to the C(∧)N(∧)N platinum complexes with a fused five-five-membered metallacycle, the platinum coordination in C(∧)N*N complexes is much closer to a square planar geometry. The photophysical properties of the complexes were studied. The geometrical change from C(∧)N(∧)N to C(∧)N*N led to a substantial improvement in phosphorescence efficiency of the complexes with an acetylide ligand in solution at room temperature. For example, the quantum yield of (C(∧)N*N)PtCCPh was measured to be 56%, demonstrating a big jump from 4% reported for (C(∧)N(∧)N)PtCCPh.