Multicentre phase II trial of cabozantinib in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

There has been a lack of prospective data on treatment after immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We conducted a phase II multicentred study on cabozantinib in HCC after ICI treatment.

METHODS

This is an investigator-initiated single-arm clinical trial involving academic centres in Hong Kong and Korea. Key eligibility criteria include diagnosis of HCC; refractoriness to prior ICI-based treatment; Child-Pugh A liver function. Maximally two prior lines of therapy were allowed. All patients were commenced cabozantinib at 60mg/day. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS).

RESULTS

Total 47 patients were recruited from Oct 2020 to May 2022. The median follow-up was 11.2 months. In the study, 27 and 20 patients received one and two prior therapies. The median PFS was 4.1 months (95%CI:3.3-5.3). The median OS was 9.9 months (95%CI:7.3-14.4), and the 1-year OS rate was 45.3%. Partial response and stable disease occurred in 3 (6.4%) and 36 (76.6%) of patients. When used as a second-line treatment (n=20), cabozantinib was associated with a median PFS and OS of 4.3 (95%CI:3.3-6.7) and 14.3 months (95%CI:8.9-NR). The corresponding median PFS and OS was 4.3 (95%CI:3.3-11.0) and 14.3 months (95%CI:9.0-NR) for those receiving ICI-based regimen with proven benefits (n=17). Commonest grade 3-4 TRAE was thrombocytopenia (6.4%). The median dose of cabozantinib was 40mg/day. The number of prior therapy was an independent prognosticator (one vs. two; HR=0.37; p=0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Cabozantinib demonstrates efficacy in patients with prior ICI. The survival data of second-line cabozantinib following the first-line ICI regimen provide reference for clinical trial testing post-ICI therapy. The number of prior line of treatment may be considered a stratification factor in randomized study.

IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS

There is a lack of prospective data on systemic therapy following prior immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The current phase II clinical trial reported the efficacy and safety data of cabozantinib in patients with prior ICI-based treatment. Exploratory analyses showed that the performance of cabozantinib differed significantly when used as second or third-line treatment. The above data could be used a reference for clinical practice and design of future clinical trials on subsequent treatment following ICIs.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04588051.

A phase II clinical trial to study the use of cabozantinib (cabo) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) post immunotherapy treatment

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Background: There has been a lack of prospective clinical trial data on subsequent treatment after immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based treatment in HCC. To address this question, we designed and completed a phase II multicentred study to evaluate the use of cabo in HCC after prior ICI-based treatment. Methods: This is an investigator-initiated clinical trial involving 3 academic centres in Hong Kong and Korea. Key eligibility criteria include confirmed diagnosis of HCC; refractoriness to prior ICI-based treatment; duration of prior ICI-based treatment ≥2 months; Child's A liver function; ECOG performance status 0-2; maximal 2 lines of therapy. All patients (pts) were started cabo at 60mg once daily to progressive disease or intolerable toxicity. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival (PFS). Other secondary endpoints including response rate (RR) according to the RECIST, overall survival (OS) and treatment-related adverse event (TRAE). Total sample size is 48 (one-sided alpha 0.05; power 80%). Results: Total 48 pts were recruited from Oct 2020 to May 2022. Data were frozen on 1 Aug 2022 for analyses. The median follow-up was 11.2m. Seven (14.9%) pts remained on treatment; 1pt was found to ineligible and excluded from the analysis. The median age is 61 (Range 36-83). Aetiology of HCC: HBV 34 (72.3%); HCV 2 (4.3%); alcoholic 8 (17%); Most pts have BCLC stage C (93.6%). All pts have Child’s A liver function. Total 39 (83%) pts receive ICI-based first-line therapy, and 19 (40.4%) pts have prior atezolizumab-bevacizumab (AB) treatment. The median PFS is 4.1m (95% CI 3.3-5.3). Regarding RR, PR and SD occurs in 3 (6.4%) and 36 (76.6%) pts, respectively. The median OS is 9.9m (95% CI 7.3-14.4) and the 1-year survival rate is 45.3%. Amongst the 19 pts receiving prior AB treatment, the median OS is 14.3m (95% CI: 5.5-14.4) with 1-year survival rate of 50.7%. For non-AB regimen, the median OS is 8.9m (95% CI 6.1-NR) with 1-year survival rate of 42.0%. Commonest G3-4 TRAE is thrombocytopenia (6%); hypertension (4%) and ALT elevation (4%).The median dose of cabo is 41.6mg per day (range: 24.3-60.0 mg). Conclusions: Post-ICI use of cabo is associated with a median PFS of 4.1m and median OS of 9.9m. AB-cabo sequence appears to have more favourable outcome than non-AB-cabo sequence. No new safety signals were observed. This clinical trial reports the first prospective post-ICI survival data on TKI. Clinical trial information: NCT04588051 .

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Nonoperative Platelet-Rich Plasma Shoulder Injections for Rotator Cuff Pathology

BACKGROUND

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections have been introduced to augment the recovery of patients with shoulder pathology. Although multiple studies have been published, no large-scale trials or meta-analyses have assessed the efficacy of nonoperative shoulder PRP injection.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the efficacy of nonoperative PRP shoulder injection in rotator cuff pathology for pain as measured by the visual analog scale (VAS) and range of motion (ROM).

DESIGN

Two authors independently screened the Medline and Cochrane databases to include prospective studies that reported VAS and ROM outcomes for nonoperative shoulder PRP injections for rotator cuff pathology. Study quality was assessed using the revised Cochrane Collaboration risk-of-bias tool and modified Downs and Black checklist. Subsequent meta-analysis was performed to determine the effect of nonoperative PRP injections on pain and ROM 3 to 12 months after intervention.

RESULTS

Six studies met systematic review criteria. The included studies used different PRP formulations (concentration, leukocyte count), injection protocols (approach, injection number), and varied study designs. Three studies concluded that PRP provided no significant benefit for pain and ROM when compared to physical therapy. Within-group meta-analysis of six fairly heterogeneous studies (I² 77.8%) demonstrated a statistically significant (P < .001) improvement in pain 3 to 12 months after PRP injection. Within-group meta-analysis for four studies for shoulder flexion and abduction was found to be too heterogeneous to derive meaningful results.

CONCLUSION

There is a limited quantity of high-quality studies that assess the efficacy of nonoperative PRP shoulder injection for pain and ROM. Systematic review of PRP injections did not demonstrate an improvement in pain or ROM compared to physical therapy. Although within-group meta-analysis of nonoperative PRP statistically showed that nonoperative PRP improved pain, the lack of adequate negative controls precludes the ability to conclude whether improvements were due to natural recovery or nonoperative PRP.

Critical care usage after major gastrointestinal and liver surgery: a prospective, multicentre observational study

BACKGROUND

Patient selection for critical care admission must balance patient safety with optimal resource allocation. This study aimed to determine the relationship between critical care admission, and postoperative mortality after abdominal surgery.

METHODS

This prespecified secondary analysis of a multicentre, prospective, observational study included consecutive patients enrolled in the DISCOVER study from UK and Republic of Ireland undergoing major gastrointestinal and liver surgery between October and December 2014. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore associations between critical care admission (planned and unplanned) and mortality, and inter-centre variation in critical care admission after emergency laparotomy.

RESULTS

Of 4529 patients included, 37.8% (n=1713) underwent planned critical care admissions from theatre. Some 3.1% (n=86/2816) admitted to ward-level care subsequently underwent unplanned critical care admission. Overall 30-day mortality was 2.9% (n=133/4519), and the risk-adjusted association between 30-day mortality and critical care admission was higher in unplanned [odds ratio (OR): 8.65, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.51-19.97) than planned admissions (OR: 2.32, 95% CI: 1.43-3.85). Some 26.7% of patients (n=1210/4529) underwent emergency laparotomies. After adjustment, 49.3% (95% CI: 46.8-51.9%, P<0.001) were predicted to have planned critical care admissions, with 7% (n=10/145) of centres outside the 95% CI.

CONCLUSIONS

After risk adjustment, no 30-day survival benefit was identified for either planned or unplanned postoperative admissions to critical care within this cohort. This likely represents appropriate admission of the highest-risk patients. Planned admissions in selected, intermediate-risk patients may present a strategy to mitigate the risk of unplanned admission. Substantial inter-centre variation exists in planned critical care admissions after emergency laparotomies.

Orally active 7-phenylglycyl cephalosporins. Structure-activity studies related to cefatrizine (SK&F 60771)

The synthesis of a series of related broad-spectrum 7-phenylglycyl cephalosporins with 3-heterocyclicthiomethyl substituents is described. The effects of benzene-ring hydroxylation and 3-substituent variation on the in vitro antibacterial activity, height and duration of mouse serum levels, and effectiveness in protecting against bacterial infection in the mouse are examined. Included for comparison are cephalexin, cephaloglycin and their ortho-, meta- and para-hydroxy derivatives. The biological properties examined were influenced by the position of the hydroxyl group and by the nature of the 3-substituent. The 7-(p-hydroxyphenylglycyl)-3-heterocyclicthiomethyl analogs were found to produce significantly higher serum levels on oral administration to mice than their unhydroxylated counterparts. This effect was not observed with the 7-(m-hydroxyphenylglycyl)-3-heterocyclicthiomethyl cephalosporins, nor with the p-hydroxyphenylglycyl analog of cephalexin. While m- and p-hydroxylation had little effect on in vitro activity and o-hydroxyphenylglycyl cephalosporins tested had very low antibacterial activities and were not examined further. One derivative, 7-[R-2-amino-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)acetamido]-3-(1H-1, 2, 3-triazole-4(5)-ylthiomethyl)-3-cephem-4-carboxylic acid (SK&F 60771) was found to have outstanding in vitro and in vivo activities along with oral and subcutaneous serum levels in the mouse that were significantly higher than those obtained with cephalexin. This derivative which has been given the generic name cefatrizine was selected for extensive additional biological evaluation.