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Background: In this exploratory analysis, we aim to evaluate surrogates of metastatic burden, namely number of CRMs and size of largest CRM, for their prognostic and predictive value on efficacy ...of maintenance therapy with 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (FU/FA) plus panitumumab (pmab) or FU/FA alone in RAS wildtype mCRC patients treated within the PanaMa trial. Methods: Number of CRMs and size of largest CRM at baseline were determined taking into account target and non-target lesions measured by central radiological review. Median number of metastases was set as threshold (n≤/ > 10) to assess the prognostic and predictive value of CRM count on PFS and OS of maintenance therapy. A threshold of ≤/ > 50mm was set to evaluate the impact of the largest CRM on the above time-to-event endpoints. PFS and OS were expressed by Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank testing. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% CIs were estimated using Cox regression models. Results: Out of 248 patients receiving maintenance therapy, CT and MRI scans of 211 patients were centrally evaluable (FU/FA+ Pmab, n = 106; FU/FA alone, n = 105). At baseline, 50.1% of the patients were diagnosed with > 10 CRM. Median size of the largest CRM was 45 mm. Number of CRMs n≤10 was associated with favorable PFS, while both, number n≤10, and size of largest CRM ≤50mm correlated with favorable OS compared to n > 10 and size of largest CRM > 50mm, respectively. In patients with > 10 CRMs, and those with largest CRM sized > 50mm, PFS of maintenance therapy was significantly superior with FU/FA+ Pmab compared to FU/FA alone (Table). Conclusions: Metastatic burden was found to be prognostic for PFS and OS of maintenance therapy. Additionally, number and largest size of CRMs proofed predictive of PFS of maintenance therapy with Pmab, the primary endpoint of the trial. Patients with high metastatic burden at baseline appear to benefit particularly from Pmab-containing maintenance therapy. Clinical trial information: NCT01991873 . Table: see text
3553
Background: In patients with mCRC, the liver represents the primary site of metastasis. In patients with primarily unresectable metastatic disease, primary tumor location and molecular subtypes ...mainly determine the therapeutic approach. In addition, image-based characterization of hepatic metastatic pattern may provide additional information concerning prognosis and treatment efficacy. Therefore, CRLM were characterized according to size-based heterogeneity in the PanaMa trial (maintenance therapy with 5-fluoruracil/leucovorin (FU/FA) plus panitumumab (Pmab) vs. FU/FA alone following induction therapy with six cycles of FU/FA, oxaliplatin and Pmab). Methods: Assessments were performed in patients with at least two lesions, considering target and non-target lesions, within a central radiological review of the trial. Variance in size expressed as ratio between the smallest and largest lesion measured (≤/ > threefold difference in size) was evaluated for its prognostic and predictive impact on progression-free (PFS) and overall (OS) survival of maintenance therapy. Time-to-event endpoints were expressed by Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank tests. Cox regressions were used to indicate Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% CIs. Results: Imaging data of 211/248 (85.1%) patients receiving maintenance therapy were evaluable for central radiological review (FU/FA+ Pmab, n = 106; FU/FA, n = 105). Of those, 165/211 patients (78.2%) had at least two CRLM. Size of CRLM ranged between 5–180mm, with the smallest metastasis in the individual assessments measuring a median of 12mm and the largest a median of 53mm. Large heterogeneity with more than a threefold difference in size between the smallest and largest CRLM was observed in 49.7% of patients, particularly pronounced in patients with polymetastatic disease ( > 5 lesions). Homogeneous metastasis in terms of lesion size (≤ threefold difference) was associated with favorable OS (HR 0.63; 95% CI, 0.42–0.95; P = 0.027) - irrespective of study arm- compared to heterogeneous lesion disease. Maintenance therapy with FU/FA+ Pmab compared with FU/FA alone seemed favourably active in both patients with heterogeneous metastases (HR 0.53; 95% CI; 0.34–0.85; P = 0.008) as well as to a numerically lesser extent in patients with homogeneous metastases (HR 0.68; 95% CI, 0.43–1.10; P= 0.116). Conclusions: Imaging-based characterization of CRLM focusing on size-related heterogeneity was associated with favorable prognosis potentially indicating more aggressive underlying tumor dynamics in case of heterogeneous lesion size. In addition, the efficacy of Pmab during maintenance was evident in both patient groups (homogeneous and heterogeneous disease lesions) with a numerically greater effect in patients with heterogeneous lesions. Clinical trial information: NCT01991873 .
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Background: Despite molecular selection, patients with RAS wildtype mCRC represent a heterogeneous population, including different metastatic patterns and number of organs involved. We ...investigated metastatic patterns for their prognostic and predictive impact on maintenance therapy with (FU/FA plus Pmab or FU/FA alone) in patients treated within the PanaMa trial. Methods: The study population was stratified according to number of organs involved and also to different patterns including liver metastases alone or in combination with additional organs. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regressions were used to correlate efficacy endpoints (i.e. progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of maintenance therapy) in the aforementioned populations. Results: Of 248 patients (pts) receiving maintenance therapy, 133 pts had a one-metastatic site disease (53.6%). Of those, 102 pts had liver-only metastases. Furthermore, liver metastases plus one additional involved organ was observed in 61/248 patients (24.6%), and liver metastases plus two or more organs in 40/248 patients (16.1%). In general, one organ disease was associated with favourable PFS of maintenance therapy compared to patients with ≥2 organs involved (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.52–0.88; P = 0.004). A predictive impact of disease spread in terms of pmab-containing maintenance therapy was present for the PFS of maintenance therapy in patients with ≥ 2 organ disease (HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.39–0.86; P = 0.006) unlike in patients with only one-organ disease (HR 0.83, 95% CI, 0.57-1.21; P = 0.332) and also specifically in patients with a 2-organ disease including the liver (HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.33–0.99; P = 0.046). Conclusions: Consistent with previous reports, organ spread has prognostic impact in mCRC. The efficacy of more intensive maintenance therapy (including pmab and 5-FU/FA) is predominantly seen in patients with more than one organ involved in the metastatic spread, while less striking effects were seen in patients with only one organ disease. These data may support clinical decisions when EGFR-based maintenance therapy is considered. Clinical trial information: NCT01991873 .
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Background: The PANAMA study demonstrated superior progression-free survival (PFS) with the addition of panitumumab (Pmab) to fluorouracil and folinic acid (FU/FA) as maintenance therapy following ...first-line induction therapy with FOLFOX/Pmab in patients with RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer. We report health-related quality of life (HRQOL) analyses of the PANAMA study. Methods: HRQOL was assessed by European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) at every cycle of therapy until disease progression. All patients who received at least one dose of induction therapy and completed at least one HRQOL assessment were included into the analysis. HRQOL outcomes were mean changes in EORTC QLQ-C30 from baseline (prior to cycle 1 of induction therapy) to each cycle of treatment (both induction and maintenance therapy). The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01991873). Results: In total, 349/377 (93%) of the induction and 237/248 pts (96%) of the maintenance group completed at least one HRQOL assessment and were included in the HRQOL analysis population. There were no significant differences in any of the EORTC QLQ-C30 items between both treatment arms before induction therapy and at randomization. From baseline to cycle 6 of induction therapy there was significant improvement in mean EORTC QLQ-C30 global health status (GHS)/QOL, functioning (except for cognitive functioning) and symptom (except for nausea and vomiting, dyspnea, appetite loss, constipation, and financial difficulties) scores in the randomized population. During maintenance therapy, no significant differences between FU/FA plus Pmab and FU/FA alone were observed. In both arms of the trial, GHS/QOL scores were maintained or trended to improve from baseline (start of induction therapy) to cycle 10 of maintenance therapy (FU/FA plus Pmab: mean difference 9.48 95% CI 1.96-17.00; p=0.014); FU/FA arm (mean difference 6.52 95% CI –1.9-14.95; p=0.128). Conclusions: Using the established EORTC QLQ-C30 assessment, the addition of Pmab to FU/FA as maintenance therapy in patients with RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer did not impair the HRQOL endpoints analyzed compared to FU/FA alone. These results, along with previously reported improvement in PFS, may support clinical decision-making concerning maintenance treatments. Clinical trial information: NCT01991873 .
Abstract only
10571
Background: Tumor patients (pts.) are considered susceptible to severe COVID-19 after SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, they represent a heterogeneous group of individuals with ...variable risk. Identification of vulnerable subgroups is important for prioritization of vaccination strategies and possible early therapeutic intervention after infection. Methods: Tumor pts. with PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection were included in the multicentric ADHOK registry by 22 institutions. Detailed information about tumor disease and treatment, as well as routine laboratory parameters determined at least 10 days prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection, was collected retrospectively. The primary endpoint was defined as the outcome of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, graded according to the WHO: asymptomatic, mild, moderate, severe, critical, and COVID-19-related death. Results: Until Feb. 5, 2021, 215 pts. (67% with solid tumors, 33% with hematological neoplasms) were included in the registry. 74% of the pts. had an active malignancy. The course of SARS-CoV-2 infection was rather variable: 66% of the pts. remained asymptomatic or showed a mild-to-moderate course, while the rest developed severe or critical disease. The COVID-19-related mortality rate was 24%. Pre-infection routine laboratory values were available for 104 pts., obtained at a median of 21 days before SARS-CoV-2 infection. Compared to COVID-19 survivors, COVID-19 non-survivors showed significantly higher median levels of absolute neutrophil count (ANC: 3.6 vs. 6.4 /nL; p = 0.006, n = 91), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR: 2.2 vs. 7.2; p = 0.005, n = 75), C-reactive protein (CRP: 9.9 vs. 42.0 mg/L; p = 0.001, n = 104), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH: 213.0 vs. 267.0 U/L; p = 0.016, n = 78). When categorized by a median split, COVID-19 mortality was significantly higher in pts. with ANC > 4.4 /nL (4% vs. 55%, p < 0.001), NLR > 4.1 (5% vs. 58%, p < 0.001), CRP > 15.4 mg/L (18% vs. 46%, p = 0.003), LDH > 236 U/L (15% vs. 49%, p = 0.003) and lymphocytes < 1.3 /nL (41% vs. 11% p = 0.002). In multivariable analysis, ANC and CRP showed a strong and significant association with COVID-19-related death (OR 23.0 and 7.7, p = 0.007 and 0.029, respectively). To develop an easy-to-apply pre-infection score, we combined ANC and CRP and were able to separate three groups of pts. with significantly different COVID-19 outcomes (p < 0.001) (Table). Conclusions: Our results unveil subgroups of tumor pts. who may be at increased risk of severe COVID-19 and point to pre-infection routine laboratory parameters with potential prognostic power: ANC and CRP may help identify pts. at risk for severe COVID-19 before SARS-CoV-2 infection.Table: see text
Purpose
In patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer, after failure of gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel, this trial compares the efficacy of second-line therapy with FOLFIRI vs. OFF (1:1 randomisation) ...with cross-over to the vice-versa regimen as third-line therapy.
Patients and Methods
The primary endpoint was PFS (progression-free survival: time from randomization until progression or death) of second-line therapy. The trial aimed to demonstrate non-inferiority of FOLFIRI vs OFF (non-inferiority margin of a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.5, power of 80% and a significance level of 5%, 196 events needed). Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), progression-free survival of third-line therapy and safety. The trial is registered with EudraCT Nr. 2016–004640-11.
Results
The trial was terminated with 60 evaluable (37 with FOLFIRI, 23 with OFF) patients due to insufficient recruitment. PFS of second-line therapy was 2.4 (95% CI 2.3–2.6) months with FOLFIRI vs 2.4 (95% CI 2.2–2.7) months with OFF (HR: 0.80, 95% CI 0.45–1.42, P = 0.43). OS was comparable between the arms (HR: 0.95, 95% CI 0.54–1.66), P = 0.84). Only 4 out of 28 (14%) patients receiving third-line therapy achieved a disease control (partial remission or stable disease). Both second-line regimens were well tolerated without new or unexpected safety signals being observed.
Conclusion
The exploratory analysis of this early terminated trial suggests that FOLFIRI and OFF have similar efficacy ant toxicity as second-line therapy of PDAC after failure of gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel. Third-line therapy regardless of regimen does not provide satisfactory efficacy in this sequential treatment algorithm.
XELAVIRI compared sequential (Arm A) versus initial (Arm B) irinotecan in combination with fluoropyrimidine plus bevacizumab in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, trial identification: ...NCT01249638. In the full analysis set of the study, non-inferiority of time to failure of strategy (TFS) was not shown. The present analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of gender on treatment outcome and tolerability.
The study end-points overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), TFS and overall survival (OS) were evaluated in female versus male patients and in molecular subgroups (i.e. RAS mutational status). Interaction of treatment and gender was tested by likelihood ratio tests.
In total, 281 male and 140 female patients (n = 421) were evaluated. Among the male patients, the ORR was 33.6% without and 58.3% with initial irinotecan (P < 0.001). PFS (hazard ratio HR 0.54; 95% confidence interval CI 0.42–0.69; P < 0.001) and OS (HR 0.63; 95% CI 0.47–0.85; P = 0.002) were also significantly better with initial irinotecan. Among the female patients, the ORR was 42.7% in Arm A and 43.1% in Arm B, PFS was similar (HR 1.09; 95% CI 0.76–1.55; P = 0.649) without and with initial irinotecan. A strong trend for inferior outcome with regard to OS with initial irinotecan was observed (HR 1.46; 95% CI 0.95–2.24; P = 0.081) and the trend reached significance in the multivariate analysis (HR 1.78; 95% CI 1.08–2.95; P = 0.02). Formal interaction of treatment and gender was observed for ORR (P = 0.018), PFS (P = 0.002) and OS (P = 0.001). Treatment-related adverse events were not significantly different between male and female patients.
The present analysis suggests that gender interacts with efficacy of initial irinotecan when used in combination with fluoropyrimidines and bevacizumab. Although male patients derived a significant and clinically meaningful benefit from initial combination chemotherapy, this was not observed in female patients.
•We evaluate the efficacy of initial irinotecan according to gender in mCRC.•Male patients seem to benefit from initial irinotecan, whereas women do not.•Baseline characteristics and toxicities were similar in male versus female patients.
The randomised open-label phase III XELAVIRI trial failed to demonstrate non-inferiority of the sequential application of fluoropyrimidine plus bevacizumab followed by additional irinotecan at first ...progression (Arm A) versus initial combination of all agents (Arm B) for untreated metastatic colorectal cancer in the initial analysis of time-to-failure-of-strategy (TFS, 90% confidence boundary of 0.8). Here, we evaluate efficacy in the full analysis set (FAS), the per-protocol set, in addition to age-related and molecular subgroups.
Median TFS, overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were estimated by Kaplan–Meier method and log-rank test. Cox regression models assessed hazard ratios (HRs) and confidence intervals (CIs) (TFS: 90%; OS, PFS: 95%).
Of 421 patients, 390 (92.6%), 391 (92.9%) and 357 (84.8%) events for TFS, OS and PFS were observed in the FAS with a median follow-up of 54.2 months (Arm A) versus 52.9 months (Arm B). Non-inferiority of sequential treatment for TFS was missed in the FAS (HR 0.93; 90% CI, 0.79–1.10; P = 0.482) and not shown in the per-protocol set (HR 0.93; 90% CI, 0.75–1.13, P = 0.433). Formal non-inferiority for TFS was observed for patients older than 70 years (HR 1.06; 90% CI, 0.80–1.41; P = 0.670) and patients with RAS mutant tumours (HR 1.12; 90% CI, 0.87–1.43; P = 0.465). In RAS/BRAF wild-type tumours, combination treatment was significantly superior to sequential therapy in all end-points.
In the overall population, XELAVIRI just missed to demonstrate the non-inferiority of sequential compared to combination therapy for TFS. However, the non-inferiority of sequential treatment was observed in elderly patients and RAS mutant tumours.
Trial registration ID (clinicaltrials.gov) NCT01249638.
•Sequential vs. combination of fluoropyrimidine (FP), bevacizumab (Bev), irinotecan.•Sequential arm: start with FP + Bev, escalation with irinotecan at progression.•Sequential arm was inferior for primary end-point time-to-failure-of-strategy.•Patients >70 years and with RAS mutant mCRC benefit from sequential therapy.•Combination chemotherapy is advised in younger patients with RAS wild-type mCRC.
Early morbidity and mortality affect patient outcomes in multiple myeloma. Thus, we dissected the incidence and causes of morbidity/mortality during induction therapy (IT) for newly diagnosed ...multiple myeloma (NDMM), and developed/validated a predictive risk score. We evaluated 3700 transplant-eligible NDMM patients treated in 2005-2020 with novel agent-based triplet/quadruplet IT. Primary endpoints were severe infections, death, or a combination of both. Patients were divided in a training (n = 1333) and three validation cohorts (n = 2367). During IT, 11.8%, 1.8%, and 12.5% of patients in the training cohort experienced severe infections, death, or both, respectively. Four major, baseline risk factors for severe infection/death were identified: low platelet count (<150/nL), ISS III, higher WHO performance status (>1), and age (>60 years). A risk score (1 risk factor=1 point) stratified patients in low (39.5%; 0 points), intermediate (41.9%; 1 point), and high (18.6%; ≥2 points) risk. The risk for severe infection/death increased from 7.7% vs. 11.5% vs. 23.3% in the low- vs. intermediate- vs. high-risk groups (p < 0.001). The risk score was independently validated in three trials incorporating quadruplet IT with an anti-CD38 antibody. Our analyses established a robust and easy-to-use score to identify NDMM patients at risk of severe infection/death, covering the latest quadruplet induction therapies. Trial registrations: HOVON-65/GMMG-HD4: EudraCT No. 2004-000944-26. GMMG-MM5: EudraCT No. 2010-019173-16. GMMG-HD6: NCT02495922. EMN02/HOVON-95: NCT01208766. GMMG-HD7: NCT03617731.
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