Global real-world experiences with pembrolizumab in advanced urothelial carcinoma after platinum-based chemotherapy: the ARON-2 study

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have changed previous treatment paradigm of advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC). The ARON-2 study (NCT05290038) aimed to assess the real-world effectiveness of pembrolizumab in patients recurred or progressed after platinum-based chemotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Medical records of patients with documented metastatic UC treated by pembrolizumab as second-line therapy were retrospectively collected from 88 institutions in 23 countries. Patients were assessed for overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall response rate (ORR). Cox proportional hazards models were adopted to explore the presence of prognostic factors.

RESULTS

In total, 836 patients were included: 544 patients (65%) received pembrolizumab after progression to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy in the metastatic setting (cohort A) and 292 (35%) after recurring within < 12 months since the completion of adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (cohort B). The median follow-up time was 15.3 months. The median OS and the ORR were 10.5 months and 31% in the overall study population, 9.1 months and 29% in cohort A and 14.6 months and 37% in cohort B. At multivariate analysis, ECOG-PS ≥ 2, bone metastases, liver metastases and pembrolizumab setting (cohort A vs B) proved to be significantly associated with worst OS and PFS. Stratified by the presence of 0, 1-2 or 3-4 prognostic factors, the median OS was 29.4, 12.5 and 4.1 months (p < 0.001), while the median PFS was 12.2, 6.4 and 2.8 months, respectively (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study confirms that pembrolizumab is effective in the advanced UC real-world context, showing outcome differences between patients recurred or progressed after platinum-based chemotherapy.

Advanced renal cell carcinoma management: the Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group (LACOG) and the Latin American Renal Cancer Group (LARCG) consensus update

PURPOSE

Renal cell carcinoma is an aggressive disease with a high mortality rate. Management has drastically changed with the new era of immunotherapy, and novel strategies are being developed; however, identifying systemic treatments is still challenging. This paper presents an update of the expert panel consensus from the Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group and the Latin American Renal Cancer Group on advanced renal cell carcinoma management in Brazil.

METHODS

A panel of 34 oncologists and experts in renal cell carcinoma discussed and voted on the best options for managing advanced disease in Brazil, including systemic treatment of early and metastatic renal cell carcinoma as well as nonclear cell tumours. The results were compared with the literature and graded according to the level of evidence.

RESULTS

Adjuvant treatments benefit patients with a high risk of recurrence after surgery, and the agents used are pembrolizumab and sunitinib, with a preference for pembrolizumab. Neoadjuvant treatment is exceptional, even in initially unresectable cases. First-line treatment is mainly based on tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs); the choice of treatment is based on the International Metastatic Database Consortium (IMCD) risk score. Patients at favourable risk receive ICIs in combination with TKIs. Patients classified as intermediate or poor risk receive ICIs, without preference for ICI + ICIs or ICI + TKIs. Data on nonclear cell renal cancer treatment are limited. Active surveillance has a place in treating favourable-risk patients. Either denosumab or zoledronic acid can be used for treating metastatic bone disease.

CONCLUSION

Immunotherapy and targeted therapy are the standards of care for advanced disease. The utilization and sequencing of these therapeutic agents hinge upon individual risk scores and responses to previous treatments. This consensus reflects a commitment to informed decision-making, drawn from professional expertise and evidence in the medical literature.

Circulating tumor cells as a predictor and prognostic tool for metastatic clear cell renal carcinoma: An immunocytochemistry and genomic analysis

BACKGROUND

Treatment of metastatic clear cell renal carcinoma (mccRCC) has changed dramatically over the past 20 years, without improvement in the development of biomarkers. Recently, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been validated as a prognostic and predictive tool for many solid tumors.

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated CTCs in blood samples obtained from patients diagnosed with mccRCC. Comparisons of CTC counts, protein expression profiling, and DNA mutants were made in relation to overall survival and progression-free survival.

METHODS

CTCs were isolated from 10 mL blood samples using the ISET® system (Isolation by SizE of Tumor Cells; Rarecells, France) and counted. Protein expression was evaluated in immunocytochemistry assays. DNA mutations were identified with next generation sequencing (NGS).

RESULTS

Blood samples (10 mL) were collected from 12 patients with mccRCC before the start of first-line systemic therapy, and again 30 and 60 days after the start of treatment. All 12 patients had CTCs detected at baseline (median, 1.5 CTCs/mL; range: 0.25-7.75). Patients with CTC counts greater than the median had two or more metastatic sites and exhibited worse progression-free survival (19.7 months) compared to those with CTC counts less than the median (31.1 months). Disease progression was observed in 7/12 patients during the study. Five of these patients had baseline CTC counts greater than the median, one had higher CTC levels at the second blood collection, and one patient had CTCs present at 1 CTC/mL which positively stained for PD-L1, N-cadherin, VEGF, and SETD2. CTC DNA from six patients with worse outcomes was subjected to NGS. However, no conclusions could be made due to the low variant allele frequencies.

CONCLUSION

Detection of CTCs in patients with mccRCC receiving first-line treatment is a feasible tool with prognostic potential since increased numbers of CTCs were found to be associated with metastasis and disease progression.

Germline EGFR Mutations and Familial Lung Cancer

PURPOSE

The genomic underpinnings of inherited lung cancer risk are poorly understood. This prospective study characterized the clinical phenotype of patients and families with germline EGFR pathogenic variants (PVs).

METHODS

The Investigating Hereditary Risk from T790M study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01754025) enrolled patients with lung cancer whose tumor profiling harbored possible germline EGFR PVs and their relatives, either in person or remotely, providing germline testing and follow-up.

RESULTS

A total of 141 participants were enrolled over a 5-year period, 100 (71%) remotely. Based upon previous genotyping, 116 participants from 59 kindreds were tested for EGFR T790M, demonstrating a pattern of Mendelian inheritance with variable lung cancer penetrance. In confirmed or obligate carriers of a germline EGFR PV from 39 different kindreds, 50/91 (55%) were affected with lung cancer with 34/65 (52%) diagnosed by age 60 years. Somatic testing of lung cancers in carriers revealed that 35 of 37 (95%) had an EGFR driver comutation. Among 36 germline carriers without a cancer diagnosis, 15 had computed tomography (CT) imaging and nine had lung nodules, including a 28-year-old with >10 lung nodules. Given geographic enrichment of germline EGFR T790M in the southeast United States, genome-wide haplotyping of 46 germline carriers was performed and identified a 4.1-Mb haplotype shared by 41 (89%), estimated to originate 223-279 years ago.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is the first prospective description of familial EGFR-mutant lung cancer, identifying a recent founder germline EGFR T790M variant enriched in the Southeast United States. The high prevalence of EGFR-driver lung adenocarcinomas and lung nodules in germline carriers supports effort to identify affected patients and family members for investigation of CT-based screening for these high-risk individuals.

Use of concomitant proton pump inhibitors, statins or metformin in patients treated with pembrolizumab for metastatic urothelial carcinoma: data from the ARON-2 retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Concomitant medications may potentially affect the outcome of cancer patients. In this sub-analysis of the ARON-2 real-world study (NCT05290038), we aimed to assess the impact of concomitant use of proton pump inhibitors (PPI), statins, or metformin on outcome of patients with metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC) receiving second-line pembrolizumab.

METHODS

We collected data from the hospital medical records of patients with mUC treated with pembrolizumab as second-line therapy at 87 institutions from 22 countries. Patients were assessed for overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall response rate. We carried out a survival analysis by a Cox regression model.

RESULTS

A total of 802 patients were eligible for this retrospective study; the median follow-up time was 15.3 months. PPI users compared to non-users showed inferior PFS (4.5 vs. 7.2 months, p = 0.002) and OS (8.7 vs. 14.1 months, p < 0.001). Concomitant PPI use remained a significant predictor of PFS and OS after multivariate Cox analysis. The use of statins or metformin was not associated with response or survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study results suggest a significant prognostic impact of concomitant PPI use in mUC patients receiving pembrolizumab in the real-world context. The mechanism of this interaction warrants further elucidation.

IRONMAN: A Novel International Registry of Men With Advanced Prostate Cancer

PURPOSE

To describe a newly established international registry recruiting diverse patients with advanced prostate cancer across academic and community practices to address unmet needs in this population.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Initiated in 2017, IRONMAN (International Registry for Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer) is a prospective cohort of patients with advanced prostate cancer. The study will enroll 5,000 patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) or castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), recruited from Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Nigeria, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The study is collecting datatypes to study variation in care and treatment of advanced prostate cancer across countries and across academic, community-based, and government practices with a focus on clinical outcomes, patient-reported outcomes, epidemiologic data, biologic subtypes, and clinician questionnaires.

RESULTS

Through July 2022, 2,682 eligible patients were enrolled in 11 of 12 active countries. Sixty-six percent of patients have mHSPC, and 34% have CRPC. On the basis of self-report, 11% of patients are Black and 9% are Hispanic. Five Veterans Affairs Medical Centers are enrolling patients. Globally, 23% of patients report being veterans of military service.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is the first international cohort of people newly diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer designed to describe variations in patient management, experiences, and outcomes. IRONMAN aims to identify optimal treatment sequences to improve survival, understand patient-reported outcomes, and explore novel biomarkers to understand treatment resistance mechanisms. Insights from IRONMAN will inform and guide future clinical management of people with mHSPC and CRPC. This cohort study will provide real-world evidence to facilitate a better understanding of the survivorship of people with advanced prostate cancer.

Genetic determinants of chromatin reveal prostate cancer risk mediated by context-dependent gene regulation

Many genetic variants affect disease risk by altering context-dependent gene regulation. Such variants are difficult to study mechanistically using current methods that link genetic variation to steady-state gene expression levels, such as expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs). To address this challenge, we developed the cistrome-wide association study (CWAS), a framework for identifying genotypic and allele-specific effects on chromatin that are also associated with disease. In prostate cancer, CWAS identified regulatory elements and androgen receptor-binding sites that explained the association at 52 of 98 known prostate cancer risk loci and discovered 17 additional risk loci. CWAS implicated key developmental transcription factors in prostate cancer risk that are overlooked by eQTL-based approaches due to context-dependent gene regulation. We experimentally validated associations and demonstrated the extensibility of CWAS to additional epigenomic datasets and phenotypes, including response to prostate cancer treatment. CWAS is a powerful and biologically interpretable paradigm for studying variants that influence traits by affecting transcriptional regulation.

Geographical Differences in Kidney Cancer Outcomes of Patients Treated with Immunotherapy: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have shown clinical benefit among patients with advanced kidney cancer. Their cost burden hardens its access, especially in low- and middle-income countries. To set solutions, the impact of geographical and socioeconomic differences in the clinical outcomes and survival of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients needs to be explored. OBJECTIVE: This review aimed to understand if geographical differences affected the clinical outcomes of RCC patients receiving immunotherapy. METHODS: This study reviewed 45 studies that examined the OS and PFS of RCC patients undergoing ICI (2010–2020) selected from a 3028-study database search conducted on PubMed and grey literature. The selected studies were divided into groups: Asia, multicentric studies, Europe and Anglo-America. The lethality and income of the geographical locations were measured and discussed. RESULTS: Weighted average (WAVG) of mPFS and mOS were 8,47 months, and 40,6 months in Asia. The WAVG of mOS were 12.2 months, and 20.22 months in the Anglo-American population (15 studies; 943 patients). In multicentric studies (4 studies; 1834 patients) the WAVG mPFS was 10,06. European group (13 studies; 3143 patients) had 6.1 and 20.24 months mPFS and mOS, respectively. The exploratory analysis on income and RCC lethality has shown an absolute decline of 8.7% (CI 10.1 to 7.3% - p < 0.05) in RCC lethality, when income is raised by 100%. CONCLUSION: Clinical benefit from ICI varies across the globe. A wide access to ICI, and evaluation of biological aspects of the disease will allow a better understanding of the impact of geographic regions in the clinical outcome of patients receiving ICI and the etiology of potential differences.

A phase 2 randomized clinical trial of abiraterone plus ADT, apalutamide, or abiraterone and apalutamide in patients with advanced prostate cancer with non-castrate testosterone levels (LACOG 0415)

BACKGROUND

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) combined with apalutamide, abiraterone acetate plus prednisone, enzalutamide, or docetaxel are the standard treatments for advanced castration-sensitive prostate cancer (CSPC). We investigated ADT-free alternatives for advanced CSPC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

LACOG 0415 is a phase 2, open-label, non-comparative, randomized trial. Patients with advanced CSPC were randomized (1:1:1) to receive goserelin plus abiraterone acetate and prednisone (ADT plus AAP arm), apalutamide (APA arm), or apalutamide plus abiraterone acetate and prednisone (APA plus AAP arm). The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with PSA of ≤0.2 ng/mL at week 25 in the modified intention-to-treat population. Safety analyses were performed in all patients with at least one dose of the study drug.

RESULTS

Of 128 randomized patients, 120 patients were evaluable for PSA response at week 25; 17.2% had a high-risk biochemical recurrence, 8.6% had locally advanced disease, and 74.2% had distant metastases. At week 25, PSA of ≤0.2 ng/mL was observed in 75.6% (95%CI 59.7%-87.6%), 60.0% (95%CI 43.3%-75.1%), and 79.5% (95%CI 63.5%-90.7%) of patients in ADT plus AAP, APA, and APA plus AAP arms, respectively. PSA decline of ≥80% was observed in 100%, 90.0%, and 97.4%, respectively. Grade 3-4 AEs were observed in 31.0%, 21.4% and 36.4%, respectively. Testosterone levels increased significantly in the APA arm and decreased significantly in ADT plus AAP and APA plus AAP arms.

CONCLUSIONS

ADT-free alternatives provide a high PSA response in advanced CSPC, although the APA arm did not reach the expected rate of PSA of ≤0.2 ng/mL at week 25. These results warrant further investigation of ADT-free treatments as alternatives in advanced CSPC.

SOURCE STUDY REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.govNCT02867020.

Advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) management: an expert panel recommendation from the Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group (LACOG) and the Latin American Renal Cancer Group (LARCG)

PURPOSE

The outcome of RCC has improved considerably in the last few years, and the treatment options have increased. LACOG-GU and LARCG held a consensus meeting to develop guidelines to support the clinical decisions of physicians and other health professionals involved in the care of RCC patients.

METHODS

Eighty questions addressing relevant advanced RCC treatments were previously formulated by a panel of experts. The voting panel comprised 26 specialists from the LACOG-GU/LARCG. Consensus was determined as 75% agreement. For questions with less than 75% agreement, a new discussion was held, and consensus was determined by the majority of votes after the second voting session.

RESULTS

The recommendations were based on the highest level of scientific evidence or by the opinion of the RCC experts when no relevant research data were available.

CONCLUSION

This manuscript provides guidance for advanced RCC treatment according to the LACOG-GU/LARCG expert recommendations.

First-line Treatment of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma in the Immuno-oncology Era: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis

Combination treatments with immuno-oncology (IO) agents and IO agents plus a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (VEGFR-TKI) have been approved for first-line treatment of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). No direct comparisons have been performed among these treatment options. We performed a systematic review and network meta-analysis to compare and rank the available regimens for first-line treatment in terms of survival benefit and efficacy. In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review statement, a systematic search of reported studies was performed in MEDLINE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and EMBASE up to May 31, 2019. Network meta-analysis models were adjusted using the Bayesian method. Four randomized clinical trials, with a total of 3758 patients, met the inclusion criteria. Considering systemic therapy, 1880 patients had received sunitinib and 550, 432, 442, and 454 patients had received ipilimumab plus nivolumab (ipi + nivo), pembrolizumab plus axitinib (pembro + axi), avelumab plus axitinib (avelu + axi), and atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (atezo + bev). No difference was found in overall survival between ipi + nivo and pembro + axi for the intention to treat population (hazard ratio [HR], 1.34; 95% credible interval [CrI], 0.92-1.97). No difference was found in progression-free survival among the treatments. The overall response rate (ORR) was superior with pembro + axi and avelu + axi compared with the ORR with the other treatments (atezo + bev vs. pembro + axi: HR, 0.66; 95% CrI, 0.52-0.84; ipi + nivo vs. pembro + axi: HR, 0.73; 95% CrI, 0.59-0.90; atezo + bev vs. avelu + axi: HR, 0.55; 95% CrI, 0.43-0.71; avelu + axi vs. ipi + nivo: HR, 1.66; 95% CrI, 1.31-2.12), with no differences across them (HR, 1.21; 95% CrI, 0.95-1.53). In the present indirect comparison, for an intention to treat population, we found no survival differences between pembro + axi and ipi + nivo. All treatments showed better progression-free survival compared with sunitinib that was similar among them. The combination of an IO agent (pembrolizumab or avelumab) and axitinib seemed to be the most effective therapy for the ORR.

PD-L1 and p16 Expression in Penile Squamous Cell Carcinoma From an Endemic Region

BACKGROUND

Penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) is a rare malignancy with higher incidence in developing countries. Treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and systemic chemotherapy. However, effective treatments for advanced disease are lacking. To understand the biology underlying PSCC may help the development of new therapeutic strategies. The objective of this study was to evaluate immunohistochemical expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and p16 in PSCC and its association with clinicopathologic features and outcomes.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A cohort of 40 patients with PSCC from an academic institution in Brazil was analyzed. Clinicopathologic features and outcomes were retrospectively collected. PD-L1 and p16 immunohistochemical expression were performed in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens. PD-L1 was positive with any staining in more than 1% of tumor, and p16 was positive in more than 10%. Associations were performed using the Mann-Whitney and Fisher exact test. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to estimate survival rates with log-rank.

RESULTS

Of 35 patients, 5 were excluded, 4 owing to a lack of data and 1 owing to no tumor available; 18 (51.4%) patients were PD-L1-positive (PD-L1⁺). PD-L1⁺ was associated with larger tumors (P = .027). There was an association between PD-L1⁺ and p16 expression (P = .002). PD-L1⁺ was more frequent in grade II and III disease than grade I (77.8% vs. 22.2%) and was expressed in all patients with grade III disease. Lymph node involvement was associated with PD-L1 expression (69.2% PD-L1⁺ vs. 30.8% PD-L1-negative). The 5-year mortality was 37.1%.

CONCLUSION

PD-L1 expression appears to be associated with p16 expression, larger tumors, and worse clinical outcomes in PSCC and may provide clinical data for new studies to evaluate anti-PD-L1 immune therapies.

Renal cell cancer treatment: an expert panel recommendation from the Latin American cooperative group-genitourinary and the Latin American renal cancer group: focus on surgery

Background:

Renal cell cancer (RCC) is one of the 10 most common cancers in the world, and its incidence is increasing, whereas mortality is declining only in developed countries. Therefore, two collaborative groups, The Latin American Oncology Cooperative Group-Genitourinary Section (LACOG-GU) and the Latin American Renal Cancer Group (LARCG), held a consensus meeting to develop this guideline.

Methods:

Issues (134) related to the treatment of RCC were previously formulated by a panel of experts. The voting panel comprised 26 specialists (urologists and medical oncologists) from the LACOG-GU/LARCG. A consensus was reached if 75% agreement was achieved. If there was less concordance, a new discussion was undertaken, and a consensus was determined by the most votes after a second voting session.

Results:

The expert meeting provided recommendations that were in line with the global literature; 75.0% of the recommendations made by the panel of experts were evidence-based level A, 22.5% of the recommendations were level B, and 2.5% of the recommendations were level D.

Conclusions:

This review suggests recommendations for the surgical treatment of RCC according to the LACOG-GU/LARCG experts.

Molecular Subtypes Improve Prognostic Value of International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium Prognostic Model

INTRODUCTION

Gene-expression signatures for prognosis have been reported in localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The aim of this study was to test the predictive power of two different signatures, ClearCode34, a 34-gene signature model [Eur Urol 2014;66:77-84], and an 8-gene signature model [Eur Urol 2015;67:17-20], in the setting of systemic therapy for metastatic disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Metastatic RCC (mRCC) patients from five institutions who were part of TCGA were identified and clinical data were retrieved. We trained and implemented each gene model as described by the original study. The latter was demonstrated by faithful regeneration of a figure and results from the original study. mRCC patients were dichotomized to good or poor prognostic risk groups using each gene model. Cox proportional hazard regression and concordance index (C-Index) analysis were used to investigate an association between each prognostic risk model and overall survival (OS) from first-line therapy.

RESULTS

Overall, 54 patients were included in the final analysis. The primary endpoint was OS. Applying the ClearCode34 model, median survival for the low-risk-ccA (n = 17)-and the high-risk-ccB (n = 37)-subtypes were 27.6 and 22.3 months (hazard ratio (HR): 2.33; p = .039), respectively. ClearCode34 ccA/ccB and International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC) classifications appear to represent distinct risk criteria in mRCC, and we observed no significant overlap in classification (p > .05, chi-square test). On multivariable analyses and adjusting for IMDC groups, ccB remained independently associated with a worse OS (p = .044); the joint model of ccA/ccB and IMDC was significantly more accurate in predicting OS than a model with IMDC alone (p = .045, F-test). This was also observed in C-Index analysis; a model with both ccA and ccB subtypes had higher accuracy (C-Index 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.51-0.75) and 95% CIs of the C-Index that did not include the null value of 0.5 in contrast to a model with IMDC alone (0.60, CI = 0.47-0.72). The 8-gene signature molecular subtype model was a weak but insignificant predictor of survival in this cohort (p = .13). A model that included both the 8-gene signature and IMDC (C-Index 0.62, CI = 0.49-0.76) was more prognostic than IMDC alone but did not reach significance, as the 95% CI included the null value of 0.5. These two genomic signatures share no genes in common and are enriched in different biological pathways. The ClearCode34 included genes ARNT and EPAS1 (also known as HIF2a), which are involved in regulation of gene expression by hypoxia-inducible factor.

CONCLUSION

The ClearCode34 but not the 8-gene molecular model improved the prognostic predictive power of the IMDC model in this cohort of 54 patients with metastatic clear cell RCC. The Oncologist 2017;22:286-292 IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The clinical and laboratory factors included in the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium model provide prognostic information in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). The present study shows that genomic signatures, originally validated in localized RCC, may add further complementary prognostic information in the metastatic setting. This study may provide new insights into the molecular basis of certain mRCC subgroups. The integration of clinical and molecular data has the potential to redefine mRCC classification, enhance the understanding of mRCC biology, and potentially predict response to treatment in the future.

Association of tumour microRNA profiling with outcomes in patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma receiving first-line platinum-based chemotherapy

Background:

Tumour expression of selected microRNAs (miRs) correlates with cisplatin efficacy in multiple cancers. We investigated the role of selected miRs in patients receiving cisplatin-based therapy for advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC).

Methods:

RNA was extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumour from 83 advanced UC patients who received cisplatin. A miR panel based on relevance for platinum sensitivity and UC was studied by quantitative reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT–qPCR). Association of progression-free survival (PFS) with miR expression was analysed using cox regression. Selected TFs were chosen by association with the panel of miRs using the Transcription Regulation algorithm (GeneGo MetaCore+MetaDrug version 6.23 build 67496). Bladder cancer (BC) cell lines were used to investigate the previously described role of miR-21 mediating cisplatin sensitivity.

Results:

The 83 patients had a median PFS of 8 months. In multivariate analysis, higher levels of E2F1 (P=0.01, HR: 1.95 (1.14, 3.33)), miR-21 (P=0.01, HR: 2.01 (1.17, 3.45)) and miR-372 (P=0.05, HR: 1.70 (1.00, 2.89)) were associated with a shorter PFS. In the 8 BC cell lines, miR-21 was not shown to be necessary nor sufficient for modulating cisplatin sensitivity.

Conclusions:

In metastatic UC patients treated with cisplatin-based therapy, high primary tumour levels of E2F1, miR-21 and miR-372 are associated with poor PFS independent of clinical prognostic factors. The in vitro study could not confirm miR-21 levels role in modulating platinum sensitivity.

Change in Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte Ratio in Response to Targeted Therapy for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma as a Prognosticator and Biomarker of Efficacy

BACKGROUND

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), if elevated, is associated with worse outcomes in several malignancies.

OBJECTIVE

Investigation of NLR at baseline and during therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Retrospective analysis of 1199 patients from the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC cohort) and 4350 patients from 12 prospective randomized trials (validation cohort).

INTERVENTION

Targeted therapies for metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

NLR was examined at baseline and 6 (± 2) wk later. A landmark analysis at 8 wk was conducted to explore the prognostic value of relative NLR change on overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and objective response rate using Cox or logistic regression models, adjusted for variables in IMDC score and NLR values at baseline.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

Higher NLR at baseline was associated with shorter OS and PFS (Hazard Ratios [HR] per 1 unit increase in log-transformed NLR = 1.69 [95% confidence interval {CI} = 1.46-1.95] and 1.30 [95% CI = 1.15-1.48], respectively). Compared with no change (decrease < 25% to increase < 25%, reference), increase NLR at Week 6 by 25-50% and > 75% was associated with poor OS (HR=1.55 [95% CI=1.10-2.18] and 2.31 [95% CI=1.64-3.25], respectively), poor PFS (HR=1.46 [95% CI=1.04-2.03], 1.76 [95% CI=1.23-2.52], respectively), and reduced objective response rate (odds ratios = 0.77 [95% CI=0.37-1.63] and 0.24 [95% CI=0.08-0.72], respectively). By contrast, a decrease of 25-50% was associated with improved outcomes. Findings were confirmed in the validation cohort. The study is limited by its retrospective design.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with no change, early decline of NLR is associated with favorable outcomes, whereas an increase is associated with worse outcomes.

PATIENT SUMMARY

We found that the proportion of immune cells in the blood is of prognostic value, namely that a decrease of the proportion of neutrophils-to-lymphocytes is associated with more favorable outcomes while an increase had the opposite effect.

Phase 2 Study of Bevacizumab and Temsirolimus After VEGFR TKI in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Inhibiting VEGF and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways are standard treatment approaches for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Here we report the activity and safety of the VEGF ligand inhibitor bevacizumab and the mTOR inhibitor temsirolimus combination in patients with clear cell (CC) and non-clear cell (NCC) mRCC whose disease had failed to respond to prior VEGF blockade.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this phase 2 investigator-initiated multicenter study, patients received bevacizumab and temsirolimus. The primary end point was 4-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate. Secondary end points included overall response rate, median overall survival (OS), toxicity, and correlative studies of biomarkers downstream of mTOR.

RESULTS

Forty patients received at least 1 dose of therapy. Thirty-three (82.5%) had favorable/intermediate risk disease according to International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium criteria, 13 (32.5%) with nccRCC histology. Nineteen (48.7%) had primary vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-refractory disease. The 4-month PFS rate was 65%. Overall median PFS and OS were 5.6 and 12.2 months. Median PFS and OS were 6.5 and 9.6 months in patients with primary VEGFR TKI-refractory disease, and 5.6 months and 13.1 months in patients with nccRCC. Dose reductions were needed in 80% of patients. Most frequent toxicities included fatigue, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and proteinuria. Dose discontinuation due to adverse events occurred in 27.5% of patients. Baseline tumor immunohistochemistry for phospho-S6 protein was not associated with clinical benefit.

CONCLUSION

Combining bevacizumab and temsirolimus in patients previously treated with VEGFR TKI was possible but with dose reductions and treatment discontinuations. This combination resulted in modest activity, including in patients with primary VEGF-refractory disease and NCC histology.

Mutations in TSC1, TSC2, and MTOR Are Associated with Response to Rapalogs in Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

PURPOSE

We examined the hypothesis that mutations in mTOR pathway genes are associated with response to rapalogs in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC).

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

We studied a cohort of mRCC patients who were treated with mTOR inhibitors with distinct clinical outcomes. Tumor DNA from 79 subjects was successfully analyzed for mutations using targeted next-generation sequencing of 560 cancer genes. Responders were defined as those with partial response (PR) by RECIST v1.0 or stable disease with any tumor shrinkage for 6 months or longer. Nonresponders were defined as those with disease progression during the first 3 months of therapy. Fisher exact test assessed the association between mutation status in mTOR pathway genes and treatment response.

RESULTS

Mutations in MTOR, TSC1, or TSC2 were more common in responders, 12 (28%) of 43, than nonresponders, 4 (11%) of 36 (P = 0.06). Mutations in TSC1 or TSC2 alone were also more common in responders, 9 (21%), than nonresponders, 2(6%), (P = 0.05). Furthermore, 5 (42%) of 12 subjects with PR had mutations in MTOR, TSC1, or TSC2 compared with 4 (11%) of 36 nonresponders (P = 0.03). Eight additional non-mTOR pathway genes were found to be mutated in at least 4 of 79 tumors (5%); none were associated positively with response.

CONCLUSIONS

In this cohort of mRCC patients, mutations in MTOR, TSC1, or TSC2 were more common in patients who experienced clinical benefit from rapalogs than in those who progressed. However, a substantial fraction of responders (24 of 43, 56%) had no mTOR pathway mutation identified. Clin Cancer Res; 22(10); 2445-52. ©2016 AACRSee related commentary by Voss and Hsieh, p. 2320.

Diagnosis of Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Clinician's Perspective

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a heterogeneous disease. A rigorous diagnostic assessment by a pathologist with close communication with the clinician provides more accurate prognostication and informed treatment decisions. In the localized setting, an accurate prognostic assessment directs patients to potential adjuvant clinical trials. For patients with advanced disease, the pathologic assessment may have a direct impact on the systemic therapy algorithm. Additionally, it provides the basis for continuous efforts in biomarker development. In rare histologic subtypes, the interaction between clinicians and pathologists provides an opportunity to offer patients specific clinical trials. Molecular characterization platforms may identify targets for therapeutic intervention.

Somatic Copy Number Abnormalities and Mutations in PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway Have Prognostic Significance for Overall Survival in Platinum Treated Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Tumors

BACKGROUND

An integrative analysis was conducted to identify genomic alterations at a pathway level that could predict overall survival (OS) in patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC) treated with platinum-based chemotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

DNA and RNA were extracted from 103 formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) invasive high-grade UC samples and were screened for mutations, copy number variation (CNV) and gene expression analysis. Clinical data were available from 85 cases. Mutations were analyzed by mass-spectrometry based on genotyping platform (Oncomap 3) and genomic imbalances were detected by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) analysis. Regions with threshold of log2 ratio ≥0.4, or ≤0.6 were defined as either having copy number gain or loss and significantly recurrent CNV across the set of samples were determined using a GISTIC analysis. Expression analysis on selected relevant UC genes was conducted using Nanostring. To define the co-occurrence pattern of mutations and CNV, we grouped genomic events into 5 core signal transduction pathways: 1) TP53 pathway, 2) RTK/RAS/RAF pathway, 3) PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, 4) WNT/CTNNB1, 5) RB1 pathway. Cox regression was used to assess pathways abnormalities with survival outcomes.

RESULTS

35 samples (41%) harbored mutations on at least one gene: TP53 (16%), PIK3CA (9%), FGFR3 (2%), HRAS/KRAS (5%), and CTNNB1 (1%). 66% of patients had some sort of CNV. PIK3CA/AKT/mTOR pathway alteration (mutations+CNV) had the greatest impact on OS (p=0.055). At a gene level, overexpression of CTNNB1 (p=0.0008) and PIK3CA (p=0.02) were associated with shorter OS. Mutational status on PIK3CA was not associated with survival. Among other individually found genomic alterations, TP53 mutations (p=0.07), mTOR gain (p=0.07) and PTEN overexpression (p=0.08) have a marginally significant negative impact on OS.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that targeted therapies focusing on the PIK3CA/AKT/mTOR pathway genomic alterations can generate the greatest impact in the overall patient population of high-grade advanced UC.

Differential Expression of PD-L1 between Primary and Metastatic Sites in Clear-Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

PD-L1 expression in primary clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) increases the likelihood of response to anti-PD-1 inhibition, but fails to identify all responders. We hypothesized that PD-L1 levels assessed in randomly selected areas of the primary tumors may not accurately reflect expression levels in metastatic lesions, which are the target of systemic therapy. Therefore, we compared PD-L1 expression in a series of primary ccRCC and their metastases. Tissue blocks from 53 primary ccRCCs and 76 corresponding metastases were retrieved. Areas with predominant and highest nuclear grade were selected. Slides were immunostained with a validated anti-PD-L1 antibody (405.9A11). Membranous expression in tumor cells was quantified using H-score. Expression in tumor-infiltrating mononuclear cells (TIMC) was quantified using a combined score. Discordant tumor cell PD-L1 staining between primary tumors and metastases was observed in 11 of 53 cases (20.8%). Overall, tumor cell PD-L1 levels were not different in primary tumors and metastases (P = 0.51). Tumor cell PD-L1 positivity was associated with higher T stage (P = 0.03) and higher Fuhrman nuclear grade (P < 0.01). Within individual lesions, PD-L1 positivity was heterogeneous and almost exclusively detected in high nuclear grade areas (P < 0.001). No difference was found in PD-L1 levels in TIMCs between primary tumors and metastases (P = 0.82). The heterogeneity of PD-L1 expression in ccRCC suggests that its assessment as a predictive biomarker for PD-1 blockade may require analysis of metastatic lesions. Notably, because PD-L1 expression was mostly detected in high nuclear grade areas, to avoid false-negative results, these areas should be specifically selected for assessment.

Perioperative therapy for muscle invasive bladder cancer

Muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is an aggressive disease associated with poor survival rates. High rates of relapse, despite radical cystectomy, suggest that administration of systemic therapy in the perioperative period may improve clinical outcomes. Neoadjuvant treatment with cisplatin-based combination regimens is an established standard of care and has improved long-term survival in MIBC. As the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy steadily increases, clinicians still need to decide about administering adjuvant chemotherapy to patients with high-risk disease. This review examines in detail the latest evidence available for both neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy, and highlights pertinent studies.

HER2 as a target in invasive urothelial carcinoma

We evaluated primary tumors from two cohorts, Spain (N = 111) and Greece (N = 102), for patients who were treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients were tested for HER2 status (IHC score of 3+ or FISH ratio of ≥ 2.2) by immunohistochemistry (IHC), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), DNA copy number, mRNA expression, and mutation status in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC), and its impact on survival. ERBB2 mutation was determined by hotspot sequencing. mRNA expression was assessed using NanoString counting. Association of overall survival (OS) and HER2 status was assessed by a Cox regression model. NIH-3T3 cells containing HER2 V777L were assessed for growth, invasion, and HER2 kinase activation. In all, 22% of Spanish and 4% of Greek cohorts had 3+ HER2 staining by IHC. FISH amplification was identified in 20% of Spanish and 4% of Greek cohorts. Kappa coefficient between FISH and IHC was 0.47. HER2 status was not associated with OS in univariate (Spanish P = 0.34; Greek P = 0.11) or multivariate (Spanish P = 0.49; Greek P = 0.12) analysis. HER2-positive tumors expressed higher levels of HER2 mRNA than HER2-negative tumors (P < 0.001). HER2 mutations (V777L and L755S) were identified in two (2%) patients. In vitro analysis of V777L results in transformation of NIH-3T3 cells, leading to increased growth, invasion on soft agar, and HER2 kinase constitutive activation. In summary, HER2 overexpression or amplification in the primary tumor did not predict OS in patients with metastatic UC. HER2 positivity rates can differ between different populations. Further trials in genomically screened patients are needed to assess HER2-targeted therapies in UC.

Programmed death ligand-1 expression in adrenocortical carcinoma: an exploratory biomarker study

BACKGROUND

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare tumor in which prognostic factors are still not well established. Programmed Death Ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression in ACC and its association with clinico-pathological features and survival outcomes are unknown.

METHODS

Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens were obtained from 28 patients with ACC. PD-L1 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in both tumor cell membrane and tumor infiltrating mononuclear cells (TIMC). PD-L1 positivity on tumor cells was defined as ≥5% tumor cell membrane staining. TIMC were evaluated by IHC using a CD45 monoclonal antibody. For PD-L1 expression in TIMC, a combined score based on the extent of infiltrates and percentage of positive cells was developed. Any score greater that zero was considered PD-L1 positive. Baseline clinico-pathological characteristics and follow up data were retrospectively collected. Comparisons between PD-L1 expression and clinico-pathological features were evaluated using unpaired t-test and Fisher's exact test. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to assess association between PD-L1 expression and 5-year overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Among 28 patients with surgically treated ACC, 3 (10.7%) were considered PD-L1 positive on tumor cell membrane. On the other hand, PD-L1 expression in TIMC was performed in 27 specimens and PD-L1 positive staining was observed in 19 (70.4%) patients. PD-L1 positivity in either tumor cell membrane or TIMC was not significantly associated with higher stage at diagnosis, higher tumor grade, excessive hormone secretion, or OS.

CONCLUSIONS

PD-L1 expression can exist in ACC in both tumor cell membrane and TIMC with no relationship to clinico-pathologic parameters or survival.

Association of PD-L1 expression on tumor-infiltrating mononuclear cells and overall survival in patients with urothelial carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptor/PD-1 ligand (PD-L1) pathway negatively regulates T-cell-mediated responses. The prognostic impact of PD-L1 expression needs to be defined in urothelial carcinoma (UC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor samples from 160 patients with UC were retrieved. PD-L1 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry using a mouse monoclonal anti-PD-L1 antibody (405.9A11). PD-L1 positivity on tumor cell membrane was defined as ≥5% of tumor cell membrane staining. The extent of tumor-infiltrating mononuclear cells (TIMCs) as well as PD-L1 expression on TIMCs was scored from 0 to 4. A score of 2, 3, or 4 was considered PD-L1-positive. Clinico-pathological variables were documented. The Cox regression model was used to assess the association of PD-L1 expression with overall survival (OS) in patients who developed metastases.

RESULTS

TIMCs were present in 143 of the 160 patient samples. Out of 160 samples, 32 (20%) had positive PD-L1 expression in tumor cell membrane. Out of 143 samples with TIMCs, 58 (40%) had positive PD-L1 expression in TIMCs. Smoking history, prior BCG use and chromosome 9 loss did not correlate with PD-L1 expression in either tumor cell membrane or TIMCs. PD-L1 positivity was not different between non-invasive or invasive UC. In patients who developed metastases (M1) and were treated with systemic therapy (n = 100), PD-L1 positivity on tumor cell membrane was seen in 14% of patients and did not correlate with OS (P = 0.45). Out of 89 M1 patients who had evaluable PD-L1 on TIMCs, PD-L1 expression was seen in 33% of patients and was significantly associated with longer OS on multivariate analysis (P = 0.0007).

CONCLUSION

PD-L1 is widely expressed in tumor cell membrane and TIMCs in UC. PD-L1 in tumor cells was not predictive of OS. However, positive PD-L1 expression in TIMCs was significantly associated with longer survival in those patients who developed metastases.

Current role of cabozantinib in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

Over 80% of men with castration-resistant prostate cancer have bone metastases. This condition can dramatically impact quality of life and is associated with short-term survival. Consequently, the development of bone-targeted therapies is a relevant topic on prostate cancer management. Hepatocyte growth factor receptor and vascular endothelial growth factor signaling pathways have been identified to play a role in prostate cancer progression and bone metastasis and are potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Early-phase studies have shown encouraging responses in bone metastases and pain control with cabozantinib, a multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting hepatocyte growth factor receptor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor. Despite striking responses seen in some patients, preliminary results from a pivotal Phase III study have failed to produce survival benefit. This review encompasses preclinical and clinical data of cabozantinib in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer highlighting future research options for this agent.

Correlation of PD-L1 tumor expression and treatment outcomes in patients with renal cell carcinoma receiving sunitinib or pazopanib: results from COMPARZ, a randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE

The interaction of programmed death-1 ligand (PD-L1) with its receptor (PD-1) on T cells inactivates antitumor immune responses. PD-L1 expression has been associated with poor outcomes in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) but has not been investigated in advanced RCC patients receiving VEGF-targeted therapy.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens were collected at baseline from patients in the COMPARZ trial. Tumor cell PD-L1 expression by IHC was evaluated using H-score (HS). Dual PD-L1/CD68 staining was used to differentiate PD-L1 tumor expression from tumor-associated macrophages. Intratumor CD8-positive T cells were quantified morphometrically. Associations between biomarkers and survival were investigated using the log-rank test.

RESULTS

HS data were available from 453 of 1,110 patients. Sixty-four percent of patients had negative PD-L1 expression (HS = 0). Patients with HS > 55 (n = 59, 13%) had significantly shorter overall survival (OS) than those with HS ≤ 55 in both pazopanib and sunitinib arms (median 15.1 vs. 35.6 and 15.3 vs. 27.8 months, respectively, P = 0.03). In both arms, median OS was shortest in patients with HS > 55 and intratumor CD8-positive T-cell counts > 300 (9.6 and 11.9 months with pazopanib and sunitinib, respectively). Median OS in patients with HS ≤ 55 and CD8-positive T-cell counts ≤ 300 was 36.8 and 28.0 months with pazopanib and sunitinib, respectively. Progression-free survival results were similar to OS results.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased tumor cell PD-L1, or PD-L1 plus tumor CD8-positive T-cell counts, were associated with shorter survival in patients with metastatic RCC receiving VEGF-targeted agents. These findings may have implications for future design of randomized clinical trials in advanced RCC.

PD-L1 expression in nonclear-cell renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression in nonclear-cell RCC (non-ccRCC) and its association with clinical outcomes are unknown.

METHODS

Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens were obtained from 101 patients with non-ccRCC. PD-L1 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in both tumor cell membrane and tumor-infiltrating mononuclear cells (TIMC). PD-L1 tumor positivity was defined as ≥5% tumor cell membrane staining. For PD-L1 expression in TIMC, a combined score based on the extent of infiltrate and percentage of positive cells was used. Baseline clinico-pathological characteristics and outcome data [time to recurrence (TTR) and overall survival (OS)] were correlated with PD-L1 staining.

RESULTS

Among 101 patients, 11 (10.9%) were considered PD-L1+ in tumor cells: 2/36 (5.6%) of chromophobe RCC, 5/50 (10%) of papillary RCC, 3/10 (30%) of Xp11.2 translocation RCC and 1/5 (20%) of collecting duct carcinoma. PD-L1 positivity (PD-L1+) in tumor cells was significantly associated with higher stage (P = 0.01) and grade (P = 0.03), as well as shorter OS (P < 0.001). On the other hand, PD-L1 positivity by TIMC was observed in 57 (56.4%) patients: 13/36 (36.1%) of chromophobe RCC, 30/50 (60%) of papillary RCC, 9/10 (90%) of Xp11.2 translocation RCC and 5/5 (100%) of collecting duct carcinoma. A trend toward shorter OS was observed in patients with PD-L1+ in TIMC (P = 0.08). PD-L1+ in both tumor cell membrane and TIMC cells were associated with shorter TTR (P = 0.02 and P = 0.03, respectively).

CONCLUSION

In non-ccRCC, patients with PD-L1+ tumors appear to have worse clinical outcomes, although only PD-L1 positivity in tumor cells is associated with higher tumor stage and grade.

Comparative effectiveness of approved first-line anti-angiogenic and molecularly targeted therapeutic agents in the treatment of good and intermediate risk metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Based on improved clinical outcomes in randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) the FDA and EMA have approved bevacizumab with interferon, sunitinib, and pazopanib in the first-line treatment of low to intermediate risk metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). However, there is little comparative data to help in choosing the most effective drug among these agents.

METHODS

We performed an indirect comparative effectiveness analysis of the pivotal RCTs of bevacizumab with interferon, sunitinib, or pazopanib compared to one another or interferon alone in first-line treatment of metastatic or advanced RCC. Endpoints of interest were overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), and response rate (RR). Adverse events were also examined.

RESULTS

The meta-estimate of the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for OS for bevacizumab with interferon vs. interferon alone was 0.86 (0.76-0.97), for sunitinib vs. interferon alone was 0.82 (0.67-1.00), for pazopanib vs. interferon alone was 0.74 (0.57-0.97), for sunitinib vs. bevacizumab with interferon was 0.95 (0.75-1.20), for pazopanib vs. bevacizumab with interferon was 0.86 (0.64-1.16), and for pazopanib vs. sunitinib was 0.91 (0.76-1.08). Similarly, bevacizumab with interferon, sunitinib, or pazopanib had better PFS and RR than interferon alone. Sunitinib and pazopanib had better RR than bevacizumab with interferon and there was suggestive evidence pazopanib may outperform sunitinib in terms of RR.

CONCLUSIONS

Bevacizumab with interferon, sunitinib, and pazopanib are adequate first-line options in treatment of mRCC. Interferon alone should not be considered an optimal first-line treatment.

Identification of ALK gene alterations in urothelial carcinoma

Background

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) genomic alterations have emerged as a potent predictor of benefit from treatment with ALK inhibitors in several cancers. Currently, there is no information about ALK gene alterations in urothelial carcinoma (UC) and its correlation with clinical or pathologic features and outcome.

Methods

Samples from patients with advanced UC and correlative clinical data were collected. Genomic imbalances were investigated by array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH). ALK gene status was evaluated by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). ALK expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and high-throughput mutation analysis with Oncomap 3 platform. Next generation sequencing was performed using Illumina Genome Analyzer IIx, and Illumina HiSeq 2000 in the FISH positive case.

Results

70 of 96 patients had tissue available for all the tests performed. Arm level copy number gains at chromosome 2 were identified in 17 (24%) patients. Minor copy number alterations (CNAs) in the proximity of ALK locus were found in 3 patients by aCGH. By FISH analysis, one of these samples had a deletion of the 5′ALK. Whole genome next generation sequencing was inconclusive to confirm the deletion at the level of the ALK gene at the coverage level used. We did not observe an association between ALK CNA and overall survival, ECOG PS, or development of visceral disease.

Conclusions

ALK genomic alterations are rare and probably without prognostic implications in UC. The potential for testing ALK inhibitors in UC merits further investigation but might be restricted to the identification of an enriched population.

10% Tumor diameter shrinkage on the first follow-up computed tomography predicts clinical outcome in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma treated with angiogenesis inhibitors: a follow-up validation study

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeted agents are standard therapies for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), associated with variable tumor shrinkage. Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) is of limited utility in this setting, and other imaging changes are sought to reliably predict outcome early. We aim to validate 10% tumor shrinkage as the best early indicator of outcome. Methods. In this institutional review board-approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant study, 66 mRCC patients with 165 lesions on clinical trials of VEGF-targeted agents underwent thoracic and abdominal computed tomography at baseline and at first follow-up after therapy. Measurements were performed according to RECIST and tumor shrinkage of ≥10% decrease in sum of the longest diameter (-10%SLD). Correlation with time-to-treatment failure (TTF) and overall survival (OS) were compared and stratified by response to the radiologic criteria. Receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) analysis yielded the optimal threshold change in SLD, defining patients with prolonged survival. Results. More than -10%SLD significantly differentiated responders from nonresponders (median TTF 8.4 vs. 4.1 months, p = .001), whereas partial response by RECIST did not (median TTF 6.9 vs. 5.5 months in responders vs. nonresponders, p = .34). -10%SLD was also significantly predictive of OS (median OS 35.1 vs. 15.0 months in responders vs. nonresponders, p = .003). ROC curve analysis yielded -9.3% in SLD as the optimal threshold for response/no response. Conclusion. Ten percent tumor shrinkage is validated as a reliable early predictor of outcome in mRCC patients receiving VEGF-targeted therapies and may provide a practical measure to guide therapeutic decisions.

Sequential targeted therapy after pazopanib therapy in patients with metastatic renal cell cancer: efficacy and toxicity

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND

Patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) in whom first-line therapies have failed might derive clinical benefit with sequential targeted agents. Limited data are available on the efficacy and toxicity of subsequent therapies after disease progression during pazopanib therapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with mRCC who received subsequent systemic treatment after pazopanib treatment failure were identified across 7 institutions. Pazopanib was given as first-line therapy in 28 patients and after cytokines therapy in 7 patients. Clinical outcome and toxicity analyses of 2 sequential treatment options (anti-vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] or mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor [mTORi]) is presented.

RESULTS

Subsequent therapy was anti-VEGF in 22 patients and mTORi in 13. One patient who received bevacizumab and temsirolimus combination was excluded. VEGF-targeted therapies included sorafenib (n = 10), sunitinib (n = 3), bevacizumab (n = 2), cediranib (n = 4) and cabozantinib (n = 3). Patients treated with mTORi received everolimus. Median progression-free survival was 5.6 months from the start of subsequent therapy with anti-VEGF and 2.4 months with mTORi (P = .009). Overall survival (OS) was not significantly different (P = .68). Clinical benefit (including partial response and stable disease) on subsequent therapy was observed in 15 patients (64%) and 4 patients (31%) of anti-VEGF- and everolimus-treated patients, respectively (P = .021).

CONCLUSION

In this retrospective study, targeting VEGF was an effective strategy after disease progression during pazopanib treatment, although OS was not different among patients treated with VEGF or mTORi.

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and its effect on the prognostic value of the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC) model for patients treated with targeted therapy (TT)

470

Background: The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a marker of host inflammation and appears to have prognostic value in many solid tumors. We have found in a pilot RCC study that a NLR > 2.5 was predictive of a lower likelihood of response to TT on a multivariable analysis. Here we aim to explore the added value of the NLR to improve the prognostic value of the established IMDC criteria (Heng et al JCO 2009). Methods: We included patients from 7 consortium sites where NLR data was available for patients treated with TT and compared NLR cutoff <= 2.5 vs. >2.5 (i.e. low vs. high NLR) and adjusted using proportional hazards regression for the known poor prognostic criteria (listed in Table). Results: Data from 859 patients were included. NLR values were: Mean 4.98, Median 3.51, Mode 2.5, 95%CI 1.42 – 14.0. Using Cutoff <=2.5 vs. >2.5 Median overall survival (OS) is 30.4 months (95%CI 24.9-37.0, n= 237) vs. 15.7 months (95%CI 13.0-17.2, n=622); log-rank p value <0.0001. If we adjust for all six IMDC poor prognosis criteria in a proportional hazards regression model: HR of death for high NLR is 1.506 (1.177-1.928) p=0.0011, demonstrating NLR is still an independent predictor of poor OS even after using IMDC criteria. Conclusions: The NLR is a simple clinical value and is independently associated with poor overall survival even after adjustment for IMDC factors, including neutrophilia. The updated data set will be presented. [Table: see text]

PD-L1 expression in primary clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCCs) and their metastases

467

Background: Clinical trials evaluating anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 antibodies (Abs) in ccRCC have shown promising efficacy in a subset of patients. Preliminary studies have demonstrated that tumor PD-L1 expression increases the likelihood of benefit with anti-PD-1 Ab, but fails to identify all responders. One potential explanation for these results is that predictive biomarkers are usually evaluated in the primary tumors, which are more readily available; however, biomarker expression in nephrectomy samples may not accurately reflect expression in the metastases that are being targeted by therapy. In this study, we compared PD-L1 expression in a series of ccRCCs and their metastases. Methods: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks from 34 primary ccRCCs and corresponding metastases were retrieved. Multiple areas of the primary tumors, including areas of predominant and highest Fuhrman nuclear grade (FNG), were selected for analysis. Slides were immunostained with a mouse monoclonal anti-PD-L1 antibody (405.9A11). The assay was validated using FFPE cell line controls known to be positive or negative for PD-L1 expression by flow cytometry. The presence of tumor cells with membranous staining was assessed. A case was considered positive when any tumor cell positivity was detected. Results: Positive membranous PD-L1 expression in tumor cells was observed in 10/34 (29%) primary ccRCCs. In 3 of these 10 cases (30%), the metastases were negative. In 2 cases the primary tumor was negative but the metastases were positive. In twenty-two cases, both the primary tumor and the corresponding metastasis were negative. The pattern of PD-L1 staining was highly heterogeneous in the primary tumors and was restricted to areas of highest FNG. The staining was more homogeneous in the metastases. PD-L1 expression by the tumor infiltrating immune cells is currently being evaluated. Conclusions: Discordant expression of PD-L1 between the primary tumor and the corresponding metastases was detected in 5/34 (15%) cases, suggesting that accurate assessment of predictive biomarkers for PD-1 blockade in ccRCC might require analysis of metastatic lesions. Analysis of a larger patient cohort is ongoing to confirm these findings.

PD-L1 expression in non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma

424

Background: Programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptor negatively regulates T cell-mediated responses.PD-1 ligand (PD-L1) is aberrantly expressed in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and is associated with worse prognosis. Levels of PD-L1 expressions in non-ccRCC and its association with clinicopathological features and survival are unknown. Methods: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens were obtained from 97 patients with chromophobe (CHR), papillary (PAP), translocation Xp11.2 (TrL) RCC and oncoytoma (ONC) and were included in the analysis. PD-L1 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry using a mouse monoclonal anti-PD-L1 antibody (405.9A11). The assay was validated using FFPE cell line controls known to be positive or negative for PD-L1 expression by flow cytometry. PD-L1 tumor positivity (PD-L1+) was defined as ≥5% tumor cell membrane staining. For PD-L1 expression in immune cells, a combined score based on the intensity of infiltrate and percentage of positive cells was used. Baseline characteristics including stage/grade, and survival data were collected. Comparisons between PD-L1 expression and clinicopathological features were evaluated using chisq or wilcoxon rank sum tests. Cox model tests for association of PD-L1 expression with OS in univariate and multivariable analysis. Results: Among 97 patients, 12 (12.4%) were considered PD-L1+ in tumor cells: 2/36 (5%) of CHR RCC, 5/50 (10%) of PAP RCC, 3/7 (43%) of TrL RCC, and 2/4 (50%) of ONC. PD-L1 positivity in tumor cells was significantly associated with higher stage (p=0.026) and grade (p=0.046), as well as lower OS on univariate (p=0.02) but not multivariate analysis (p=0.29). On the other hand, PD-L1 positivity by immune cells was observed in 50 (51.5%) patients: 13/36 (36%) of CHR RCC, 30/50 (60%) of PAP RCC, 6/7 (86%) of TrL RCC, and 1/4 (25%) of ONC. PD-L1 positivity in immune cells did not correlate with stage (p=0.7), grade (p=0.1) or OS (p=0.8). Conclusions: PD-L1 expression is variable in non-ccRCC and depends on histology and tumor vs. immune cells scoring. Only PD-L1 positivity in tumors cells was associated with aggressive features. Patients with non-ccRCC should not be automatically excluded from trials of agents that target the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway.

The role of aberrant VHL/HIF pathway elements in predicting clinical outcome to pazopanib therapy in patients with metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma

PURPOSE

Inactivation of von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) leads to increased levels of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) and overexpression of HIF target genes, such as VEGF and others. VEGF-targeted agents are standard in advanced clear-cell RCC but biomarkers of activity are lacking.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

We analyzed tumor tissue samples from metastatic clear-cell RCC patients who received pazopanib as part of clinical trial VEG102616. We evaluated several components of the VHL/HIF pathway: VHL gene inactivation (mutation and/or methylation), HIF-1α and HIF-2α immunohistochemistry staining, and HIF-1α transcriptional signature. We evaluated the association of these biomarkers with best overall response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS) to pazopanib, a standard first-line VEGF-targeted agent.

RESULTS

The VEG102616 trial enrolled 225 patients, from whom 78 samples were available for tumor DNA extraction. Of these, 70 patients had VHL mutation or methylation. VHL gene status did not correlate with ORR or PFS. Similarly, HIF-1α (65 samples) and HIF-2α (66 samples) protein levels (high vs. low) did not correlate with ORR or PFS to pazopanib. The HIF-1α transcriptional signature (46 samples) was enriched in tumors expressing high HIF-1α levels. However, the HIF-1α gene expression signature was not associated with clinical outcome to pazopanib.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with advanced clear-cell RCC, several potential biomarkers along the VHL/HIF-1α/HIF-2α axis were not found to be predictive for pazopanib activity. Additional efforts must continue to identify biomarkers associated with clinical outcome to VEGF-targeted agents in metastatic RCC.

Endocrine resistance in advanced breast cancer: current evidence and future directions

SUMMARY Hormone receptor-positive breast cancer constitutes a heterogeneous group representing the majority (60–75%) of patients with the disease. Hormonal approaches interfering with receptor signaling represents an established treatment strategy with demonstrated efficacy and favorable toxicity profile. However, due to either primary or acquired resistance, metastatic hormone receptor-positive breast cancer remains incurable. Mechanisms of resistance are complex and still poorly understood. Estrogen receptor signaling interactions with critical growth factor pathways and various downstream kinases have been implicated. Available evidence recommends a sequential single-agent approach to advanced hormone receptor-positive disease as a preferred therapeutic alternative. Recent information suggests that rational mTOR inhibition modulates hormonal resistance. Further advances in this field will require analysis of biopsies from metastatic sites at the time of progression.

BRAF mutations in metanephric adenoma of the kidney

BACKGROUND

Metanephric adenoma (MA) of the kidney is a rare, indolent tumor that may be difficult to differentiate from other small renal masses (SRMs). Genetic alterations associated with MA remain largely unknown.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed at defining genetic events in MA of the kidney and determining their influence in the management of this disease.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Multiplexed mass spectrometric genotyping was performed on 29 MA cases after tumor DNA extraction. We also conducted a mutational screen in an additional 129 renal neoplasms. Immunohistochemistry was performed on the MA cases to assess molecular markers of signaling pathway activation. Patients' baseline characteristics, as well as follow-up data, were captured.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

We used descriptive statistics for baseline clinical characteristics and incidence of mutations. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to correlate patient characteristics with mutational status.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

We identified the v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF) V600E mutation in 26 of 29 MA cases. These results were validated in all cases using the commercially available BRAF Pyro Kit (QIAGEN). In contrast, BRAF mutations were rare in the other 129 non-MA renal neoplasms that were screened. We detected a BRAF mutation (V600E) in only one papillary renal cell carcinoma case. In all MA tumors, we documented expression of phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase, accompanied by immunoreactivity for p16 (INK4a). All patients were treated with a partial or radical nephrectomy, and after a median follow-up of 26.5 mo, there were no local or distant recurrences. Limitations include the retrospective nature of this study.

CONCLUSIONS

BRAF V600E mutations are present in approximately 90% of all MA cases, serving as a potential valuable diagnostic tool in the differential diagnosis of SRMs undergoing a percutaneous biopsy. The presence of BRAF V600E and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation in a largely benign tumor supports the necessity for secondary events (e.g., p16 loss) in BRAF-driven oncogenesis.