Health-Related Quality of Life with Pembrolizumab in Patients with Locally Advanced or Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: KEYNOTE-629

INTRODUCTION

At first interim analysis of KEYNOTE-629, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) with pembrolizumab was stable or improved over 48 weeks in recurrent or metastatic (R/M) cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). HRQoL results from the second interim analysis in R/M or locally advanced (LA) cSCC are presented.

METHODS

Patients received pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3 weeks for ≤ 2 years. Change in EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and EQ-5D-5L scores were exploratory end points. Primary analysis was performed at week 12 to ensure adequate completion/compliance. Descriptive analyses were also conducted through weeks 48 and 75 for the LA and R/M cohorts, respectively.

RESULTS

At data cutoff (29 July 2020), mean scores in the LA cohort (n = 47) were stable from baseline to week 12 for EORTC QLQ-C30 global health status (GHS)/quality of life (QoL) (-0.27 points [95% confidence interval (CI) -10.93 to 10.39]), physical functioning (-1.29 points [95% CI  -8.77 to 6.19]), and EQ-5D-5L visual analog scale (2.06 [95% CI -7.70 to 11.82]). HRQoL remained stable through week 48 in the LA cohort; 76.6% and 74.5% of patients had improved or stable GHS/QoL and physical functioning scores, respectively. HRQoL continued to show stability or improvement through week 75 in the R/M cohort (n = 99); 71.7% and 64.6% of patients had improved or stable GHS/QoL and physical functioning scores, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Pembrolizumab has demonstrated antitumor activity and manageable safety. The current analysis shows pembrolizumab treatment preserved HRQoL. Collectively, these results support pembrolizumab as standard of care for LA or R/M cSCC.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03284424-September 15, 2017.

Abstract CT006: Phase 2 study of pembrolizumab (pembro) for locally advanced (LA) or recurrent/metastatic (R/M) cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC): KEYNOTE-629

Background: In the multicenter, open-label, nonrandomized, phase 2 KEYNOTE-629 trial, pembro has demonstrated clinically meaningful and durable antitumor activity with a manageable safety profile for R/M cSCC based on the first interim analysis (IA). Here, we present the second IA of KEYNOTE-629, which reports the initial efficacy and safety data for the LA cohort and updated data for the R/M cohort in cSCC.Methods: Eligible patients (pts) were ≥18 years old, had histologically confirmed cSCC (LA or R/M) with measurable disease per RECIST 1.1 by blinded independent central review (BICR), an ECOG PS score of 0 or 1, and adequate organ function. Pts received intravenous pembro 200 mg every 3 weeks for up to 35 infusions (~ 2 years) or until protocol-specified treatment discontinuation criteria were met. The primary endpoint was ORR per RECIST 1.1 by BICR. Secondary endpoints were DOR, DCR, and PFS, all per RECIST 1.1 by BICR; OS; and safety and tolerability. Results: A total of 159 pts were enrolled and treated with pembro (LA, n=54; R/M, n=105). The median time from the first dose to data cutoff (July 29, 2020) was 14.9 (range, 10.1-19.4) mo for the LA cohort and 27.2 (range, 24.6-32.0) mo for the R/M cohort. In the LA cohort, 22.2% of pts were treated with prior systemic therapy with curative intent. In the R/M cohort, 86.7% of pts received ≥1 prior systemic therapy. Updated efficacy outcomes are summarized in the table. Across cohorts, grade 3-5 treatment-related AEs occurred in 11.9% of pts. Grade 3-5 immune-related AEs occurred in 8.2% of pts. Conclusions: Pembro confirmed robust and durable antitumor activity, with promising survival in LA and R/M cSCC. AEs with pembro in this study were generally consistent with its established safety profile. These data support the use of pembro for cSCC.

LA cSCC(N=54)R/M cSCC(N=105)Total(N=159)ORR, % (95% CI)50.0 (36.1-63.9)35.2 (26.2-45.2)40.3 (32.6-48.3)DCR (SD ≥12 wks + ORR), % (95% CI)64.8 (50.6-77.3)52.4 (42.4-62.2)56.6 (48.5-64.4)Best overall response, n (%)CR9 (16.7)11 (10.5)20 (12.6)PR18 (33.3)26 (24.8)44 (27.7)SD13 (24.1)30 (28.6)43 (27.0)SD≥12 wks8 (14.8)18 (17.1)26 (16.4)PD9 (16.7)28 (26.7)37 (23.3)NE1 (1.9)2 (1.9)3 (1.9)No assessment4 (7.4)8 (7.6)12 (7.5)DOR, median (range), moNR (1.0+-17.2+)NR (2.7-30.4+)NR (1.0+-30.4+)Patients with extended responses≥12 months, n (%)10 (84.1)25 (77.8)35 (80.3)PFS, median (95% CI), moNR (5.5-NR)5.7 (3.1-8.5)7.8 (5.3-12.3)12-mo PFS rate, % (95% CI)54.4 (39.6-67.0)36.4 (27.0- 45.9)42.4 (34.3-50.2)OS, median (95% CI), moNR (NR-NR)23.8 (13.4-29.8)26.4 (19.5-NR)12-mo OS rate, % (95% CI)73.6 (59.5-83.4)61.0 (50.9-69.5)65.1 (57.1-72.0)

Citation Format: Brett G.M. Hughes, Eva Munoz-Couselo, Laurent Mortier, Åse Bratland, Ralf Gutzmer, Osama Roshdy, Rene González Mendoza, Jacob Schachter, Ana Arance, Florent Grange, Nicolas Meyer, Abhishek Joshi, Salem Billan, Pingye Zhang, Burak Gumuscu, Ramona F. Swaby, Jean-Jacques Grob. Phase 2 study of pembrolizumab (pembro) for locally advanced (LA) or recurrent/metastatic (R/M) cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC): KEYNOTE-629 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr CT006.

Abstract LB-239: The Hippo effector YAP promotes resistance to RAF and MEK targeted therapies

Resistance to RAF-MEK targeted therapy is a major clinical challenge. RAF-MEK inhibitors are initially but only transiently effective in some but not all BRAF mutant patients, and largely ineffective in RAS mutant patients because of resistance. Through a genetic screen in BRAF mutant tumor cells, we show that the Hippo pathway effector YAP acts as a parallel survival input to promote resistance to RAF-MEK inhibitor therapy. Combined YAP and RAF-MEK inhibition was synthetically lethal not only in several BRAF mutant tumor types but also in RAS mutant tumors. Increased YAP in BRAFV600E patient tumors was a biomarker of worse initial response to RAF inhibition in patients, establishing the clinical relevance of our findings. Our data uncover YAP as a novel mechanism of resistance to RAF-MEK targeted therapy. The findings unveil the synthetic lethality of YAP and RAF-MEK co-suppression as a promising strategy to enhance response and patient survival.

Citation Format: Luping Lin, Amit Sabnis, Elton Chan, Victor Olivas, Lindsay Cade, Evangelos Pazarentzos, Saurabh Asthana, Dana Neel, Jenny Jiacheng Yan, Xinyuan Lu, Luu Pham, Mingxue Wang, Niki Karachaliou, Maria G. Cao, Jose L. Manzano, Jose L. Ramirez, Jose M. Torres, Fiamma Buttitta, Charles M. Rudin, Eric A. Collisson, Alain Algazi, Eric Robinson, Iman Osman, Eva Munoz-Couselo, Javier Cortes, Dennie T. Frederick, Zachary A. Cooper, Martin McMahon, Antonio Marchetti, Rafael Rosell, Keith T. Flaherty, Jennifer A. Wargo, Trever G. Bivona. The Hippo effector YAP promotes resistance to RAF and MEK targeted therapies. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-239. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-LB-239

Abstract OT1-4-05: Phase I dose-escalation study of oral administration of abexinostat (S 78454, PCI-24781) given with tamoxifen 20 mg in the treatment of patients with advanced breast cancer

Background: Around 20% of patients initially diagnosed with local stage breast cancer will develop metastatic breast cancer, with an about 23% median 5-year survival rate from diagnosis. Patients whose tumors express ER and PR (ER+, PR+) are frequently treated with antiestrogens and aromatase inhibitors (AI). Primary and secondary resistances to hormone therapy lead to tumor progression and shorten survival expectancy.

In preclinical models, treatment of ER+ breast cancer cells with HDAC inhibitors leads to transcriptional down regulation and post-translation modification of the ER. This treatment reverses tamoxifen-induced ER stabilization, followed by induction of pro-apoptotic genes and apoptotic cell death. Epigenetic modulation of ER signaling by HDAC inhibitor represents a novel strategy to reverse hormonal resistance.

Abexinostat is a hydroxamate-based pan-HDAC inhibitor of class I/II, in phase I/II clinical trials. Abexinostat inhibits tumor growth in a panel of commonly used ER+ breast cancer cell lines including ATCC and NCI. Abexinostat potentiates the anti-tumor activity of tamoxifen in vitro in ER+ breast cancer cells, by down-regulation of ER protein expression and its pro-growth response genes (PgR, Cyclin D). It abrogates AKT cell signaling by directly down-regulating AKT1 at the transcriptional and post-translational level. Furthermore, cell death is induced by activating the apoptotic program.

Study design: phase I dose-finding of abexinostat for 4 consecutive days each week of a 3-week cycle given in combination with daily tamoxifen at 20 mg. Dose levels of abexinostat, 120, 140 and 160 mg bid, of 3 to 6 patients will be explored. Two dose de-escalation levels (100/80 mg) are allowed depending on toxicity. Dose-Limiting Toxicities assessment will be done at the end of cycle 2. Once the Maximum Tolerated Dose is determined up to 20 additional patients will be treated at the recommended dose in a confirmatory cohort.

Main eligibility criteria: Female≥ 18 years with histologically confirmed primary adenocarcinoma of the breast; ER+ (IHC≥ 10%), HER2- tumors. Patients must have had tumor progression on an AI administered for advanced/metastatic disease OR recurrence while on or within 12 months of completion of adjuvant AI, OR recurrence within 12 months of adjuvant tamoxifen completion and must have had up to 3 prior chemotherapy regimens in metastatic/advanced setting. Patients must have progressive tumor measurable or evaluable (RECIST criteria version 1.1).

Main objectives: Primary: to assess the safety and the tolerability of the combination treatment and to determine a recommended Phase II dose. Secondary: to determine the pharmacokinetic profile of both the drugs in combination and metabolites; to measure tumor response to the combination; to measure drug target inhibition by assessing acetylation state of histones proteins, HbF level and HDAC2 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in peripheral blood samples; to assess circulating tumor cells; to analyze biomarkers on tissue sample and pharmacogenomic of genes implicated in the metabolism of combination (optional).

Status: Study opened in September 2012, currently recruiting.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr OT1-4-05.